Sarah's Birthday

Today was the birthday of my sweet and wonderful wife.  It's not possible for me to do enough nice things for her.  Without her I am probably still a pot smoking internet porn surfing do nothing guy in a stinky bachelor pad in who knows where.  Probably on the couch of one of you dear readers.  Stinky.  I think we all owe her a debt of gratitude. 

Today we went to the beach and then came home to watch a movie.  Finally got Secondhand Lions.  Great movie.  All day long her phone was lit up with calls from friends and buzzed with texts.  She felt loved and it was good.  I hope I can spend enough time and effort making her feel as loved and valuable as she is over the next year.  There aren't enough hours and I am not a good enough man, but I'll try. 


Love you sweetie.

7/26/12

Sarah's birthday eve.

Tonight we went to the SLO farmer's market.  Apparently it is the oldest farmer's market in the US.  Cool.  Seemed more like a street fair with a farmer's market attached.  It was still fun though.  We checked out the sights and stopped at a booth where they sold Five Fingers.  Ended up buying a pair.  Hope they work out. 

Michael is now catching the cold that Max just finished.  It seems to be hitting him a little bit harder than it hit Max.  Tonight he was telling us that he remembered being in the hospital when he was 3.  HE said he remembers seeing himself from above while he was lying in the bed.  I think he is just picturing it in his head from having heard it so many times.  He also wanted to know what it was like while we were at home without him.  We told him that one of us was always there with him and usually both of us were.  He seemed impressed.  Kids. 

7/23/12

Another busy day. 

Today's project was the hot water heater.  You are supposed to clean them out at least annually they say.  We have been living full time in here for two years.  Oops.  To say it was quite disgusting would be understating it by an order of magnitude.  There were pounds of scale buildup.  The water draining out was a dark grey that obscured the bottom of the container when it was only inches deep.  I am ashamed to say this. 

Now, I have never been Mr. Maintenance.  I am trying to get better.  The list of things I need to fix is shortening at the moment faster than it is increasing.  I am a humbled man by this disgusting experience.  Yeeeecccchhhh. 

The sulpher smell was awful.  I can't believe we were bathing in that stuff.  I didn't have enough supplies even to properly clean it.  Luckily one of our neighbors is a Mr. Fixit type who was there to lend a hand, some tools and some advice.  I tried to rely on him as little as possible.  I could see the barely concealed contempt at the state to which I had allowed the heater to degrade.  I rationalized in my head that this maintenance was important to him because of his background in auto mechanics and I spent my efforts maintaining my physical condition.  He smokes.  I joked with him when I left on my run today that it was time for a different type of maintenance.  Still.  Doesn't matter, I should have done better.  I'm trying.  I thanked him for the use of the two tools he loaned me and the advice.  He is a nice guy. 

Sigh.  Then I cleaned out the shower head that was filled with crap that probably came directly from the hot water heater.

Tonight the kids are getting a bit of a lesson.  They were told we would all watch a movie together, Second Hand Lions, if they cleaned their room quickly.  They dawdled and played.  Sarah repeatedly warned them.  She stood in the room and told them they needed to hurry.  They didn't care.  So she told them movie night was cancelled.  Many tears ensued, but she stuck to her guns and there will be no movie night for them tonight.  Ohhh, the sad stretched faces.

Maybe we will watch a movie after they go to bed.