Out on Facebook

I got enough people after me to show on facebook, so there I am if I'm not here. Easier to find the new babies, grandbabies, 2 zillion games from people my kids' age, etc.

No Readers?

Looks like everyone is over at CarolinaChronicles.blogspot.com looking at all the cute pictures of Ian, and his worn-out parents Nikki and Dan. (I still don't know if labor was induced, or if Ian decided to come out on his own.) :D

Nikki and Dan's baby is here!

Ian Gordon Johnson was born last night (Aug.3) at 745pm. He weighed 7 lbs., 9 oz. (an entire pound less than Anne, my lightest baby) and is 21 inches long. His first name is the Scots variant of John, and his middle name honors both grandfathers. See CarolinaChronicles.blogspot.com for pictures of the baby and his parents.

Nikki and Dan's baby

The 'pregnancy ticker' says 8 days. But since Nikki has been schlepping around at 3-4 cm dilated, and the baby is at -2 station, for two weeks now, it's about time for something to happen.

For those uninitiated in late pregnancy terms: The uterine cervix has begun to dilate - 10cm means the cervix has 'disappeared' and the baby is ready to be born. Also -2 station means the baby has begun to descend into the birth canal; -4 station is 'crowning', and the baby's head is appearing at the opening. But being on the launch pad for TWO WEEKS? Nikki is treading the edge of sanity. :)

Labor may be induced on Monday. Stay Tuned!

A mixed bag

Condolences to friends Nikki and Daniel. Dan's father passed away Saturday night. They will traveling back to CA... and Nikki is around 6 months pregnant. I told her how I survived going home for Grandpa Walter's funeral when I was 5 months pregnant with Maria. She will have it easier than I did, because: 1. Her husband is going with her... or more like, she's going with him, because it's for his father. And 2. She won't be chasing two rambunctious pre-kindergarten kids - smile, Tom!

Anne fixed little cans of Fancy Feast frosted with a thin veneer of mashed potatoes and decorated with food coloring for each of the cats, to celebrate their "birthday". Haruhi, the spotted girl cat, nipped into hers even as Anne held her and Maria took pictures. Gotta find the pix and post them. Anne wouldn't have spent the bucks on Fancy Feast for any other occasion.

My sister Grace got out to see the Star Trek movie on their birthday. She implied that Kirk was a young punk and was given the choice of jail or Starfleet. I've got to see THIS! Dad would have loved it. I had made the 3-way call to her and my mother, and Mom told us that our sister Deb, her kids, and grandkids came to visit after Mother's Day. It feels strange for Deb to have a 9-year old granddaughter when Grace and I are both older than she, and NOT grandmothers. Life deals interesting hands to all.

Tomorrow I go to make up that MS Excel class I'd missed for a 102° fever. Time to start job applications.

Also, I've been exchanging emails and pix with cousin Ray, the youngest of my cousins. Given that his dad was my dad's oldest brother, it's another "feels strange" hand dealt by life. He dug up a really good picture of Dad and my uncles that he labled "Lydens brothers jam session". That one's priceless. Judging from the two wedding pictures on the piano, the picture dates from 1946-1947 and my dad is the teen on guitar.

Dan's father is perfectly welcome to join their jam session in Heaven, especially if Dan inherited his musical talents from him.

This one's for Tom

I got your Mother's Day card today. Thank you. Maria's already looking at the cds and the copy of your diploma is cool - only I thought you got the credits jammed through for an Associate of Science, rather than an Associate of Arts. Sounds like someone at Saddleback College told you to take the money and run.

Too bad about Cal State Long Beach freezing transfer acceptance because of the budget crunch. Dad got a token raise in his pension. But if they start biting into it there will be protests to Gohvenuh Ahhnold for sure. Go CSUF Titans.

Cousin Ray Lydens (Gord's brother) called me yesterday after a lot of email exchange. He's got a page on classmates.com, which is how I found him. Aunt Grace (sis) called me today to say her phone is on the fritz and Ma Bell is coming out. She and her family will be taking the paratransit bus to a restaurant and a movie on Saturday. (for anyone else reading this, it's her 54th birthday.) The restaurant they chose is 1 block from the theater so they can roll her to it. They haven't decided on Wolverine or Star Trek yet. Grandpa Vernon (my dad) would have loved both.

She made me think of the last time I saw Grandpa, when I called him Professor X. He didn't know X-Men characters so I had to explain. "Professor X is in a wheelchair, reads your mind, and kicks your butt when you're bad. And he's portrayed by Patrick Stewart of Star Trek Next Generation." He got it then. Grandpa loved a good sci-fi or fantasy story.

Looks like you had fun with Brittany at Disneyland.

Do we want a charger for Anne's phone? YES YES YES YES YES YES I thought I was going to take the cover off the transformer plug and splice the wires into it, and I found the cover is held on by stinking tri-wing screws, like the one on the iron. Radio Shock wants $30 for a universal charger. Anne said stick it. I say tell me how much it weighs for paying the postage. Grandma Jean (my mom) loves it when I run a 3 ring circus call with Aunt Grace.

Your sisters say hi. Love Mom

Jeopardy tryouts, round 8

I just got a return email announcing the Jeopardy tryouts in Washington DC, for those would-be contestants who passed the online test in January. I hope Dad's birthday, May 28, is good luck.

I passed this test in Culver City, in person, 6 times. Is the eighth time the charm? Of course we could use the money!

California budget crisis

If the legislature or Govuhnuh Ahhnold messes with the pension funds:

We're toast.

To any Saddleback College employees contemplating early retirement: Either have that new job with benefits in hand, or hang in there until you're 60. Paying COBRA will eat 1/3 of your pension. At 60 Saddleback pays your health insurance. Why else would I be retraining at 55??