So the other day Kris was figuring out all the baby stuff we need.
So usually I read other people's blogs about as often as I update mine. That usually leaves me a few posts behind. But I will often make a comment on one of the older posts anyways. Today I wondered if people even read comments on old posts. Perhaps my witticisms are being lost to the ether.
Apparently this is the best gravy ever.
This past weekend was pretty nice and relaxing. I am enjoying it while I can, for soon I will be experiencing some sleepless nights; or so I have been led to believe. Ma and Pa and Kelsey and Wes came up on Sunday evening so we had a nice visit and supper. If you want good Thai food in Calgary, Thai Boat on 32nd is usually quite excellent.
Tonight I worked with Corey on installing more memory in his laptop. It came off without a hitch. I am always happy when accomplishing computer feats. Now we sit and surf the internet on individual laptops. Pretty cool.
I don't have any writing skills tonight, so here's the news in bullet form:
-Jason and Mel came to visit on their way to a wedding. We went for coffee. Yay!
-Kris keeps dropping her cookies in her milk. She's getting a little clumsy.
-We now have cheap cable for six months. Probably means more wasted time on bad TV. But its cheap as free. (almost)
-I finally set up our wireless router. This post was wireless!
-I'm trying to convince myself to start running or working out in the evenings, but I'm too lazy.
So you all know that my brothers baby was born last week. Corey, Wendy and I took a quick trip home on Wednesday night to see her. Kris wanted to come, but August is when her allergies attack, and they are much worse in Duchess than in Calgary. Plus being pregnant she can not take antihistamines. So rather than being miserable she'll have to wait.
Kaetrianne is a beautiful baby. I think something changed inside me when I saw her. Becoming a father has become so much more real for me now. I am very excited for my baby to be born. I was pretty nervous before, worried about if I would love my child enough. When I saw my niece I found that I loved her, even though I just saw her. I am supposing it will be the same with my child. People said that would be the case, but its something you have to experience.
Recently I have become a great fan of Canadian Indie music. I have been listening to CBC Radio 3 and have found that there are a lot of really good Canadian musicians that aren't in the mainstream. Therefore I am supporting the drive to bring CBC Radio 3 to CBC television.
Last night Kris had a dream that my brother and his wife's baby was born and they named him Ted.
Prophetic?
She also dreamed I was holding the baby and it was flopping all over the place and I said "I don't know, I don't know if I can be a father." She responded indignantly, "This baby looks like every other baby, of course you will be a good father."
So apparently my fathering skills are dependent on how the baby looks.
So it is Saturday Night and as I wait for my parents to come home from their rock concert I thought I would make a post.
So as many of you have noticed it has been extremely hot lately. I have good air conditioning at work so I haven't been suffering too much, but Kris is affected a little more. Also, being pregnant has dialed up her internal temperature so she is not enjoying the heat. At least we have our basement. It's not overly attractive, but its cool.
I am feeling somewhat anxious about my relatives having babies any moment now. It's a little strange. I can see myself being a nervous wreck in a couple of months. To tweak your memories the due date is Oct 16. Its still a little ways away, but somehow it is getting closer all the time.
This weekend we briefly went out to Duchess as Kristin's Mom's extended family was having a reunion of sorts. It was the first large gathering of them that I had been too and it was nice. It had been a while since I was at Lake Newell, where the festivities occurred. It's a nice enough place, but it kind of feels like you are camping out in the open, without much tree cover. Once Kris and I camped out be Nelson in the BC rainforest. That had a lot of cover. It was really nice. We should do that again some time. Yeah! I'm thinking a Ramer family camping trip.
This picture appears to have little to do with Saturday night.
It has been so hot. Kris and I weren't sleeping at night until we pulled our mattress into the basement. It is so nice and cool down there. Don't spend much time with the internets though. I think I will move the office down there.
Kris found this image and I think it is pretty hilarious.
"A haberdasher is a person who sells small items via retail, commonly items used in clothing, such as ribbons and buttons, or completed accessories, such as hats or gloves. A haberdasher's shop or the items sold therein are called haberdashery."
Now I, and you, know what I am referring to when I shout "Haberdashery!" I may have to stop taking the haberdashers name in vain.
Did you know Harry Truman was a haberdasher?
Today we take a trip down memory lane with an examination of the various places Kris and I have lived.
