Well, I don't know if he went to Jared, but Chad did surprise Robin with a dachshund puppy sporting an engagement ring on his little collar on Christmas morning! Chad has had the ring for about a month...probably trying to come up with the perfect proposal. We are all so happy to welcome Chad into our family!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
More photos from Family Christmas
To enlarge a photo, just click on it. Use the browser back key to return to the post. X-ing out will...well, X you out.
Family Christmas in Texas
Our annual Wendel/Rioux Family Christmas was hosted by the Waters family and held at Carolyn and Brent's home. Almost everyone was able to attend this year, including Jason, who had sent the feeble excuse that he was in Guatemala. A. J. and Natalie actually came and brought little Mallie who was barely two weeks old. Judy had to work, so she wasn't able to come. Elliott wasn't able to attend either...I think it had something to do with finals. Of course, we wish that Jamie, Ginia, Thea and Nate could be with us, but that's pretty unlikely...especially with the little ones approaching school age.
The weather was very nice so the kids were able to play outside. In fact, it was so bright that sunglasses were needed to keep from being blinded by the sun. We gathered under the carport when it was time to sing carols and the video above shows that in all the years we have been meeting...27 years, I think...we haven't improved much, although we've certainly added many new voices. By my quick calculations, Arleene and Bill and Virginia and A.J. are responsible for a total of 7 children, 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren with 2 more great-grandchildren on the way. I hope I didn't leave anyone out!
Our final song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," continues to be imperfect. Since the year that Virgie, Patricia, Janie and I teamed up to sing "five golden rings," (and were so terrible) we've been very deliberate in sitting well away from each other. I just wish we had a video of that year! When it was our turn to sing we stood up proudly and each of us loudly sang in a different key. I think that was the funniest rendition of the finale during all the years.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Still an evacuee
My cousin Virgie called on Tuesday morning. At that time she had been at the bay for over a week, an evacuee after Hurricane Ike blew through Galveston, Houston, and other lesser known little towns. She called because she's stir crazy...and, of course, she wanted to visit. I urged her to make the one hour drive and she was here in about an hour and 5 minutes. I took her up to the computer so she could check emails. I also encouraged her to read her daughter's blog, which is always entertaining and informative...not "out there" like mine can be sometimes.
We eventually drove into Wharton where Janie met us and we ate lunch at Pat-A-Cake, a cute little restaurant on the courthouse square. Virgie, as is natural for her, chatted with the owner, a British guy, questioning how he came to own a restaurant in Wharton, Texas. He told her, but I guess I wasn't really listening, because I don't remember.
After lunch, we went inside the courthouse, which has recently been renovated. The outside looks wonderful. Utilitarian wings, which had been added to increase interior space, were removed during the renovation, restoring the building to its original beauty. We briefly looked around inside, but other than the courtroom, an office is an office. We didn't go to the second floor. Most of the departments that are usually found in a courthouse are now housed in other (way less glamorous) buildings that were formerly clothing, variety, grocery, and hardware stores. I hope the folks that decided to spend the enormous amount of money on the courthouse are happy with that (while lovely) insufficient symbol of the past.
We then walked the blocks surrounding the courthouse square, wandering around in the many antique shops that exist in buildings that once housed other retail stores. Didn't find anything we wanted to buy, but recognized a lot of things that we considered way too young to be an antique. Shouldn't antiques be at least 100 years old?
I called Virgie just a little while ago. She is still at the bay...still without power at her home in Houston after 13 days. After visiting me (and the Wharton County courthouse) on Tuesday, she drove to Goliad on Wednesday to tour their courthouse. She pronounced our the "winner." On Thursday she drove to (I think) Port Aransas and also visited with her sister-in-law. When I talked to her today, she was with a friend from Port Alto, but I didn't catch where they were. If anyone can make lemonade out of lemons, it's Virgie!
We eventually drove into Wharton where Janie met us and we ate lunch at Pat-A-Cake, a cute little restaurant on the courthouse square. Virgie, as is natural for her, chatted with the owner, a British guy, questioning how he came to own a restaurant in Wharton, Texas. He told her, but I guess I wasn't really listening, because I don't remember.
After lunch, we went inside the courthouse, which has recently been renovated. The outside looks wonderful. Utilitarian wings, which had been added to increase interior space, were removed during the renovation, restoring the building to its original beauty. We briefly looked around inside, but other than the courtroom, an office is an office. We didn't go to the second floor. Most of the departments that are usually found in a courthouse are now housed in other (way less glamorous) buildings that were formerly clothing, variety, grocery, and hardware stores. I hope the folks that decided to spend the enormous amount of money on the courthouse are happy with that (while lovely) insufficient symbol of the past.
