It sucks that we too often can't say "yes. Thank you".
Cam lost a crown a few days ago on a tooth not scheduled to eject for at least a couple of years. Once we got him calm, it's time to call the dentist, who agreed we should come in right away.
But this is about the aftermath, and being a T1Dad.
The procedure itself seemed mildly uncomfortable (easy for me to say, it wasn't me in the chair). The doctor offered us a Popsicle. "What kind" I said.
How about some Tylenol? "Do you have ibuprofen?"
And this time of year there are endless treats, cookies and candy canes. Our best response becomes "do you have the box?"
But he was a tough little guy. If you're gonna play hockey you need to be able to handle a little oral work. He got his Advil and an Otter Pop, then we headed to school.
Yes, thank you.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
That's not my iPod
Today marks the last Cross Country practice for most of the kids participating at Lincoln Heights Elementary, and other schools throughout District 81. A very small portion will qualify for the all-city meet in a few weeks, and neither of our boys are likely to finish in the Top 10 - so this is it: one more practice before one last meet.
Cameron has run with his insulin pump this season, something we haven't done the past two years. Before, we would hang onto it while he ran, but this year he seems to do better without the interruption of removing it. We still have to monitor BGs, but basically he gets a snack & goes.
Hayden has been more invested this year, if only because one of his buddies joined the team. They could both stand to listen more, but when it's time to run, it's good to have a training partner.
I think both boys seem to be having more fun with it this year. They're (mostly) paying attention to their coach, and keeping moving, even when that means walking for a few minutes. They're doing their best, having fun, and being part of the team - which was all that we've insisted.
Running a mile around a grade school playfield as as simple and straightforward as an athletic competition gets. Two laps around the course as fast as you can. But the strides they've taken this past month or so may give them some momentum to hopefully last the rest of their lives. We couldn't be prouder.
Cameron has run with his insulin pump this season, something we haven't done the past two years. Before, we would hang onto it while he ran, but this year he seems to do better without the interruption of removing it. We still have to monitor BGs, but basically he gets a snack & goes.
Hayden has been more invested this year, if only because one of his buddies joined the team. They could both stand to listen more, but when it's time to run, it's good to have a training partner.
I think both boys seem to be having more fun with it this year. They're (mostly) paying attention to their coach, and keeping moving, even when that means walking for a few minutes. They're doing their best, having fun, and being part of the team - which was all that we've insisted.
Running a mile around a grade school playfield as as simple and straightforward as an athletic competition gets. Two laps around the course as fast as you can. But the strides they've taken this past month or so may give them some momentum to hopefully last the rest of their lives. We couldn't be prouder.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Back on the horse
School started this week, and "so far so good". Part of this includes fulfilling my self-imposed writing schedule, so here I go. Spokane's JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes is barely 2 weeks away, and those three things tie together in this way: they each come with a fresh start, nice clean piece of paper.
Both of our boys had a huge season of growth this summer, and I will journal them here. We're excited for what this school year brings, and - two days in - are thrilled this growth seems to be continuing.
It's amazing how hard returning to a routine can be once you've let it slide. And so, even when it boils down to a few sentences, like like this one. Thank you for your attention.
Both of our boys had a huge season of growth this summer, and I will journal them here. We're excited for what this school year brings, and - two days in - are thrilled this growth seems to be continuing.
It's amazing how hard returning to a routine can be once you've let it slide. And so, even when it boils down to a few sentences, like like this one. Thank you for your attention.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Pound Kitties
Our cats don't get along. At all. They can usually stomach being in the same room, but even then, really, only if Kim or I are there to protect them.
We have two cats, Ruby and Coco. They are both rescued from the SpokAnimal shelter, which may hint why they don't seek like-feline companionship.
At night, Ruby sleeps on the black swivel chair (or the bed), while Coco sleeps on the green chair (or the bed). On the coldest nights, they might end up on the bed at the same time, but never together. Coco likes to sleep on Kim's side - preferably between Kim and the edge for rapid escape, or maybe by her feet. Ruby is always at the foot, but usually dead-center or on my side.
The once a year they like human interaction, they do it individually. Coco will stake her claim with Kim (notice a pattern?), relegating Ruby to my lap, another random chair (but not Coco's chair). Spring is here, so they're inside less, but it's unlikely we will see them sharing the backyard, or a sunbeam (or even working together to hunt birds).
It's kind of sad. There are days where they're locked together either in the house, or specifically in the basement - and instead of consoling each other they just are miseralble separeately. Or maybe they do this.
PS, I apologize for the delay. It will absoluelty happen again. TTFN
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| Coco |
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| Ruby |
We have two cats, Ruby and Coco. They are both rescued from the SpokAnimal shelter, which may hint why they don't seek like-feline companionship.
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| Ruby (Near a heater) |
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| Coco (with Cameron) |
The once a year they like human interaction, they do it individually. Coco will stake her claim with Kim (notice a pattern?), relegating Ruby to my lap, another random chair (but not Coco's chair). Spring is here, so they're inside less, but it's unlikely we will see them sharing the backyard, or a sunbeam (or even working together to hunt birds).
 |
| Sure, I'll pose for you |
PS, I apologize for the delay. It will absoluelty happen again. TTFN
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
For your listening pleasure...
Mahna Mahna, through the years:
Here's the original 1969 version.
The 1976 Muppet Show version.
And the 2011 version from the movie The Muppets.
And here's one done by Animal.
Here's the original 1969 version.
The 1976 Muppet Show version.
And the 2011 version from the movie The Muppets.
And here's one done by Animal.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
I'm Actually Jealous
Just a little jealous. Really, I am.
Our first start-to-finish season as Spokane Chiefs Fans came to a rapid, emphatic close last night. The boys were on the road against a very talented bunch from Tri-City, and not only pushed the series to 7 games, but led with 5 minutes to go. Our team's MO all season had been to work hard and maximize opportunities - and it got them farther than anyone expected.
Which is why it will be hard to say goodbye to this team. By rule, all of the 20-year-old players and most of the 19s will not be back. Steven Kuhn never missed a game in four years with the Chiefs. Corey Baldwin anchored the defense (and provided the best clue to know if an announcer actually followed the team - the program lists his name as "Corbin" - if that's what the announcer reads, he's just here for the check). Darren Kramer inspired a bobblehead that came with bobble gloves; how cool is that?
This year taught our boys about being a fan, how trades work, how playoffs work, how to be in a rivalry without being rude. And how to play Angry Birds while surrounded by 6000 screaming hockey fans.
There were large, real tears last night when the horn sounded (after the green light came on). Cam was devastated that there will be now more "puck drops in..." on the Chiefs' website until September. "I just want to see one more game" he emphasized. He didn't want it to be over. I have no active memory of being a sports fan and being thoroughly crushed by the end of a season. It probably happened, and I'd actually love to hear about it, but I don't recall it. I was spoiled that my oldest sports memories are literally the Sonics losing game 7 to the Bullets in 1978, then winning the championship in 1979. Back then we had three VHS tapes and I had recorded the final game until I erased it sometime that summer. I remember watching it dozens of times all summer - man, I wish I still had that tape.
I learned tons more about hockey this season than I had in my previous 39 years. Save for a dabble during the Pavel Bure/Vancouver Canucks years, when the league left ESPN, I didn't really go looking for it. As enjoyable as it is to watch on TV, nothing compares to being in the rink, seeing a player unchecked across the ice, who would certainly be off-camera in a televised game, anticipate a move by his linemate and come in for a goal.
Next season can't come soon enough for me!
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| "Mucking it out" in the corner |
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| Cheeseball |
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| Yes, Angry Birds |
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| Game On! |
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| Puck drops in 5 months |
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| here's Boomer! |
Next season can't come soon enough for me!
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| Bobble GLOVES! |
Thursday, April 12, 2012
So Camp
Looking forward to the YLIN family retreat for families with diabetes. This camp was definitely a high point of year one with T1D - and we've been looking forward to this year's retreat ever since.