The starter apartment. It was a little small and was a sweatlodge in the summer, but it was good.
After 3 years it was time to move on.
We get a little stressed when moving.
Our new apartment was in downtown Calgary. It had a great view. We could hardly believe our luck.
Unfortunately the owners sold it and we had to move, after only 8 months. It was sad.
Hijinks ensued.
No, we really don't like the stress of moving.
Our sadness at leaving soon passed as we found a very nice townhouse, with tons of space.
You'll notice that there are only pictures of the main floor. That's cause upstairs is still not unpacked properly. More pictures when it's all ready.
So lately I have been feeling very tired after work so haven't been up to spending time with the internet. Here are some things that have been happening:
1. A couple days ago Waldred started kicking hard enough to be felt on the outside. That was pretty cool, if a little weird. It seems there is something alive in Kristin's belly!
2. My soccer team came in 3rd place after winning a shootout! Yay Bronze! Though we don't actually get anything. But Corey played too and that was fun, though he injured himself.
3. One of the podcasts I listen to, CBC Radio 3 R3-30, mentioned me by name on the podcast! I had written a letter and they read it on the air. It's kind of like having your name mentioned on the radio, only more geeky.
4. I was able to see my whole immediate family on Saturday for Kelsey's grad, if only briefly. That was nice. I like my family.
I finally have ultrasound pictures and videos ready. The best are posted here.
More photos available here:
http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view
More videos at:
http://video.google.ca/videopl
http://video.google.ca/videopl
http://video.google.ca/videopl
Kris and I are busily packing for the move on Thursday evening. It's amazing how much stuff there is to pack. We had an ultrasound last week but couldn't find out if the baby was a boy or a girl because it's leg was in the way. I guess it will be a surprise. We did get a 3d movie of the ultrasound. I promise to get some images put up soon. Here's a cute kitten to keep you occupied.
So we found a new place to live. It's in the suburbs which is sad, but it is twice the size of our current place, which is very nice. It's a townhouse with 3 bedrooms and an unfurnished basement so we finally have some storage area. Yay! And it's not too much more than what we are paying now. It certainly is a load off having somewhere to live next month.
Why is it whenever I have a lot of work to do the next day and want to get up early I cannot sleep at night?
Well the search for a new home begins in earnest now. This weekend we saw one crappy place and two decent places. The difficult thing is not jumping to take a place that is only okay after seeing a place that is horrible. I am pretty sure we will find the right place, but it is stressful still. I feel like all my free time needs to be used searching for a home.
Go Senators!
Oh Google Images, you are too much!
Well as avid followers of my sidebar may already know I finally found an 081 on a license plate! Joy! Come and celebrate with me!
Another thing to celebrate is the fantastic luck I had garage saling on Saturday. Corey was looking for some cheap bicycles so I joined him as Navigator through the maze of Calgary Garage Sales. I always look for books and board games. One game in particular is called Full House. We played it growing up. In the game you are a hotel owner and the point of the game is to have guests stay at your house and make the most money the quickest. It's really straightforward and easy which for some reason adds to the game rather than detracts from it. Parker Brothers stopped making it so it can only be found second hand. I have been hoping to find it at a Garage Sale, but honestly never really expected to. Well, on Saturday I found it! It was in excellent condition too, with a working people-popper and everything! I got it for 2 dollars! The lady was a little miffed when she realized she could have charged a lot more for a rare game. We played the inaugural game at Corey and Wendy's house with Mal and Gin.
Saturday morning also involved going to the driving range for the first time this season. I am looking forward to golfing this year. Maybe I can finally correct my slice.
Well, it was do or die this weekend for the Flames. Unfortunately they chose the latter option. Considering how I felt last year when they lost out, it doesn't bother me too much. I think that the better team won. Detroit out-played Calgary in almost every aspect of the series. The fact that Calgary did as well as they did at home was impressive. Let's not discuss their road play though.
I am somewhat disappointed that the playoff season is over already. (I know, I know, it's not over but when the Flames are out I lose some interest.) It's my favorite time of year, except maybe Christmas. I really enjoy going out with friends to watch the game at a pub, like Corey and I and our friend Lakin did Thursday. It also is a little disappointing that the Flames are not as good on the ice as they should be on paper.
Well, that's probably it for hockey posts. Back to real life.
Well, game 2 was a stinker. But they redeemed themselves in game 3! I am excited for tomorrow.
