Feel Like...

I took tuesday off from work because my sinuses were so bad, monday night was not a restful night and I just couldn't go to work. So I took a swig of Nyquil and slept the day away. Woke up about 3:30 and felt MUCH better. I don't think I have slept that good in about a week, since the sinus thing started to rear its ugly head.

Never had any problems with my sinuses, but this is the worst I have ever felt it. Must be getting old.


What I feel like

I went to the dentists for my checkup and cleaning on Thursday morning, got my teeth cleaned and had him check that tooth in the back that I traumatized about two weeks earlier when I bit into a small piece of bone in my hamburger. The tooth is cracked slightly, although he couldn't see any actual evidence, he said I am asymptomatic for it since it hurts when I put too much pressure on it and the pain is gone when I release. He broke it to me gently by saying it happens as you get older. :)

As if I needed more evidence that I am getting older.

Oh, the crown that he suggested I will need, is gonna cost about $500 (and insurance is kicking in the other $1500. Ouch.

-Johnny

The Trip Home (Flagrant Fowl)

An ironic thing happened on the way home from Rolly (Raleigh) after Thanksgiving; we had been driving on 85 heading east towards Richmond for about 30 minutes, just short of Lawrenceville. I'm in the left lane going just above the speed limit and I spot something in my peripheral vision to the left, before I could even react, I see its a VERY LARGE BIRD, a wild turkey - flying into our path and WHAM! It was a turkey hen, probably about 10-14 pounds.

The car was jolted a little and I looked into the rear view mirror and saw nothing but feathers (just like in a cartoon). I got into the right lane and looked for a safe place to pull over. Kate asked what happened and I told her, but she couldn't really comprehend the situation. I really couldn't either.

A car passed us that was behind us and looked over at us with a look of "What the?" (or maybe it was horror). I pictured the severed head of the turkey dangling from our wheel well and blood splattered down the side of the car.

I FINALLY found a safe place to pull over at an exit (about 6 or 7 miles down the road) to survey the damage.

The sideview mirror was knocked with such a force, that it broke the glass, but didn't break off the housing. There is a dent in the side of the car, just forward of the driver's side door, but behind the wheel well. Nothing else.

Here is a picture of the damage, I stopped at a gas station and duct-taped a mirror to the side view mirror so I could see better for the rest of the trip.



The ironic thing is that it was the day after Thanksgiving - and I hit a turkey.

Thank god it had just taken off and was flying low, otherwise it would have probably gone through the windshield. I am also glad it happened so fast that it didn't even feel a thing.

-Johnny

Thanksgiving

We went down to Raleigh (pronounced Rolly), where Kate's sister lives, for this years Thanksgiving. The trip down was uneventful and it was good to see everyone. It was a great opportunity to see Ellie, Abbie's/Jason's little girl, who is ten days older than Jack and also Jack's cousin. I wish I had taken more shots of Jason and Abbie.



Other members of the family also met us there, Tino and Kathleen, who are my outlaws (inlaws) and Frank, Debbie and Maddy. Frank is Kate and Abbie's brother. Frank brought down the turkey and a fryer. I have never had a fried turkey before, but I heard it is a treat, so I was pretty excited about that. I was also worried that we would set the house (or at least the back yard) on fire in the process of frying this turkey, but it turned out well. We had a tense moment when the oil boiled over at first, but it only flamed up a bit and did not cause a 3-alarmer. I wish I had taken a few pics of that, but I was busy.

Maddy, Jack and Ellie spent a good amount of time together and played, Jack is becoming much more social an using his hands alot more. Ellie is definitely a thinker, she picks up an object and will study it from every angle, then promptly put it in her mouth.

Here is a pic of all three of the cousins; Ellie, Maddy and Jack.

Kate and Abbie

Here is Kate and Abbie holding Jack and Ellie at the party after Jack's baptism.

More Family

Here is Kate's Mom with the two grandchildren (Jack and Ellie) when she came up to visit for the Baptism. Jack and Ellie are ten days apart.

Squirrel

I created an illustration of a squirrel, but am not sure what to call him:



Squeaky, Squiggly, Squatchy, Robert?

Any ideas out there?

-Johnny

More Illustrations

I got some good feedback from my Mom about the little devil/angel I put up last week. So I wanted to post a few of the animals I illustrated for the Activity Book that I did for the Library.

I didn't color them in (except the Killer Whale) cause they are for a Coloring/Activity Booklet.