We then walked the blocks surrounding the courthouse square, wandering around in the many antique shops that exist in buildings that once housed other retail stores. Didn't find anything we wanted to buy, but recognized a lot of things that we considered way too young to be an antique. Shouldn't antiques be at least 100 years old?
I called Virgie just a little while ago. She is still at the bay...still without power at her home in Houston after 13 days. After visiting me (and the Wharton County courthouse) on Tuesday, she drove to Goliad on Wednesday to tour their courthouse. She pronounced our the "winner." On Thursday she drove to (I think) Port Aransas and also visited with her sister-in-law. When I talked to her today, she was with a friend from Port Alto, but I didn't catch where they were. If anyone can make lemonade out of lemons, it's Virgie!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Upgraded
After our facials, Carolyn and I went to the AT&T store looking at cell phones. Carolyn said her RAZR had been dropped so many times on her concrete floors that she worried that it wouldn't last much longer. I've had my cell phone for a really long time, and it looks like it. I've dropped it in a puddle once. After it dried out it was fine. I used it in the shower recently...I didn't get it in the water, but the conversation went on for quite a while, so the steamy atmosphere made it quite working until I took it apart and let it dry out. Anyway, I've been considering a new phone for about a year, but just didn't see what I wanted at my usual stores...Walmart, Best Buy, etc. I've never actually looked in the AT&T store before.
I wasn't going to look today, but decided to go on in after a few minutes. The sales associate was showing Carolyn an IPhone3G. I don't need all those features, but it was really cool. I looked at a few others with QWERTY keyboards, but, geez, the keys are small. And the IPhone is really cool. I decided I would just think about it for a while. About a minute later, before I knew what was happening, I heard myself say, "I want that phone!" So, I bought it. Along with a Jawbone Bluetooth thingy, a car charger and a gel case. It's really cool. But, I don't know much about what I'm doing. I was trying to use the Bluetooth while I talked to Robin and hung up on her at least 3 times.
The last phone I got didn't even have a camera, but the manual was about 1/2 inch thick. It told you EVERYTHING. This phone does internet and email and GPS, you can watch movies and television (just what I need, another screen to watch!) and download ITunes. It's really packed with goodies. One little booklet which has a few pages and teeny tiny type warns you about using it in explosive atmospheres, etc. The other little (booklet is to generous to describe it) pamphlet has bigger type and pictures of the screens and tells you what you can do, but is too polite to actually tell you how to do it. I suspect it's fairly user-friendly, but it looks like this user is going to need a couple of weeks to get acquainted before we get friendly.
Carolyn ended up buying one, too, and has been texting me madly. The texting is similar to instant messaging. I finally told her I was working in Quicken and to leave me alone. She had already set up her email account and downloaded some email and looked up an address for Brent. The last I talked to her, she was downloading music.
I need a tutorial. But, it's really cool! Can't wait to get to an internet page and turn the phone sideways to get a wide view. How cool is that!
I wasn't going to look today, but decided to go on in after a few minutes. The sales associate was showing Carolyn an IPhone3G. I don't need all those features, but it was really cool. I looked at a few others with QWERTY keyboards, but, geez, the keys are small. And the IPhone is really cool. I decided I would just think about it for a while. About a minute later, before I knew what was happening, I heard myself say, "I want that phone!" So, I bought it. Along with a Jawbone Bluetooth thingy, a car charger and a gel case. It's really cool. But, I don't know much about what I'm doing. I was trying to use the Bluetooth while I talked to Robin and hung up on her at least 3 times.
The last phone I got didn't even have a camera, but the manual was about 1/2 inch thick. It told you EVERYTHING. This phone does internet and email and GPS, you can watch movies and television (just what I need, another screen to watch!) and download ITunes. It's really packed with goodies. One little booklet which has a few pages and teeny tiny type warns you about using it in explosive atmospheres, etc. The other little (booklet is to generous to describe it) pamphlet has bigger type and pictures of the screens and tells you what you can do, but is too polite to actually tell you how to do it. I suspect it's fairly user-friendly, but it looks like this user is going to need a couple of weeks to get acquainted before we get friendly.
Carolyn ended up buying one, too, and has been texting me madly. The texting is similar to instant messaging. I finally told her I was working in Quicken and to leave me alone. She had already set up her email account and downloaded some email and looked up an address for Brent. The last I talked to her, she was downloading music.