It's comforting being in a room full of people in the same boat, having to count everything and stop before dining. There will be a ton of "no idea how he/she got so high/low - we did everything exactly the same as the day before" stories. It is these stories that turn our lives into Bg Whack-A-Mole - and even though every situation is unique, somebody is bound to have seen every situation we can come up with.
Thank you to all the friends and family at Hugo's for being such an invaluable sponsor of this event.
It's comforting being in a room full of people in the same boat, having to count everything and stop before dining. There will be a ton of "no idea how he/she got so high/low - we did everything exactly the same as the day before" stories. It is these stories that turn our lives into Bg Whack-A-Mole - and even though every situation is unique, somebody is bound to have seen every situation we can come up with.
Thank you to all the friends and family at Hugo's for being such an invaluable sponsor of this event.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
0:00.1
That's the margin that held the Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans going to overtime for the second game in a row saturday.
Game Recap
It's been three days and I'm still shaking my head - I'm sure I don't recall many plays as bang-bang as that, and certainly not just as the clock struck 0:00.0. TV replays slowed down showed that as the green "game over" light came on, the puck was not yet in the net. The puck crossed the line four frames of video later. There are 30 frames per second, so the elapsed time of .13333 seconds provided the whisker-thin margin.
Oddly, in our house, the least affected by the whole thing was probably the Chiefs-lovingest 8-year old who doesn't care for it when we boo the officials (they're doing their best), and sees no conflict in rooting for Tri (they're the second-closest team, dontchaknow?). While the grownups were intently watching full-speed replays in which clearly the puck was in before the horn sounded, he was only interested in the final result - no goal, series tied at 2.
Thunder Always Comes After Lightning
I guess that's why there are two systems, the horn being the loud obvious intruder, announcing that TIME HAS EXPIRED! Meanwhile this little unobtrusive light, sitting behind the glass, is the official arbiter. Light travelling faster than sound means a horn blasting at the same time will actually reach your ears after the light has registered to your eyes.
Game three is tomorrow and it's on TV. Grab some popcorn.
Game Recap
It's been three days and I'm still shaking my head - I'm sure I don't recall many plays as bang-bang as that, and certainly not just as the clock struck 0:00.0. TV replays slowed down showed that as the green "game over" light came on, the puck was not yet in the net. The puck crossed the line four frames of video later. There are 30 frames per second, so the elapsed time of .13333 seconds provided the whisker-thin margin.
Oddly, in our house, the least affected by the whole thing was probably the Chiefs-lovingest 8-year old who doesn't care for it when we boo the officials (they're doing their best), and sees no conflict in rooting for Tri (they're the second-closest team, dontchaknow?). While the grownups were intently watching full-speed replays in which clearly the puck was in before the horn sounded, he was only interested in the final result - no goal, series tied at 2.
Thunder Always Comes After Lightning
I guess that's why there are two systems, the horn being the loud obvious intruder, announcing that TIME HAS EXPIRED! Meanwhile this little unobtrusive light, sitting behind the glass, is the official arbiter. Light travelling faster than sound means a horn blasting at the same time will actually reach your ears after the light has registered to your eyes.
Game three is tomorrow and it's on TV. Grab some popcorn.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Hunting and Pecking
We have a saying in our house, "if it doesn't say 'Type 1,' it means 'Type 2'".
It's an oversimplification, of course. There are many products that are beneficial for people who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, but far too often we see "Great For Diabetics!" or "Low In Sugar!" on the front of the box, then flip it around to find a very typical carb level.
For some reason, Costco seems to often be testing "diabetes-friendly" foods and snacks, but realistically they aren't something we would buy. Hearing the word, often we will be drawn to the sample table only to turn around with the first glance at the label.
It gets frustrating to hunt for products that are beneficial to Bg level and yet are appealing to the palate. We've learned to balance the two - if two similar products come at 36 carbs vs. 32, but the higher carb count will be consumed with less push-back, we'll often go that way.
The same generaliztion often applies in media articles; if the article or news report doesn't mention T1D, we quickly assume it's aimed at T2s and turn the page or dial toward the next shiny object.
It's an oversimplification, of course. There are many products that are beneficial for people who have either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, but far too often we see "Great For Diabetics!" or "Low In Sugar!" on the front of the box, then flip it around to find a very typical carb level.
For some reason, Costco seems to often be testing "diabetes-friendly" foods and snacks, but realistically they aren't something we would buy. Hearing the word, often we will be drawn to the sample table only to turn around with the first glance at the label.
It gets frustrating to hunt for products that are beneficial to Bg level and yet are appealing to the palate. We've learned to balance the two - if two similar products come at 36 carbs vs. 32, but the higher carb count will be consumed with less push-back, we'll often go that way.
The same generaliztion often applies in media articles; if the article or news report doesn't mention T1D, we quickly assume it's aimed at T2s and turn the page or dial toward the next shiny object.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Get it out of my head!
I've had all I's can stands, I can't stands no more.
It's early dismissal week and my time is limited - eventually they will notice the house has been quiet for 20 minutes.
Literally since I awoke almost twelve hours ago I've been humming this song. I've tried. Still stuck. Moved on to a different track. Tried this, even. And yet, I will be sad when such a simple show with a fun message no loger appeals to our boys.
Already they think they care more about hockey and Pokemon - but I plan to dig my heels in if I must.
Oops they found me, got to ru
It's early dismissal week and my time is limited - eventually they will notice the house has been quiet for 20 minutes.
Literally since I awoke almost twelve hours ago I've been humming this song. I've tried. Still stuck. Moved on to a different track. Tried this, even. And yet, I will be sad when such a simple show with a fun message no loger appeals to our boys.
Already they think they care more about hockey and Pokemon - but I plan to dig my heels in if I must.
Oops they found me, got to ru
Sunday, March 25, 2012
It's been a great season, hasn't it dad?
Every parent sits amazed at how much their child has grown/changed/accomplished over x-amount of time. We annoy our child-free friends, while those with older kids just nod along, remembering; "Three weeks ago he was barely standing up, now he walks from the couch to the dining room without stopping".
Last year about this time, the Spokane Chiefs were beginning a playoff run that would take them to the Western Conference Finals, before losing to Portland. As I've explained before, Cameron was at the time unfamiliar with the whole "playoffs" concept, and actually quite distraught as the much-better Winter Hawks beat the Chiefs rather solidly before losing the WHL finals in the next round. There were tears, we tried to explain the next season would come up soon - but the guys did their best and actually did better than predicted before the season, and that was something really great.
After you've been around the block a few times, especially in the upper-left quadrant of the United States sporting map, you tend to be less emotionally-invested in the outcome of a given sports season. During the actually-competitive Mariners run of 1995-2001, we may get our hopes up emotionally, but up here we knew they would eventually meet up with, and get their hats handed to them by, the Yankees.
We become ultra-realists: Sonics fans knew that their playoff battles had to be won in six games, because their was no way in David $tern's green Earth they were going to be allowed to beat Barkley's Suns or Jordan's Bulls on the road, in game seven - it was as foreign as a hippie in Bellevue. One-game scenarios are a tad different, but when every Super Bowl week headline mentioned Jerome Bettis' Detroit ties, we knew the Seahawks were not the league's preferred victor.
So we bring it around to Cam. As I sit here, The Chiefs are down 0-2 to the Vancouver Giants having allowed approximately 85 goals between the games. It's not looking good. They haven't had a home game yet, but as the lower-seeded team they need to win at least one in BC - and again, 85 goals. He realizes that it's an uphill climb with not a lot of horsepower behind it. But still he roots for his guys. He has his favorites, takes his grandma-gifted Lego alarm clock to bed to listen to the final period, overtime, shootouts and post-game shows with Mike "the Boyler" Boyle. When the season ends, he will be able to tell us when training camp opens and the public scrimmages are scheduled (yes, he checks the team's press reports). But I don't expect as many tears this year, and next year maybe there won't be any.
