My boy truly is growing

It's really awe inspiring.  Just scrolling through some of the pics of dean thus far.

As much as I know he's growing, it's amazing to see how much he's grown really when you compare.

It's hard to look at some of the first pics when he came home and not be moved by it all.

Dad's retirement survival kit

So I mentioned in the last blog about my dad's retirement... and if you look in the pics, you'll see his gift basket we put together with his survival kit.  Here's what it contained:

• Scissors
  o To cut up all your ties
• Sanity preservation parcel
  o Flip flops
  o Gardening tools
  o Patio light (to garden at night)
• Chocolate
  o To help keep your energy up
• Home repairs book
  o To keep yourself feeling useful
• Retirement Income Program (see manual)
  o   1 cup
  o 10 pencils
  o 1 pair of dark glasses
  o 1 cane
• New jogging shorts
  o The neighbourhood all helped pitch in for these
• Glossette Peanuts
  o Those peanuts you’ve been working for, for all these years
• Rechargeable batteries
  o To help photograph all the places you’ll visit

---

Retirement Income Program Plan
1. Find a nice street corner (the busier the better)
2. Put pencils in to the mug
3. Put sunglasses on
4. Rattle mug as people pass you by
5. Use cane to help increase sympathy
6. Say “God bless” as coins are dropped in
7. Refill pencils as needed

Hint:
The shabbier your clothes are, the better

holy crap... sorry ... almost a full month

Almost a solid month has gone by and not even a new picture.  Sorry people.  So what has happened in this new family's life?  A lot... well, nothing major, just enough to keep me busy as all heck.

So, I'll try to go backwards... hmmm

 

Been biking alot lately to work.  With gas being $1.30/litre, it's easy to see the benefits, besides my 5 lbs lost (so far).  The stretch to work is one big long NORTH and then EAST... which is ok... coming home is WEST then SOUTH.  and typically the heavy winds have been coming from the SW.  So I have never been sweatier lately.  Good thing I buy those quick dry clothes.  Now with the heavy rain, it's not been so easy, I've whmped out and drove.

 

I realize what kinda guy I am lately... I'm a dad.  SO much so that I

a) don't mind the spit up and soaked shoulders from Dean hanging out on my arm so much (or the immense pain in my shoulder from just holding him for so long)

b) I 'accidentally sang along to one of those Baby Einstein songs.  Ick.  I put a random selection of music on a USB key for the car's mp3 player... and it picked one of those songs from dean's music.

 

Got a visit from Rob and Lindsay AND BEN!  It was great.  It really put Dean in to perspective.  Seeing Ben has made Dean jump in size.  Rob also dropped off the groomsmen gift for me, a marble decanter set from a market in Afghanistan.  It's wicked cool!

 

Let's see... My dad retired!  now he has golf clubs!  And driving my mom nuts!  At least he's now picked the car he wants to buy.  A Toyota Avalon.  He and Greg will drive to the border to pick it up.  It'll give Greg a chance to test out his new GPS!

 

Ah, to be retired and having fun with toys. now that i've got dean i guess i don't need any new toys... well, I still WANT new toys, just no time or $ for 'em.  Not that I'm complaining.  Being a dad has been awesome.  And Dean's an awesome son.  He's really getting interactive... babbling, smiling etc... just what the doctor ordered after a rough day.

 

Speaking of rough days.  So I found out how much I'll be losing when Rain comes back... it was a real kick in the pants.  Not only did I not know i would be losing anything, but to find out how much... ouch.  PLUS I found out that I did NOT make it to the pool hiring this year.  That's a real punch to the groin... 6 years of 'no problem' to 'sorry you're not good enough'.  You don't even want to know th erigamarole I went through to try to find out why... and even then it didn't even clarify.  ugh

well, enjoy the new pics of dean... i'll try to et some video going.