So, what is happening in my life other than hockey-watching.... Not too much. Kris and I are thinking of baby names. It seems to me it is harder than you would think. A name is a powerful thing. Not to mention you don't want to give you child a name that will induce teasing.
Things are a little more relaxed at work now. That's good cause the amount of things I need to do at home keeps going up. They include finishing my APEGGA application, looking for a new place to live, remembering that I should be exercising regularly, eating healthy, going through that stack of mail to file/pay bills.... In all honesty it's not like I am that busy, especially compared to how busy I expect to be later, but I am definitely in procrastinating mode.
Much to my wife's chagrin I think that a good deal of the upcoming posts may be about hockey. I am nervously anticipating Game 2 of Flames vs Red Wings. I think the whole series will hinge on this game. Go Flames!
Hello.
Sorry for no posts. I've been feeling pretty exhausted from work lately and writing posts takes emotional energy I just don't have. It's weird, I know. Here's a quick summary:
Easter was very good.
Playoffs are here.
My head hurts.
I'm also sorry for not responding to people's congratulations emails. See lame excuse above.
Well by now many of you will have already heard but here is the big news: Kristin and I are expecting a baby! Yes, that is correct, we have caught the fever that seems to be going around, spurring couples on to have babies. It was actually a surprise to us, so after a little shock we are excited.
The baby is due at the end of October, almost exactly a year since his/her cousin was born. So far we have taken to referring to the young'un as 'peanut' and 'Waldred'. The obligatory ultrasound pictures will appear as they come.
It hasn't been an easy time for Kris as she has had to endure being sick while being unable to take medication. She's been feeling better lately though as she nears the second trimester.
So far this experience has illuminated how much I do not know about babies and pregnancy and such. You'd think growing up with 4 younger siblings would have taught me something, but I guess I wasn't really paying attention.
So Kristin is away maintaining diplomatic relations with neighboring counties which means I am living the life of a bachelor again. So far, so good.
So I guess the Cricket World Cup is soon upon us. Apparently Canada has qualified for it. I don't know too much about Cricket but I once saw a Bollywood movie about it. I think it is a sport I would like to play. As long as no white robots with exploding balls show up...
Hello jig fans. Well as usual I had some great ideas for posts this week, but didn't have time and now have forgotten them. So I'll just update what's been happening.
Work is still the same: mostly stress with a side of indifference because other people don't seem as stressed as I feel so maybe I shouldn't be stressing so much.
Me and my brother-in-law Alex tried to go to the movie '300' on Friday, but it was sold out. Never go on opening night, unless you can pre-order tickets. We went for supper and coffee instead and it was really good to hang out. We are both into computers so we can talk about nerdy things without our spouses rolling their eyes.
Yesterday Kris and I hung out with her parents and the young kids. They were staying at a hotel in Calgary with a swimming pool and a little waterslide so there was lots of swimming fun. It is amazing the amount of energy a 4-year old boy has for going down waterslides. It is a lot of fun to go swimming with little kids. They are so light in the water. I have to admit that I like kids. I'm sure that will come in handy some day.
At hockey Corey and I have been playing on Defense together. He said he has never played defense before but he does really well. We play quite good together. Corey is great at reading plays and going to the right position to get the puck. He also jumps up very well to provide some offense. That is a good compliment for my play since I like to hang back and make sure the other team doesn't get past. I have enjoyed it.
When Nate and Corey played together they always seemed to enjoy some mystical brotherly connection for knowing where the other would be. I think we are experiencing some of that, though I think it is mostly Corey being in the right place and not so much me. It's been fun none the less.
Well Kris and I are off to a Cousin's birthday party. Seven kids aged 7 and under. Almost all boys too so its always energetic.
My new thing for fun is to think of a random title, then search for it on google images and pick the first image I see (or the one I think is goofiest). If these guys don't make you think Octagon of Death, nothing will.
Hey, thanks for the comments Anonymous! I'd give you a prize, but I don't know who you are.
Sad news of the week. Kris and I received a letter from the management company we rent our place from. They informed use the owner wanted to take possesion and we had 90 days to vacate. Frick! We just moved in! So, anyone up for helping to move again? *sigh* We are sad 'cause we really like our place, but hopefully we will end up somewhere better. Oh well, at least we have a few months.