"Oh how fast they grow up"!
Last year about this time, the Spokane Chiefs were beginning a playoff run that would take them to the Western Conference Finals, before losing to Portland. As I've explained before, Cameron was at the time unfamiliar with the whole "playoffs" concept, and actually quite distraught as the much-better Winter Hawks beat the Chiefs rather solidly before losing the WHL finals in the next round. There were tears, we tried to explain the next season would come up soon - but the guys did their best and actually did better than predicted before the season, and that was something really great.
After you've been around the block a few times, especially in the upper-left quadrant of the United States sporting map, you tend to be less emotionally-invested in the outcome of a given sports season. During the actually-competitive Mariners run of 1995-2001, we may get our hopes up emotionally, but up here we knew they would eventually meet up with, and get their hats handed to them by, the Yankees.
We become ultra-realists: Sonics fans knew that their playoff battles had to be won in six games, because their was no way in David $tern's green Earth they were going to be allowed to beat Barkley's Suns or Jordan's Bulls on the road, in game seven - it was as foreign as a hippie in Bellevue. One-game scenarios are a tad different, but when every Super Bowl week headline mentioned Jerome Bettis' Detroit ties, we knew the Seahawks were not the league's preferred victor.
So we bring it around to Cam. As I sit here, The Chiefs are down 0-2 to the Vancouver Giants having allowed approximately 85 goals between the games. It's not looking good. They haven't had a home game yet, but as the lower-seeded team they need to win at least one in BC - and again, 85 goals. He realizes that it's an uphill climb with not a lot of horsepower behind it. But still he roots for his guys. He has his favorites, takes his grandma-gifted Lego alarm clock to bed to listen to the final period, overtime, shootouts and post-game shows with Mike "the Boyler" Boyle. When the season ends, he will be able to tell us when training camp opens and the public scrimmages are scheduled (yes, he checks the team's press reports). But I don't expect as many tears this year, and next year maybe there won't be any.
"Oh how fast they grow up"!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Up front
Our refrigerator was slowly ceasing to refrigerate its contents recently, which caused us the same stress it would, or has already, cause most folks - is the food inside going to go bad?
Parents of T1Ds have an additional concern, "what about the insulin?"
Fortunately, while most modern insulins are indeed stored cold, a slight moderation shouldn't cause a drastic change in its effectiveness - but it could. Just like anything "could". There's a saying among us parents, "your mileage may vary", that applies to virtually any situation. And virtually any child on any particular day.
In this case it was just an added blip to the fridge scenario - will this affect the insulin? And we won't know, probably, until we go to use it and even then we won't know for sure if it's the insulin, or a nervous child, or the barometric pressure, or because it's Thursday. With a million "ors", all we can do is keep paddling
Parents of T1Ds have an additional concern, "what about the insulin?"
Fortunately, while most modern insulins are indeed stored cold, a slight moderation shouldn't cause a drastic change in its effectiveness - but it could. Just like anything "could". There's a saying among us parents, "your mileage may vary", that applies to virtually any situation. And virtually any child on any particular day.
In this case it was just an added blip to the fridge scenario - will this affect the insulin? And we won't know, probably, until we go to use it and even then we won't know for sure if it's the insulin, or a nervous child, or the barometric pressure, or because it's Thursday. With a million "ors", all we can do is keep paddling
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Happy Muppet Tuesday!
IT'S HERE!
Life's a fillet of fish! Yes it is!
That's right, today marks the home release of The Muppets! I can't stop exclaiming!
(Pause for breath! Ponder this!)
OK, there we go. Indeed, today is one that should have been circled on the calendar, for I can only hope this marks the re-entrance to the mainstream for the Muppets. It's been over thirty years since The Muppet Show went off the air, and the last of the "classic" movies, The Muppets Take Manhattan, came out in 1984. I enjoyed The Muppet Christmas Carol, but it was never "big".
Then came The Lull. There were a few attempts, but none really made the public consciousness like 2011's The Muppets. Memorable songs, a paper-thin plot, travelling by map - it's all there. A sequel has been green-lit, and as great as Jason Segel was, hopefully the hand-off won't mean a drop in care and attention to detail. after all, the original trilogy had the same kind of rotating cameos/not-really-a-stars, so in the hands of a studio and producers that care, we can hope for the best.
Life's a fillet of fish! Yes it is!
That's right, today marks the home release of The Muppets! I can't stop exclaiming!
(Pause for breath! Ponder this!)
OK, there we go. Indeed, today is one that should have been circled on the calendar, for I can only hope this marks the re-entrance to the mainstream for the Muppets. It's been over thirty years since The Muppet Show went off the air, and the last of the "classic" movies, The Muppets Take Manhattan, came out in 1984. I enjoyed The Muppet Christmas Carol, but it was never "big".
Then came The Lull. There were a few attempts, but none really made the public consciousness like 2011's The Muppets. Memorable songs, a paper-thin plot, travelling by map - it's all there. A sequel has been green-lit, and as great as Jason Segel was, hopefully the hand-off won't mean a drop in care and attention to detail. after all, the original trilogy had the same kind of rotating cameos/not-really-a-stars, so in the hands of a studio and producers that care, we can hope for the best.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Another first-round upset
Who says a #1 seed has never gone down? In a history-making comeback, Chicken nuggets came back to upset pizza in the 2012 Cameron Bracket!
The first-round upset threatened to overshadow the rest of the tournament, including ultimate champion Anthony Bardaro.
Confused? Let me explain.
For many years, in the midst of "March Madness", I have created Brackets for each of the boys. I use the standard college bracket, with "regions". This year's regions were "favorite foods", 'activities", "leisure recreation", and "people, real & pretend". I AM the selection committee. I seed each bracket to come up with the "ultimate champion".
Cam's elite 8 had some classic elements: Cheeseburgers beat hot dogs in the Food region. Going to Chiefs games trumped a day of water slides at Raptor Reef. Ex-Chief Anthony Bardaro out-physicalled Grandma Carol in the People bracket. And NHL 12 for Xbox fell short against Legos.
Ultimately, Bardaro nabbed the game winner versus actually going to a Chiefs game.
Hayden's top 8 also featured some epic battles. Pizza edged waffles in the Food region. Ice skating lost to Silverwood in Activities. Lego Star Wars beat Xbox 360 for Leisure, and former Chief Tyler Johnson beat up Grandma Carol among People. In the finals, pizza got its revenge, outdueling Lego Star Wars to take home the trophy.
There are no-brainers ("Chiefs games" vs "cleaning your room"). And sometimes they have to think hard ("swimming" vs "Silverwood"). They think I'm crazy - but I wouldn't consider skipping a year.
I've seen parents who take a photograph annually that wraps a newborn in their favorite Larry Bird jersey or football helmet, then marks the passage of time as they gradually fill that helmet then, ultimately, start wearing their own. This is one of those for me. I think some trips to the Hall of Fame to revisit the "Boys Brackets" are in order.
The first-round upset threatened to overshadow the rest of the tournament, including ultimate champion Anthony Bardaro.
Confused? Let me explain.
For many years, in the midst of "March Madness", I have created Brackets for each of the boys. I use the standard college bracket, with "regions". This year's regions were "favorite foods", 'activities", "leisure recreation", and "people, real & pretend". I AM the selection committee. I seed each bracket to come up with the "ultimate champion".
Cam's elite 8 had some classic elements: Cheeseburgers beat hot dogs in the Food region. Going to Chiefs games trumped a day of water slides at Raptor Reef. Ex-Chief Anthony Bardaro out-physicalled Grandma Carol in the People bracket. And NHL 12 for Xbox fell short against Legos.
Ultimately, Bardaro nabbed the game winner versus actually going to a Chiefs game.
Hayden's top 8 also featured some epic battles. Pizza edged waffles in the Food region. Ice skating lost to Silverwood in Activities. Lego Star Wars beat Xbox 360 for Leisure, and former Chief Tyler Johnson beat up Grandma Carol among People. In the finals, pizza got its revenge, outdueling Lego Star Wars to take home the trophy.