I need a tutorial. But, it's really cool! Can't wait to get to an internet page and turn the phone sideways to get a wide view. How cool is that!
Soft as a baby's butt
I've had a busy day. Carolyn and I went to Rosenburg this morning where she treated me to a facial. This is the first one I have ever had in my life. Wow! I intend to have more of them. My face feels soft and healthy and I don't see any dead skin cells...even when I use my 10X mirror.
About 10X mirrors...if you don't have one, don't get one. Nobody needs to see themself so close up. A 10X mirror is guaranteed to lead you to the dark side. Every time you pick it up you will see new tiny hairs growing out of your face. You will see nasty places on your face that you can't see without the aid of the 10X mirror. You will tweeze to a fare thee well. Why do we want to see those things? I was totally happy with my face before I got that stinking mirror. And now I can't live without it...it's like visual crack.
But, back to the facial. It was really nice. Carolyn and I are going back in 8 weeks.
About 10X mirrors...if you don't have one, don't get one. Nobody needs to see themself so close up. A 10X mirror is guaranteed to lead you to the dark side. Every time you pick it up you will see new tiny hairs growing out of your face. You will see nasty places on your face that you can't see without the aid of the 10X mirror. You will tweeze to a fare thee well. Why do we want to see those things? I was totally happy with my face before I got that stinking mirror. And now I can't live without it...it's like visual crack.
But, back to the facial. It was really nice. Carolyn and I are going back in 8 weeks.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Help is on the way!
Kelly's mom and step-father live in Cleveland, Texas. Until a year or so ago they lived outside of Cleveland, in the country. Hurricane Rita, in 2005, left them without power for about 2 weeks. So, they had a large generator installed, one that would run the whole house, I think. Last year, they decided that taking care of everything in the country had become a little more than they wanted to handle, so they found the home in town and sold the one in the country.
Here comes Hurricane Ike and knocks out their power. No generator at this house. It might be two weeks before power is restored. Maybe less, maybe more. Who knows? Wayne's brother Bobby bought a brand new generator a while back. Since he doesn't need the generator, Wayne asked if he would let Kathy and John use it. Of course, he said yes. Wayne picked it up Sunday and they loaded it into Kelly's truck this morning. He stopped by to pick up the cake I was sending...wouldn't you want a cake?...and I saw that in addition to the generator the back of the truck was filled to capacity with coolers of ice and containers of gasoline. Kelly said his hope was that if he got into an accident the melting ice would put out the gasoline fire.
There were multiple calls between me and Wendy and Kelly and Kathy to determine what else they could use. I offered flashlights (with batteries,) water, instant coffee, crackers, chips, cans of vienna sausages, peanut butter, and other things that escape my memory now. They really didn't need any of that, but Kathy needed Diet Coke. I understand that completely. When Kelly stopped by here, he put a diet coke in one of the coolers so his mom could have an icy one as soon as he got there.
I talked to Wendy at 12:30; she hadn't heard from Kelly, but she had been in class. He should have been there by then. I know they were happy to see him. We offered the bay house to them, but the logistics of moving themselves, Kathy's mom Shorty, 2 dogs and 2 parrots in addition to clothes and supplies seemed pretty daunting. They're riding it out in Cleveland.
Here comes Hurricane Ike and knocks out their power. No generator at this house. It might be two weeks before power is restored. Maybe less, maybe more. Who knows? Wayne's brother Bobby bought a brand new generator a while back. Since he doesn't need the generator, Wayne asked if he would let Kathy and John use it. Of course, he said yes. Wayne picked it up Sunday and they loaded it into Kelly's truck this morning. He stopped by to pick up the cake I was sending...wouldn't you want a cake?...and I saw that in addition to the generator the back of the truck was filled to capacity with coolers of ice and containers of gasoline. Kelly said his hope was that if he got into an accident the melting ice would put out the gasoline fire.
There were multiple calls between me and Wendy and Kelly and Kathy to determine what else they could use. I offered flashlights (with batteries,) water, instant coffee, crackers, chips, cans of vienna sausages, peanut butter, and other things that escape my memory now. They really didn't need any of that, but Kathy needed Diet Coke. I understand that completely. When Kelly stopped by here, he put a diet coke in one of the coolers so his mom could have an icy one as soon as he got there.
I talked to Wendy at 12:30; she hadn't heard from Kelly, but she had been in class. He should have been there by then. I know they were happy to see him. We offered the bay house to them, but the logistics of moving themselves, Kathy's mom Shorty, 2 dogs and 2 parrots in addition to clothes and supplies seemed pretty daunting. They're riding it out in Cleveland.
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