Well, I must return from whence I came. Olympia!!!
Wow it's been a while since I posted. I blame work. I spend all day on the computer and am not so interested in it when I come home. So, what has been going on?
Well, the Thursday before last Nate and Erin took Kristin and I to the Flames game. Thanks Nate and Erin! We really appreciated it. No thanks to the Flames though for playing lousy. They were still nice seats.
Then that weekend we went back to Duchess. Damon brought his new girlfriend Sarah (sp?) home for reading break so we got to meet her. Hopefully she wasn't too overwhelmed meeting the family. She seemed to take it well.
Also that weekend Kristin's Aunt Heidi and Uncle Gord from White Rock were visiting so we hung out with them a bit. They are really fun people, so that was a good time. That Sunday Kristin's stepdad Dale took all the guys out flying in a Cessna 172. The four of us (Dale, Gord, me and Alex, my brother-in-law) were too heavy too all go up at once so we went 3 at a time. Unfortunately I felt a little airsick when I went up, but otherwise it was lots of fun. Hmmm, I've used the word fun a lot. I need a new word.
The rest of the week at work was really busy. I was pretty stressed to this weekend I mostly relaxed, as can be seen on Kris's blog. On friday night I did go to a friends birthday party. It involved 10-pin bowling and I played pretty bad, but still enjoyed seeing friends from where I used to work.
Well.......see ya later!
So last weekend Kris and I were blessed to have Jason and Mel come stay at our place. They came to see the new Frobisher opera so they stayed over Friday night. It was fun. They even seemed to enjoy sleeping on our futon. So now that there is official approval people can feel free to stay with us.
On Saturday we had a classic Denny's breakfast. Nothing says Saturday like breakfast at Denny's. It's almost as good as Sunday-no-shower-breakfast at Denny's. I think I will avoid the meat-lovers omelet in the future though. Bacon-stuffed bacon, with a side of bacon is a little too much.
Then that afternoon Corey and Wendy and Mal and Gin came over to hang out and play some games. By my account it was quite enjoyable. I find that family events usually are. I think I am different than some people that way. I have friends that prefer hanging out with friends and going to parties over being with family. Not so for me. Kris is the same way so it works out well. Of course, I still love doing things with friends so please don't feel second class.
Kris is off painting again this week so I am home alone again. It's okay though 'cause I have much work to do so I'm not usually home till late.
Well, that's all for now.
Craig Conroy is a Flame again! I am hoping this will be a big spark for the team. Apparently the Wild player above is not as enthusiastic.
So this morning I awoke to the sound of someone pounding on a door. At first I thought it might be my door but then heard a man yelling for someone and realized it was my neighbours door. He was pounding and yelling and demanding that she open the door. When she wouldn't he accused her of cheating on him. Somebody went downstairs to get security and eventually this guy's buddy convinced him that they should go since someone was calling the cops. I had a hard time getting to sleep after that 'cause my mind wouldn't stop.
My impulse when something like that happens is to somehow intervene. Kristin's point of view is that I should not endanger myself and need to let the police handle it. I recognize that my first responsibility is to my family and it may be more selfish to do something that would endanger it. I sometimes wish I was a huge guy, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything if they are carrying a weapon. Maybe it is just a kind of superhero complex.
I feel sad for those people. I pray that the woman will be safe. I feel sad for the guy who thinks that the way to get her back is to act like a psycho.
Another impulse I get when something like this happens is that I live in a crappy building. However, that is not the case. It is a brand new building, it has a 24-hour security guard in the lobby, and for the most part the people who live here are professionals who work downtown. I guess this can happen anywhere you live. People move out to the suburbs to feel safe and protected, but worse things than this still happen.
So I'm not entirely sure if the comments from last post are supposed to be legit or are an obscene reference. To be on the safe side I have enabled word verification.
I played soccer tonight and we pulled out a tie!! It was a well fought game.
The best news: Kristin is coming home tomorrow! Hooray!!!
Bluetooth is a wireless connection protocol. Most newer cell phones support it for connecting to wireless headsets. Using the following dongle:
I should be able to connect my phone to my computer and thereby get the pictures I require. I am quite pleased with this prospect of new gadgetry.
In other news I am sick again. I hate my nose.