There are no-brainers ("Chiefs games" vs "cleaning your room"). And sometimes they have to think hard ("swimming" vs "Silverwood"). They think I'm crazy - but I wouldn't consider skipping a year.
I've seen parents who take a photograph annually that wraps a newborn in their favorite Larry Bird jersey or football helmet, then marks the passage of time as they gradually fill that helmet then, ultimately, start wearing their own. This is one of those for me. I think some trips to the Hall of Fame to revisit the "Boys Brackets" are in order.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Doo-do-do-dooh, duh-di-do-doo!
I used to get more excited about the NCAA Tournament and Selection Sunday specifically. Routinely, that Sunday through to the first weekend was the greatest eight days on the sports calendar. Perhaps your team being in the World Series would come close - but I grew up in Seattle, so I wouldn't know.
It's still great and there are definitely moments of inspiration - but nothing like it used to be. There were a few factors, but the biggest to me are the homogenization and regionalization of the the sites.
First, homogenization. Around a half-decade ago the NCAA began use their own courts instead of those of the home arena. I confess, I'm a dork, but I looked forward to seeing the different arenas and what court they would use. How well would a NBA arena mask their professional markings - Sacramento always seemed bad at it - putting a big beige splotch over the Kings logo. KeyArena used the court from the state high school tournaments. If nothing else, you could tell at a glance what game you were watching when CBS would switch. You knew that this happened in Boise. This was fairly boring, but at least Indianapolis was written in large letters on the court. This happened in the city that stole the Sonics.
Where was this game played? It says Portland on one baseline and Rose Garden on the other, but the blue-on-black isn't exactly easy to read. What about this? Back in Boise, believe it or not. When you literally remove the color of the event, it dilutes the memories.
Second, regionalization. Until about 10 years ago, only the top couple of seeds were "rewarded" by playing close to home for the first couple of rounds. In 1999 Stanford was a 2 seed brought to Seattle, but number 3 was North Carolina! travelling 3000 miles to play Weber State? In a game that tipped at 10pm eastern? That doesn't happen now. By being a 3-seed, Carolina would never play more than about a day's drive from Chapel Hill. And if Weber State isn't lucky, they get the 10am Mountain tip. Then they came up with "pods" in which the teams playing in either the afternoon or evening sessions would play each other in round two, but almost never advance to play each other in the Sweet 16.
It's still great, and I'll still watch, but a lot of the flavor has been sucked out of it.
Hammy, Rufus and Hockey Pucks is proud to announce our own Bracket Tournament. There is a prize at the end for the winner - which I will announce later in the week. You'll need a yahoo ID to access it. Yahoo allows up to five entries.
Go to Yahoo tourney Pick'em. Search for:
Hammy Rufus & Hockey Pucks Group ID# 138622
Password Glucagon
It's still great and there are definitely moments of inspiration - but nothing like it used to be. There were a few factors, but the biggest to me are the homogenization and regionalization of the the sites.
First, homogenization. Around a half-decade ago the NCAA began use their own courts instead of those of the home arena. I confess, I'm a dork, but I looked forward to seeing the different arenas and what court they would use. How well would a NBA arena mask their professional markings - Sacramento always seemed bad at it - putting a big beige splotch over the Kings logo. KeyArena used the court from the state high school tournaments. If nothing else, you could tell at a glance what game you were watching when CBS would switch. You knew that this happened in Boise. This was fairly boring, but at least Indianapolis was written in large letters on the court. This happened in the city that stole the Sonics.
Where was this game played? It says Portland on one baseline and Rose Garden on the other, but the blue-on-black isn't exactly easy to read. What about this? Back in Boise, believe it or not. When you literally remove the color of the event, it dilutes the memories.
Second, regionalization. Until about 10 years ago, only the top couple of seeds were "rewarded" by playing close to home for the first couple of rounds. In 1999 Stanford was a 2 seed brought to Seattle, but number 3 was North Carolina! travelling 3000 miles to play Weber State? In a game that tipped at 10pm eastern? That doesn't happen now. By being a 3-seed, Carolina would never play more than about a day's drive from Chapel Hill. And if Weber State isn't lucky, they get the 10am Mountain tip. Then they came up with "pods" in which the teams playing in either the afternoon or evening sessions would play each other in round two, but almost never advance to play each other in the Sweet 16.
It's still great, and I'll still watch, but a lot of the flavor has been sucked out of it.
Hammy, Rufus and Hockey Pucks is proud to announce our own Bracket Tournament. There is a prize at the end for the winner - which I will announce later in the week. You'll need a yahoo ID to access it. Yahoo allows up to five entries.
Go to Yahoo tourney Pick'em. Search for:
Hammy Rufus & Hockey Pucks Group ID# 138622
Password Glucagon
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Fit For Life
Last week began Spokane's build-up to Bloomsday - the first Sunday in May.
For many Spokane-area Public Schools, including Lincoln Heights, this includes a Fit For Bloomsday program after school, that teaches stretching, hydration & running, Running, RUNNING.
This provides unique challenges for a T1D student. Por ejemplo...
Once this week, upon the bell ringing I pulled my student aside like always and did a Bg check. 63?!? Okay, well - here's a snack, with glucose tablet chaser - we'll test again in a few minutes. By the time they took attendance, got everyone lined up & completed stretching was about 20 minutes, back up to 110 - better, but not "go ahead & run for 1/2 hour" better, so my instructions were to do 2 laps, then stop to check again. As you can imagine, it's tough to build momentum when you're stopping 10 minutes in, but you do what's necessary - and for me, what was necessary was making sure he was still heading up, or at least level.
Sure enough, now he was 128 - yay, but not "go ahead & run another 20 minutes" yay. Thus the instructions to do another 3 laps, enough to total a mile, and then pause again. By the time those laps were complete, he had become distracted and bored and ready to be done. Having completed his mile, I decided to accept this. He moved to the bleachers and became a cheerleader for the other kids. "Way to go!" "Keep going!" "Twelve laps? That's great!"
He knew we couldn't leave because I am ostensibly a volunteer for the whole program, beyond simply a medic alert level. Once again, I was touched by his ability to cope with this constant inconvenience.
Way to go, kid! Keep going!
For many Spokane-area Public Schools, including Lincoln Heights, this includes a Fit For Bloomsday program after school, that teaches stretching, hydration & running, Running, RUNNING.
This provides unique challenges for a T1D student. Por ejemplo...
Once this week, upon the bell ringing I pulled my student aside like always and did a Bg check. 63?!? Okay, well - here's a snack, with glucose tablet chaser - we'll test again in a few minutes. By the time they took attendance, got everyone lined up & completed stretching was about 20 minutes, back up to 110 - better, but not "go ahead & run for 1/2 hour" better, so my instructions were to do 2 laps, then stop to check again. As you can imagine, it's tough to build momentum when you're stopping 10 minutes in, but you do what's necessary - and for me, what was necessary was making sure he was still heading up, or at least level.
Sure enough, now he was 128 - yay, but not "go ahead & run another 20 minutes" yay. Thus the instructions to do another 3 laps, enough to total a mile, and then pause again. By the time those laps were complete, he had become distracted and bored and ready to be done. Having completed his mile, I decided to accept this. He moved to the bleachers and became a cheerleader for the other kids. "Way to go!" "Keep going!" "Twelve laps? That's great!"
He knew we couldn't leave because I am ostensibly a volunteer for the whole program, beyond simply a medic alert level. Once again, I was touched by his ability to cope with this constant inconvenience.
Way to go, kid! Keep going!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Playoffs?