So the game was fun. I played all right. Still way too out of shape though. But I wasn't scored on too much and my team even won. However since it was an All Star game and there's not much importance to it, it felt more like playing shinny than an actual game. Still a good experience though. It's really warm in Saddledome however. I don't know how the players would be able to stand it when there's 20000 fans and all the lights are turned on and the flames are spurting out.
We got to change in the Visitors dressing room. It was fairly large, but not as fancy as you would think. You can tell that the Saddledome is an old building.
Corey and Wendy came and watched and even discovered what appeared to be a dentist chair, complete with overhead light, under the bleachers behind the Flames bench. Our theory is that's where players go when they get teeth knocked out. I have some pictures on my phone, but need to get a Bluetooth dongle to get them out, so you'll have to wait.
So I am living the bachelor life this week while Kris is visiting her family. She gets to enjoy painting while I get to enjoy....work. You may assume that I am living in squalor and eating cereal 3 meals a day. Well, sorry to shatter your illusions but the house is clean (somewhat) and I cooked dinner tonight. My biggest issue is going to bed on time.
So apparently I am an All-Star. That is, I was picked to help represent my hockey team at our league's All Star game at the Saddledome tonight. All-Star is not a term that would be typically applied to me. I was picked because we needed to send a defenseman and the first choice couldn't make it. I am just hoping not to embarrass myself.
I apologize profusely for my lack of updates. Sometimes thinking about making a post gives me a sick feeling in my stomache. I'm not sure why. It's very weird. I've had that since Christmas. Eventually I just have to plow through and do it.
So, what have I been doing so since last time? Well at work we began preparing for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This was going to be our grand unveiling so we wanted the product to look as good as possible. This has made work extremely busy. The CES show is on this week and we finally have a website that actually gives information. Check it out.
I had been hoping to take a week off at Christmas but because we were so busy I was not able to, so I only had Christmas Day and Boxing Day off. On top of that, working long hours began to take its toll and I been getting sick the Friday before Christmas. I spent the long weekend with one of the worst colds I'd ever had. I felt pretty out of it the whole time. I recovered on Boxing Day, just in time to go back to work the next day. :(
Other than that unpleasantness, the Christmas weekend was pretty fun. We spent it moving from family to family and dinner to dinner so we didn't really get to spend a large amount of time with anyone, but the time we did have was enjoyable. Because of all the running around we didn't make it to the Christmas Eve service. That made it feel less like Christmas. I think next year we will try harder to make it. When I went back to work, Kris stayed with her family but ended up getting really sick so she couldn't enjoy it much.
For New Years this year we just stayed at home to relax. At midnight everybody in the buildings around us started yelling and hooting. It was rather interesting having a New Years in the city with thousands of people we don't know. I always find it funny how excited people get about New Years. To me it just feels like the last year.
So after New Years things got even busier at work. I ended up having to work for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday too which was not pleasant. This week has been better. One highlight from Saturday was going to the Flames game with Dad, Corey and Nate. It was quite entertaining. I realize that I miss watching hockey with my family. For me hockey has always been a sort of social event. I enjoy it more when I can watch it with someone and discuss it with them. This weekend Calgary vs Edmonton is on CBC. I believe that game is "must watch".
You may have noticed that my License Plate Game number has not changed in quite a while. Well, it is true, I am in a slump. I just have to get out there and give it 110% and find that elusive 81!
So Kris and I inherited a tree so we decided to decorate. Since we are usually not around much for Christmas we usually don't, but traditions must start sometime. It's our first real Christmassy Chrstmas. When I get up in the morning I like to sit in the dark with just the tree lights on. I think I inherited this from Mom.
Just in case you were planning on getting me a Christmas and or Birthday present, I have some hints posted on the right. No pressure though ;)
So this past weekend I got a horrible case of Cold Sores. Five on my upper lip. I looked like a leper. They are mostly healed now but it was pretty uncomfortable for a while, not to mention ugly.
The really cold weather also gave me a new un-appreciation for the C-Train. The colder it gets the more unreliable the C-Train gets, so there was plenty of standing in the cold.
On the plus side Shawn and I went to the Flames game on Tuesday. Shawn had never been to one before and it was a really good game to make your first. Calgary scored 4 (technically 3) power play goals plus one even strength. It was enjoyable. Props to Shawn for inviting me! (I am not sure what props are but I assume they are propellers. Everyone wants propellers.)
I am feeling pretty settled at Headplay now. I am comfortable with the work I am doing, but still find challenges in it. Getting to know the people more is good too. Today we tested out a Nintendo Wii on our device. It is a really fun gaming system. The controller has motion sensors so you actually swing your arm to play games like tennis and baseball.
So I got my results back from my APEGGA test. I passed! One step closer to being a professional engineering. Yay me! Crazy week so far. I am longing for Christmas.
So the Ramer weekend has passed and by my account it was successful. Just look at those smiles.
We went to Elkwater which was a good middle point for Damon coming from Sask and us coming from Calgary. The hotel was quite nice, even including a heated swimming pool. There was much time spent in there. 
As is common with Ramer retreats there was also much games played. A classic scene below. Unfortunately everyone assumed others would be bringing games so few games were brought. We had to make up the games ourselves, i.e. coming up with our own categories for Scategories.
We even went on a hike with an actual guide and discovered the treasure of Old Baldy. Oooo.... It turned out to be a film container of coins from around the world. It was quite a nice hike, even if a little cold.
The only complaint would be it was too short, but that is the nature of a weekend.
On a totally different path, I think I have discovered a major lie in my life. I feel that at a very base level, I don't trust people. Subconsciously, I am always waiting for them to betray me. My response is to keep people from getting too close to the real me, even people who I am close to. It can be a little frustrating to get to this point though. I recognize the issue, but I also recognize I am powerless to correct it. All I can do is keep praying about it and hope that God will remove it. I am not very patient that way though and I usually just push the issue away and stop thinking about it. I guess I need to pray about that too. *sigh*
On the plus side, the Flames have won 5 in a row! Yay!
So here's a little story about my adventures with phones, or lack thereof. Kris and I don't have a home phone, we just use a cell phone. However, we only have one between us. This usually isn't an issue as I don't need a cell at work. If we are doing different things in the evening we can plan out who needs the phone. Yes, I could feel pretty smug about saving money on phone usage.
Tonight I did not plan things out very well and I had a soccer game while Kris was out with the phone and the car. A friend was supposed to pick me up for soccer but I hadn't arranged what time. I figured the solution to my problem was a pay phone, so I set out walking around downtown trying to find one. There appears to be a disturbing lack of pay phones in this city. I think it is because of that movie Phone Booth. (It's a lame movie). After several blocks of walking and some directions I did find my pay phone but was unable to get a hold of my ride. Fortunately he picked me up anyway and I only had to wait outside for 15 minutes. Unfortunately, we lost the game. The moral of this story seems to be that I need to get a cell phone.
To make this day more unpleasant I missed lunch with uncle Mal and had to eat soup at my desk. I am sorry Mal, I was punished for my offense.
All in all it was kind of a cruddy day. Not so much that I really have anything t complain about, but it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to.
At least this weekend is the famed Ramer Getaway. Here is some exciting pictures from last years trip.
So on Tuesday this week I moved to my company's main office in the Chinook area. I feel so much better there. It is much nicer not to be in a single room office. When I need a break there are more places to go rather than just the bathroom. There are more people around too and it makes it feel like an actual business atmosphere.
This weekend Kris is on a retreat with her department (Spiritual Theology for anyone not in the know) in Montana. They get to meet Eugene Peterson. She was very excited about the trip. I expect she is on her way back home now.
So that meant I had to entertain myself this weekend. I managed to work my way into a "Guaranteed Fun Night" with some friends from Mentor, or at least a partial one. I had heard about these nights but never seemed to be invited to them while I was working there. It consisted of eating ice cream and watching videos of a trip to France, but it lived up to the name. I think it is the hilarious conversation that is so fun.
On saturday Corey and Dale (visiting from Chiliwack) came over and we played Civilization: The Boardgame for six hours. Games of this type and length usually aren't appreciated by our wives so it was a good opportunity to play. I am now hoping for some time over Christmas when we can have a long game with lots of people.
Every time I post something new I feel guilty that I don't post often enough.
I've added some photos to the post below so check them out. Last weekend Kris and I were back in Duchess for some birthday parties and such. I even had a little time to help Corey, Damon and Dad build a catapult for launching pumpkins. It was able to launch, but not very far. You really need a lot of spring to do a large launch. Unfortunately no pictures, but if you are in Duchess, head to the Ramer farm on Saturday for the Pumpkin Festival and you can probably see it. yay!