For most of us follow sports (and more recently reality game shows), even peripherally, we're used to the "season" consisting of a whole bunch of games with a lot of teams, being followed by a smaller collection of games until theirs an ultimate victor or "champion". Baseball and basketball play series' usually best-of-7, but sometimes best-of-3 or -5? Always an odd number to guarantee no ties. Football and NCAA basketball have one-and-done scenarios, but they still funnel the victors through a bracketed structure until there's a winner. Those are the most common, but there are others - double-elimination, the judges' vote.
It's a concept, once grasped, that you never really think about - until you have to explain it to a 7-year-old. "But they said last week was the last game?" "Of the regular season, this is the Playoffs." "So they keep playing?" Until they lose a series. They play one team until one of them wins four games." "And then the season's over?" "If they lose four games. If they win, they play a different team for four wins."
Don't get me started on the Memorial Cup.
And so it happened last April 19 that I obtained tickets for myself and two boys to see the Spokane Chiefs play the Tri-City Americans - the FIRST PLAYOFF GAME THEY'LL EVER SEE.
Playoffs or not, it was still a school night, so Kim agreed on the following stipulation: home by 8:30, in bed by 8:45. It is with that in mind that we watched as the Chiefs fell behind, 0-3 after two periods. With the magic hour approaching, I packed our stuff, turned to the folks behind us, thanked them for tolerating the dancing fools, and said: "hopefully we'll miss the greatest comeback ever."
Tee-hee!
This season's playoffs are coming up, and he gets it now, so he probably ever have to review the concept. at least for 20 years or so.
It's a concept, once grasped, that you never really think about - until you have to explain it to a 7-year-old. "But they said last week was the last game?" "Of the regular season, this is the Playoffs." "So they keep playing?" Until they lose a series. They play one team until one of them wins four games." "And then the season's over?" "If they lose four games. If they win, they play a different team for four wins."
Don't get me started on the Memorial Cup.
And so it happened last April 19 that I obtained tickets for myself and two boys to see the Spokane Chiefs play the Tri-City Americans - the FIRST PLAYOFF GAME THEY'LL EVER SEE.
Playoffs or not, it was still a school night, so Kim agreed on the following stipulation: home by 8:30, in bed by 8:45. It is with that in mind that we watched as the Chiefs fell behind, 0-3 after two periods. With the magic hour approaching, I packed our stuff, turned to the folks behind us, thanked them for tolerating the dancing fools, and said: "hopefully we'll miss the greatest comeback ever."
Tee-hee!
This season's playoffs are coming up, and he gets it now, so he probably ever have to review the concept. at least for 20 years or so.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Four Minutes
Something strange is a-brewing up at Lincoln Heights
Something is off with their days and their nights
For half of four years their clocks were ajar
The timings were simply four minutes too far
That time was precious, who knows its value
When you're leaving for pick-up at two-fifty-two
But last Monday - oh wow - as I opened the doors
Here came a stream of students galore
“That was odd” I thought, “it's not a long walk;
From my car takes two minutes of clock”
I should have been early, at the very least prompt
Where'd that time go, feels like it got chomped
So now two is two, six is six, ten is ten
But I wish I had back that four minutes again
I try to pick battles, try not to pick fights
But who fixed the clocks up at Lincoln Heights?
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Bring your own silverware
There's a small, tiny, minute chance (no greater than 100%) that my well-intentioned 6-year-old, put dirty dishes away in the drawer instead of putting his dinner dishes in the dishwasher.
Thus, should you deign to pop in for tea in the next week or so, that spoon may not be as pristine as one may hope.
Sorry.
Thus, should you deign to pop in for tea in the next week or so, that spoon may not be as pristine as one may hope.
Sorry.
45 Grams Of Terror (Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Maple Bar)
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| They look so innocent, laying there |
Me: What would you like in the morning with breakfast?
Child 1: "Chocolate with sprinkles!"
"If they don't have chocolate with sprinkles, what is your second choice?"
"Maple Bar!"
And the procedure would repeat for each child. Once or twice, both choices were less than sure-things, so I would ask for a third alternative. But usually choice A and choice B would cover it.
Then came June 15, 2010. Or, as it is known in our house - "D-Day". The day we started a crash course in Type 1 Diabetes that hasn't ended, and likely won't unless and until there is a cure.
With our particular patient, rituals and habits are very important. And getting to choose a doughnut for Sunday morning was part of his planning. It was okay to not be getting his chocolate with sprinkles in the morning, but the discussion needed to be held prior to Sandman Time on Saturday.
That crash course brought a lot of fears - and assumptions - and the thought of never having another doughnut broke his heart more than constant Bg checks and insulin injections. I cannot erase the face he made from my memory, but imagine dropping your ice cream cone onto your new iPhone while watching Titanic, then double that.
You see, bakery items in general, are hard to pin down for carb counts. How big was the cake? What kind of icing? How much icing? How thick were the slices of bread? Packaged loaves of bread or hot dog buns are helpful, but they can still vary. But doughnuts?!? They can vary so wildly from store-to-store that the best you can do is estimate, than retest Bg's in an hour. Our most common guess is 45, but one with extra frosting, or none at all, can sway that - but it's still a guess.
Doctors and hospitals don't like guesses.
Over time, we have learned to live live with Diabetes. He isn't "a diabetic", he is a person, a child, a young man, who has Diabetes. It's an important distinction, that we have tried to bear in mind.
So we have gotten back into our Saturday Night routine. As they are getting ready for bed, he will ask "Is tomorrow a doughnut Sunday?" And usually the answer is no. But about once a month it gets to be yes, and I get to see a smile that would light Monstropolis.
We still try to limit doughnut Sundays - keeping it special, and choosing birthday weekends or when we have visitors.
And there is nothing to fear, until the sequel: Second Slice: Attack of the Pizza!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
C'mon, just a little smooch!
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| Meet Stella. Her sister, Abbey, is in the background |
Her first reaction to being picked up is not to bite (unlike her sister - we'll get to her eventually). If she sees you near the cage she'll come over to visit - probably hoping you have food, but whatever. She is also less-strictly nocturnal than Abbey or either of the Hammys, for instance I didn't have to wake her up to take the above photo.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Happy Birthday KIM!
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| How did I get so lucky? |
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| Story time? |
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| Awww! |
Kim is a loving daughter, sister and friend. If she has suggested meeting for coffee, an outing or exercise, that is an appointment which must be kept, and other activities will be scheduled around it.
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| Even looking outside our house... surrounded by stinky boys. |
I can't express how valuable she is to us. She is special. She is loved. And she is one day older than she was yesterday.
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| YES WE DO! |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
What have We Here?
Everyone has stumbled across something they forgot they had. You're vacuuming the back seat of the car and find the sunglasses you loved last summer. Or you clean out a dresser drawer and there's a belt you replaced six months ago. You dig out a winter coat and there's a bill in the pocket - in the two seconds it takes to pull it in front of your eyes and unfold it there are limitless possibilities (If it's a buck, that could mean a Coke from the vending machine; $5 means I'm going out to lunch; $10 means I'm going out to lunch at a place that has waiters or waitresses; $20?!? Well now that may be worth saving for a hat you've been eyeing or going out for pizza instead of staying home. Larger?!?)
I put a coat on last week that I hadn't worn since the fall. Just like above, I reached in the pocket and instantly knew what my fingers had wrapped around. I knew what it was, knew what it been used for.
I had found a test strip.
Found test strips are an endless source of bewilderment for a T1D parent. We burn through them like Kojak with lollipops, and sometimes a wastebasket isn't handy. At 1:30 am, when you've tiptoed down a flight of stairs, stubbed your toe twice but can't yell 'cause you'll wake the house, you're fighting a low and get "Error-5" your immediate thought is not "I must carefully place this in the trash bin", it's "ARRRGH!! I HAVE TO DO IT ALL AGAIN?!!".
And so it gets set on a shelf or flung against a wall, or worse - you just palm it until you need your hand for something else, and so it ends up in a pocket. Under couch cushions. In the dog crate?!? I should keep a log. If only there were someplace where I can keep track of these things...