And in the spirit of pictures, here is my beautiful wife.
So a lot has been happening lately and I will attempt to give full details here. I know I promised pictures but our camera is currently missing so you will have to wait. So as I briefly mentioned earlier two weeks ago Kristin and I moved to a new apartment.
Before the move:
It is in downtown Calgary in a newer condo building. We are on the 14th floor, though it is technically the 13th...but they won't number it that. 
It has a nice kitchen and a second bedroom so people can stay at our place; though not yet because we need a second bed. The view is also tremendous (though it is a little smoggy in this pic).
We are quite happy here. We have our own washer and dryer, hooray!
It's pretty cool living in a high-rise apartment. I feel like I am in a big city like New York when I look out the window and can see other people in their apartments. I've decided to start naming people. Like the guy next door a floor down who paces back and forth when he smokes on his balconey. He is, of course, The Pacer.
Then, this past week I officially became an uncle. Kristin's sister Larissa and her husband Alex had a baby girl, Selah. She is very cute. Now I'm not totally sure what my new responsiblilities will be as an uncle but I believe it will involve giant pancakes and back-firing automobiles.
This time was surrounded with studying for my Professional Engineer exam which I wrote on Monday. It was an exam on engineering ethics and law that is a requirement for getting my Professional Engineer status. I was pretty stressed out for the whole studying time. The exam went all right, but now I have to wait 6-8 weeks for the results. I also have to make an extensive application and show that I have been doing engineering work for the past 3 years.
Also over the weekend my computer died. I am writing this on an old pentium 1 laptop. Soooo slow.
So I have been happy to see that more people have been reading my blog. I know there's not much to it and I don't update enough but I really appreciate the feedback. Anyone should be able to post a comment anonymously so go to it! It's been a little crazy around here lately as we found a new place to live and moved that very weekend. I have a few pics from the move that I shall post. More soon....
I just finished reading State of Fear by Michael Crichton. I used to read his books when I was a teenager and for some reason I am currently interested in reading stuff that I used to read when I was younger. I'm not sure why, maybe it has something to do with being a quarter of a century old and trying to recover my "lost youth". Anyway, some of the book is the typical Crichton stuff where people go on crazy adventures and barely survive. I guess I used to enjoy that style, but now it just seems like pulp fiction. However, the rest of the book is a discussion of environmentalism and the effects of media hype. It is really interesting. He uses a lot of scientific studies to show that global warming may not be happening but it is hyped in the media to ensure people are kept in fear. It is basically talking about the culture of fear that exists in western society. It is quite thought-provoking.
I still think it is important to be environmentally conscious, but we need to take media reports with a grain of salt.
Good news. Marigold came back. At 6:00 this morning she climbed through the window. Except for meowing a lot (which she does when she hasn't seen us in a while) she seemed absolutely fine. I have no idea where she was for the past 4 days. I often wish cats could talk. I assume she was strung out on catnip and now she finally got hungry enough to come home.
So our landlord sold our apartment and we have to move out. Looking for a new place to live is one of the most frustrating things. So many crappy places. On the plus side we can look for a place that doesn't have some of the drawbacks of our current place, i.e. ensuite Laundry, a room for guests to stay. At least we have until November to find it.
My posting seems to wax and wane a lot. Most of the time when I think about looking at my blog I feel my creative juices dry up and I quickly do something else.
So this last weekend I went to Duchess by myself. Kristin went to Banff with her mom and her sisters so I went home to help with pumpkin picking and hang out with my family. I wish I had pumpkin pictures to post, but I failed there. This was the first time since I was married that I had been home without Kristin. It was kind of nice to spend the whole long weekend with just my family. Not that I don't enjoy Kristin's family because I really do, but it was nice all the same.
I got to play pool on Nate's new pool table and even got to stay at his house. It was very different to get a look at what living in Duchess as an adult is like. For me it was only growing up and coming back on weekends for "mini-vacations". Anyway there was some good times around the campfire and playing Sega and much family stuff. I quite enjoyed it.
Some sadder news, our cat Marigold has gone missing for over a day now. I think it is because I am a bad parent. If cat ownership is anything like being a parent then I would be a negligent father. I feel bad. Growing up on a farm I am used to cats disappearing all the time, but this is quite a bit different. It's bothering me more than I would have thought. Gotta keep optomistic though...
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