I put a coat on last week that I hadn't worn since the fall. Just like above, I reached in the pocket and instantly knew what my fingers had wrapped around. I knew what it was, knew what it been used for.
I had found a test strip.
And so it gets set on a shelf or flung against a wall, or worse - you just palm it until you need your hand for something else, and so it ends up in a pocket. Under couch cushions. In the dog crate?!? I should keep a log. If only there were someplace where I can keep track of these things...
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sadie
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| Got your nose! |
If you can feed a dog every day - keep them clean, tend to their needs, get them to their doctor's appointments & even make sure they have fun, then you may be responsible and caring enough to handle a human child. Fail in this mission, and... metaphorically, of course.
And so it was that we found ourselves going to the humane society, then SpokAnimal and finally Northwest Seed & Pet who had available one Jack Russell Terrier, and a Dachshund. We went home that Saturday leaning toward the terrier because he was cute and that's the kind Frasier's dad had. That night, as I was working the overnight shift and Kim was home by herself, we independently did enough research to determine we wanted the other one. JRTs were to excitable, needed tons of exercise and were willing to jump to reach any cat lower than the top of the refrigerator.
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| Are those Sweet Potato Puffs? |
About a week later, I forget if it was Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, after working another crazy overnight shift and coming home, crashing on the couch, I remember waking up to find Sadie in the crook of my elbow. She had me in her paw from then forward, and I'm pretty sure that's when it was decided yeah, I could handle a kid.
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| Our first St. Patrick's Day Parade |
At about 9 years old she started losing weight and not getting around very well. Nine isn't old for a dachshund, but it's squarely middle-aged. Eventually we had to say goodbye. I may have succeeded in the pass/fail part of the exam, but Sadie was all A-pluses for us.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Arenas and Tenants
I figure I'm supposed to be excited about the prospects for a new arena in Seattle, that it might come with a basketball team, and maybe hockey to boot. "Didn't you put a Sonics logo on every single art project from 2nd-6th grade," you ask. Yes, you'd be correct. Color me skeptical, but I'll believe it when it happens.
In addition to that, it would seem weird to obtain a team in a manner similar to how the Sonics weregiven away for cents on the dollar by genius Starbucks owner Howard Schultz who should have seen their eyes light up with dollar signs, said to himself "huh? let's check the blue book on this thing... maybe they don't really intend to keep this team in Seattle after all - ooh, is Greg Oden hurt again? sorry Portland" stolen. The only way I would even harbor that thought is if that team was itself stolen from another city.
The decision to retrofit the old Coliseum in a way that it was obsolete to the NBA within a decade with a hockey capacity too small for the NHL to even consider is a travesty. There are several issues in play regarding the acquisition of any team in both sports.
NBA first.
Sacramento Kings. Obviously they come to mind because the Maloofs over leveraged their casinos in the last decade. They can't afford to tip their waitress more than 10%, how can they afford to keep their team? I don't know. I do know their mayor spent about 13 years playing in the NBA, and probably views keeping their only big-sport team to be a priority. I also know that Anaheim has a NBA-ready arena and if forced to decide today between a plot of fill next to Elliott Bay and a turn-key situation that doesn't even require them to leave the state, they're moving south. (If either city starts seeking state-level help, California would probably prefer to keep whatever tax revenue is generated somewhere within its boundaries.) The Kings, it's worth noting, moved from Kansas City to Sacramento. I would feel worse about that, but KC themselves stole the Kings from Cincinnati, 15 years after THEY took the team from Rochester. The only team that's moved more often than that is the Harlem Globetrotters.
New Orleans Hornets. Probably the most-eligible candidate - they don't have an owner. Attendance has struggled, and that is squarely in the heart of football country. The biggest problem here is probably getting David Stern on board. Returning a team to Seattle during his tenure will require some pretty serious politicking. The Hornets have only been in New Orleans about ten years since they abandoned Charlotte. The irony would be pretty thick that if Katrina hadn't forced them to spend most of two years playing in Oklahoma City to huge crowds, the bargain hunters their may not even have come sniffing after the Sonics.
Memphis Grizzlies. I've heard no serious whispers about them for the past few years, so the wishful thinking here mostly centers around the former Vancouver, BC team returning to their regional roots. If you follow Bill Simmons at all, you get a strong feeling that that team was badly mismanaged player personnel-wise during its BC tenure, and that maybe they would have survived under better leadership from their basketball people. Objectively, this would also allow the league to move the Zombie Sonics to the Southwest Division where they more naturally fit with the three Texas teams than the Northwest Division against teams from cities were we actually get winter.
Now, the NHL.
I have not heard any other teams mentioned than the Phoenix Coyotes as potential moves, which is fine. A hockey team in Arizona never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever was going to make sense. They literally couldn't fit in the Phoenix Suns' arena (sounds like it was built exactly like KeyArena to me) with lots of obstructed views and an arena floor not designed to go from one to the other. Since the gaping hole left when they abandoned in Winnipeg has already been filled, that clearly leaves Seattle as a viable destination.
Some questions remain: if they had to spend a season or two in the region while the new joint is built, where would that be? My first thought was, "well duh, they play in Key just to get by". But why not think bigger than that? Make this Washington's (and Oregon's) team. The home season's 80 games - play 20 at Key to establish their "home" footing, then split the remaining 20 between the hockey-ready WHL buildings in Spokane, Kennewick and Portland. It's only been the last 20 years or so that this became rarer. The Buffalo Bills playing one game in Toronto every year comes to mind but there may be others. The Boston Celtics used to do home games in Hartford, the Clippers dipped their own toe in Anaheim for a few years. Even the Mariners played a series in Vancouver just long enough to turn Edgar Martinez into a DH.
In our house, having tried and failed to interest the single-digit crowd in basketball has repeatedly proved unsuccessful. But an NHL team? That's the ticket. We couldn't interest them in the Super Bowl, but the NHL All-Stars Skills competition? We're clearing a Saturday.
I look forward to both prospects, and will undoubtedly buy the t-shirts and watch the games when they happen. But until then, I'll wait and see.
In addition to that, it would seem weird to obtain a team in a manner similar to how the Sonics were
The decision to retrofit the old Coliseum in a way that it was obsolete to the NBA within a decade with a hockey capacity too small for the NHL to even consider is a travesty. There are several issues in play regarding the acquisition of any team in both sports.
NBA first.
Sacramento Kings. Obviously they come to mind because the Maloofs over leveraged their casinos in the last decade. They can't afford to tip their waitress more than 10%, how can they afford to keep their team? I don't know. I do know their mayor spent about 13 years playing in the NBA, and probably views keeping their only big-sport team to be a priority. I also know that Anaheim has a NBA-ready arena and if forced to decide today between a plot of fill next to Elliott Bay and a turn-key situation that doesn't even require them to leave the state, they're moving south. (If either city starts seeking state-level help, California would probably prefer to keep whatever tax revenue is generated somewhere within its boundaries.) The Kings, it's worth noting, moved from Kansas City to Sacramento. I would feel worse about that, but KC themselves stole the Kings from Cincinnati, 15 years after THEY took the team from Rochester. The only team that's moved more often than that is the Harlem Globetrotters.
New Orleans Hornets. Probably the most-eligible candidate - they don't have an owner. Attendance has struggled, and that is squarely in the heart of football country. The biggest problem here is probably getting David Stern on board. Returning a team to Seattle during his tenure will require some pretty serious politicking. The Hornets have only been in New Orleans about ten years since they abandoned Charlotte. The irony would be pretty thick that if Katrina hadn't forced them to spend most of two years playing in Oklahoma City to huge crowds, the bargain hunters their may not even have come sniffing after the Sonics.
Memphis Grizzlies. I've heard no serious whispers about them for the past few years, so the wishful thinking here mostly centers around the former Vancouver, BC team returning to their regional roots. If you follow Bill Simmons at all, you get a strong feeling that that team was badly mismanaged player personnel-wise during its BC tenure, and that maybe they would have survived under better leadership from their basketball people. Objectively, this would also allow the league to move the Zombie Sonics to the Southwest Division where they more naturally fit with the three Texas teams than the Northwest Division against teams from cities were we actually get winter.
Now, the NHL.
I have not heard any other teams mentioned than the Phoenix Coyotes as potential moves, which is fine. A hockey team in Arizona never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever was going to make sense. They literally couldn't fit in the Phoenix Suns' arena (sounds like it was built exactly like KeyArena to me) with lots of obstructed views and an arena floor not designed to go from one to the other. Since the gaping hole left when they abandoned in Winnipeg has already been filled, that clearly leaves Seattle as a viable destination.
Some questions remain: if they had to spend a season or two in the region while the new joint is built, where would that be? My first thought was, "well duh, they play in Key just to get by". But why not think bigger than that? Make this Washington's (and Oregon's) team. The home season's 80 games - play 20 at Key to establish their "home" footing, then split the remaining 20 between the hockey-ready WHL buildings in Spokane, Kennewick and Portland. It's only been the last 20 years or so that this became rarer. The Buffalo Bills playing one game in Toronto every year comes to mind but there may be others. The Boston Celtics used to do home games in Hartford, the Clippers dipped their own toe in Anaheim for a few years. Even the Mariners played a series in Vancouver just long enough to turn Edgar Martinez into a DH.
In our house, having tried and failed to interest the single-digit crowd in basketball has repeatedly proved unsuccessful. But an NHL team? That's the ticket. We couldn't interest them in the Super Bowl, but the NHL All-Stars Skills competition? We're clearing a Saturday.
I look forward to both prospects, and will undoubtedly buy the t-shirts and watch the games when they happen. But until then, I'll wait and see.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Kaleidescope
Dealing with Type-1 Diabetes provides many many many surreal moments. Valentine's Day evening produced one of those indellible images to me, and from neither heart-shaped candy, nor heart-shaped pizza.
Pump insets, lancets, cartridge injectors, single-use syringes all produce "medical sharps" which must be disposed of in a manner that won't allow the garbage handles to get accidentally poked. In our house, that's an old milk jug that currently sits about half-full in our kitchen. It is safely stored where the adults can reach it, but cannot accidentally spill to the floor. Out of necessity, we had to move it from its usual location, and in so doing, I looked down the barrel for the first time in probably a year to the image you see above this paragraph.
All the clicks, twists, "error-5"s contained in that jug would tell an amazing story. School days delayed because of mandatory site changes? They're in the jug. "Sure you can have a cupcake, I just need to see your finger first"? Yep, in the jug. "I already changed that one this morning"? Yes, it's in there too.
As we steam ahead toward our 2nd "D-Day", this image will stay with me. From stacks, drawers and boxes of pump supplies, test strips and multi-clicks, come the cluttered canister in this picture. Two years of story problems and science projects, filtered down to a half a milk bucket.
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| The view from above. |
All the clicks, twists, "error-5"s contained in that jug would tell an amazing story. School days delayed because of mandatory site changes? They're in the jug. "Sure you can have a cupcake, I just need to see your finger first"? Yep, in the jug. "I already changed that one this morning"? Yes, it's in there too.
As we steam ahead toward our 2nd "D-Day", this image will stay with me. From stacks, drawers and boxes of pump supplies, test strips and multi-clicks, come the cluttered canister in this picture. Two years of story problems and science projects, filtered down to a half a milk bucket.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Puppy Love on Valentine's Day
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| Deedee |
She found us through Dachshund Rescue NW, not long after our previous dachshund, Sadie, passed away at 9 years old. DRNW was having their Christmas party and we didn't go looking for a replacement, but she was adorable and we were suckers.
The story goes that she was found beside the highway, that someone had thrown her out. My suspicion is that she jumped. When she "GETSTOGOINTHECAR" she likes to stick her head out the window like all dogs. (Well... like most dogs. We'll get to Lilly one day, I'm sure). I don't excuse the jerk who didn't stop and retriever her, but I can see a scenario where she was in the back seat with the window down just enough, and the driver not noticing her lean too far.
So on this Valentine's Day, love the people in your life, but save an extra hug for your pets. And don't shop: Adopt!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Happy Puckiversary
Every year for the past 4-5 years, we would go to a Spokane Chiefs Hockey Game, to see if it would catch on. Try it on to see if it fits, as it were. We did the same thing with Spokane Indians Baseball, and various sports on TV - March Madness, Super Bowl, and so on.
Spokane doesn't have "big league" sports. That's OK. We have short-season minor league baseball. A longer season would be nice, but I've frozen my giblets on too many May Bloomsday mornings to want to spend too many evenings in the uncontrolled out-of-doors before about May 20th. Memorial Day weekend is usually OK - but about about 25% of the time? Brrrrrrr. So the season is short, but for 38 home games, it's busy - and parking is free. $0. Gratis. Try that at Safeco Field.
We have arena football - the closest we get to the "majors" - competing in the same division with Phoenix, San Jose and Salt Lake City. It's not the NFL, but we fill the joint. Oh, and arena parking is $6. It was $5 for about the first 15 years the building was open, so I guess we were due for an increase.
Go Chiefs Go!
And so it happened that last February 25th. The Chiefs were having "school night" with discounted tickets for students & family. All the way to the arena, a chorus of "we don't want to go to the hockey game" came from the back seat, before it turned into a raucous night of dancing, cheering, and like-we-flipped-a-light-switch hockey fans. Before that night I couldn't have known the difference between the Prince George Cougars and the Red Deer Rebels - now we have an 8-year-old WHL encyclopedia who knows all the teams, knows that Victoria used to be Chilliwack and that Spokane and Portland are the only US-based teams in the WHL that have won the Memorial Cup.
Game Summary
But that night turned out to be an 8-0 shellacking of PG that set us on the hockey path. By the end of the evening, we had ourselves our first favorite player "STARTING AT CENTER, NUMMMBER NINE, FROM SPOKANNNNNNE WASHINGTON, TYLERRRRRRRRRR JOHNNNNNSONNNNNNNNN", and had seen out first "hatter" from "NUMBER TWENTY-ONE, ANTHONYYYYY BARDARRRRROOOOOO" (more on him in the weeks to come). We knew what a "chalupa goal" was, and "game misconduct" too.
Scoresheet
Pouncing on that opportunity like a loose puck in front of a rookie goalie, we took advantage of the fact that the last two Fridays were home games - we needed to find out if the interest was real. That was an unqualified yes. When the scoreboard says "everybody dance", that's a command. When there's a goal - you stand and clap. Go Chiefs Go!
The Chiefs usually have "school night" twice a year - October and February - and so it became that last night was our "first anniversary". It was a 5-4 slugfest against the Seattle Thunderbirds that probably shouldn't have been that close. Five different Chiefs netted goals, none of them the big-time scorers. There was some pushing but no real fights. And there was popcorn.
Game Summary
Our puckiversary will always be celebrated on the February "school night," regardless of the actual number on the calendar. Kim was always a good sport about it, but I, selfishly, wanted a sporting endeavor I could share with my sons. Hockey, it is. Go Chiefs Go!
Spokane doesn't have "big league" sports. That's OK. We have short-season minor league baseball. A longer season would be nice, but I've frozen my giblets on too many May Bloomsday mornings to want to spend too many evenings in the uncontrolled out-of-doors before about May 20th. Memorial Day weekend is usually OK - but about about 25% of the time? Brrrrrrr. So the season is short, but for 38 home games, it's busy - and parking is free. $0. Gratis. Try that at Safeco Field.
We have arena football - the closest we get to the "majors" - competing in the same division with Phoenix, San Jose and Salt Lake City. It's not the NFL, but we fill the joint. Oh, and arena parking is $6. It was $5 for about the first 15 years the building was open, so I guess we were due for an increase.
Go Chiefs Go!
And so it happened that last February 25th. The Chiefs were having "school night" with discounted tickets for students & family. All the way to the arena, a chorus of "we don't want to go to the hockey game" came from the back seat, before it turned into a raucous night of dancing, cheering, and like-we-flipped-a-light-switch hockey fans. Before that night I couldn't have known the difference between the Prince George Cougars and the Red Deer Rebels - now we have an 8-year-old WHL encyclopedia who knows all the teams, knows that Victoria used to be Chilliwack and that Spokane and Portland are the only US-based teams in the WHL that have won the Memorial Cup.
Game Summary
But that night turned out to be an 8-0 shellacking of PG that set us on the hockey path. By the end of the evening, we had ourselves our first favorite player "STARTING AT CENTER, NUMMMBER NINE, FROM SPOKANNNNNNE WASHINGTON, TYLERRRRRRRRRR JOHNNNNNSONNNNNNNNN", and had seen out first "hatter" from "NUMBER TWENTY-ONE, ANTHONYYYYY BARDARRRRROOOOOO" (more on him in the weeks to come). We knew what a "chalupa goal" was, and "game misconduct" too.
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| Day 1 of our Puck Lives |
Scoresheet
Pouncing on that opportunity like a loose puck in front of a rookie goalie, we took advantage of the fact that the last two Fridays were home games - we needed to find out if the interest was real. That was an unqualified yes. When the scoreboard says "everybody dance", that's a command. When there's a goal - you stand and clap. Go Chiefs Go!
The Chiefs usually have "school night" twice a year - October and February - and so it became that last night was our "first anniversary". It was a 5-4 slugfest against the Seattle Thunderbirds that probably shouldn't have been that close. Five different Chiefs netted goals, none of them the big-time scorers. There was some pushing but no real fights. And there was popcorn.
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| Our 1st Puckiversary |
Game Summary
Our puckiversary will always be celebrated on the February "school night," regardless of the actual number on the calendar. Kim was always a good sport about it, but I, selfishly, wanted a sporting endeavor I could share with my sons. Hockey, it is. Go Chiefs Go!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
115
It was 115 this morning. Not 1:15 am - his blood glucose. Phew.
I was asleep when Kim came home last night, as she generously offers a couple of times a week. So when I finally shake the cobwebs & trudge downstairs at 3:30 it always hits me like a ton of bricks. Before I proceed getting ready for work, stop to check Bg's. I'm a zombie about it by now - MUST CHECK BG's.
Let me confess that I still haven't settled on how to write out the phrase "blood glucose"- that's what it is, but it isn't a proper title, so it probably shouldn't be capitalized; blood may be a thing, but it is not a Thing. Also, should there be an apostrophe? No. It isn't really pluralized "blood glucoses". And the whole thing is short for "blood-glucose level", which is a comparison measurement, but the final dividend is simply a number. And still, to just shorthand it "bg" seems to understate it's significance to our lives and our son's health. So, for now I lean towards "Bg's", it's not perfect, but neither am I.
So I come down the stairs, and in the time it takes to insert the strip, wait for the beep, then tiptoe in to get this morning's readings, the same Choose-Your-Own-Adventure list always pops up: What if he's a little high? Breakfast's only 4 hours away, but what's "a little high?" What if he's crazy high and there's no obvious pizza/pasta trigger from the night before? What if he's crazy high and needs a pump change, or it has an air bubble. What if he's through-the-floor low and I can't wake him up enough to pour a quart of apple juice down his gullet?
Now do this every day. Every time he's been out of our hands for a few hours. Get home from school? Check Bg's. They were at home with a babysitter? Check Bg's. Boys visiting Camp Grandpa? Check Bg's. It's exhausting for us - I can't fathom how tedious for him.
Today it was right down the fairway. Tomorrow, who knows? Choose your own adventure.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Hammy
This is not Hammy. I mean, his name is Hammy - but this isn't Hammy. Even Hammy wasn't really Hammy - he was Hammy the Second.
Hammy the Second passed away Sunday night, peacefully falling to sleep and staying there. Hammy was only with us for about a year and a half - about average for a dwarf hamster, based on minimal research, but he was a part of our family and we will miss him. In recent months he had visibly slowed and never crawled up the vertical tube to his observation deck.
C's first question when we told him was if Hammy was in heaven. Our answer was that he had a giant wheel that he could run and run and run on and never get tired. C also pledged to think of Hammy every time he looked out the window. Forever is a long time - but I know he made through dinner. I am amazed at our son's capacity and instinct to care for a pet enough to be concerned with a hamster getting to meet Jesus.
Hammy the First wasn't here very long - not even two months - but his stay here fairly paralleled a pretty significant two months in our family: June -August 2010 (D-day through birthday). There were many middle-of-the-nights that I would wait out the 15 minutes between tests watching him scurry about his cage or pack his cheeks with 27 sunflower seeds.
The cage will remain in place - cleaned & prepped for the next tenant. A next tenant with probably a 50-50 shot at being named Hammy - but he won't be Hammy either.
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| Hammy, but not Hammy |
Hammy the Second passed away Sunday night, peacefully falling to sleep and staying there. Hammy was only with us for about a year and a half - about average for a dwarf hamster, based on minimal research, but he was a part of our family and we will miss him. In recent months he had visibly slowed and never crawled up the vertical tube to his observation deck.
C's first question when we told him was if Hammy was in heaven. Our answer was that he had a giant wheel that he could run and run and run on and never get tired. C also pledged to think of Hammy every time he looked out the window. Forever is a long time - but I know he made through dinner. I am amazed at our son's capacity and instinct to care for a pet enough to be concerned with a hamster getting to meet Jesus.
Hammy the First wasn't here very long - not even two months - but his stay here fairly paralleled a pretty significant two months in our family: June -August 2010 (D-day through birthday). There were many middle-of-the-nights that I would wait out the 15 minutes between tests watching him scurry about his cage or pack his cheeks with 27 sunflower seeds.
The cage will remain in place - cleaned & prepped for the next tenant. A next tenant with probably a 50-50 shot at being named Hammy - but he won't be Hammy either.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Saturday Morning at the Rink
It's amazing how much faster a clear visor makes you. After mom found a beat up helmet at a thrift store for a couple bucks, H is powering around the ice like he owns it. I think it makes him feel like a hockey player, even though he isn't yet. It's amazing to watch them improve at something we never even considered a year ago.
Before last year we went to a game or two a year. Always entertaining, but never the center of our weekend. No you hear "Go Chiefs Go" in our house as often as "did you brush your teeth?"
So here we are...
Before last year we went to a game or two a year. Always entertaining, but never the center of our weekend. No you hear "Go Chiefs Go" in our house as often as "did you brush your teeth?"
So here we are...
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Hello, and welcome to Hammy, Rufus & Hockey Pucks.
The format of this weblog is still under construction, but just like the only way to be certain your boat is watertight is to put the thing in a lake/ocean/bathtub and see if it stays above the surface. So here we go. If you are reading this, and not looking over my shoulder, then that means it has been successfully published.
Some entries will be fly-bys typed on the go and uploaded when I pass a wi-fi zone or am at a red light in front of a Starbucks. Others may be sculpted for days and then posted with an exhausted sigh.
There will be a publishing schedule yet to be determined, but this is going to be fun. I am excited to begin this process, to see what comes next and what far-flung topics may be visited. But for now, I'll settle for watertight.
The format of this weblog is still under construction, but just like the only way to be certain your boat is watertight is to put the thing in a lake/ocean/bathtub and see if it stays above the surface. So here we go. If you are reading this, and not looking over my shoulder, then that means it has been successfully published.
Some entries will be fly-bys typed on the go and uploaded when I pass a wi-fi zone or am at a red light in front of a Starbucks. Others may be sculpted for days and then posted with an exhausted sigh.
There will be a publishing schedule yet to be determined, but this is going to be fun. I am excited to begin this process, to see what comes next and what far-flung topics may be visited. But for now, I'll settle for watertight.
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