when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Port Aransas
Port Aransas is not a pretty beach. It's not big or exciting or even clean. But it was peaceful.
We stayed at A Laughing Horse Lodge, a hippy kinda joint with circa-1977 cottages about 100 yards from the beach. No phone, no Internet.
Along the beach a knee-high, 10-foot-wide ribbon of dead seaweed covered the sand along the water line. A fair amount of garbage was caught in the brown, smelly mass. Josh and I climbed over it once to dip our feet in the Gulf and figured once was enough. Instead we made sand castles and looked for sea shells.
We also checked out the jetty.
Also, there was a nice playground, and at a nearby pizzaria, a small video arcade.
All in all, we had fun. But I doubt we'll be investing in real estate there any time soon.
We stayed at A Laughing Horse Lodge, a hippy kinda joint with circa-1977 cottages about 100 yards from the beach. No phone, no Internet.
Along the beach a knee-high, 10-foot-wide ribbon of dead seaweed covered the sand along the water line. A fair amount of garbage was caught in the brown, smelly mass. Josh and I climbed over it once to dip our feet in the Gulf and figured once was enough. Instead we made sand castles and looked for sea shells.
We also checked out the jetty.
Also, there was a nice playground, and at a nearby pizzaria, a small video arcade.
All in all, we had fun. But I doubt we'll be investing in real estate there any time soon.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Back from vacation
Well, sort of a vacation. We went to the beach at Port Aransas, Texas. No more sleep than usual, and little time to relax or write. But it was worth it to get out of town for a few days.
Pictures will follow soon.
Pictures will follow soon.
Monday, April 17, 2006
If you're reading this, your life may be in danger
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Better Sunday
Happily Easter.
Josh woke this morning to find his Easter basket filled with eggs we dyed last night, some chocolate and candy, and an apple. He also found a few eggs that the Easter bunny hid for him.
Andrea and Josh had another egg hunt later in the back yard. Actually, there were three. Andrea hid and then re-hid the eggs. And then Josh wanted me to hide the eggs. You know, to mix it up.
There was also some baking of Easter cookies.
Exciting stuff.
Josh woke this morning to find his Easter basket filled with eggs we dyed last night, some chocolate and candy, and an apple. He also found a few eggs that the Easter bunny hid for him.
Andrea and Josh had another egg hunt later in the back yard. Actually, there were three. Andrea hid and then re-hid the eggs. And then Josh wanted me to hide the eggs. You know, to mix it up.
There was also some baking of Easter cookies.
Exciting stuff.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Bad Friday
It started out well.
On Thursday, Dr. Lung's office called to inform us that RSV season is officially over. RSV is a common cold-like illness that is very bad for preemies. Bad enough for Dylan to receive an $1,800 vaccine every month.
With the reason for the season gone Dylan can go out and mingle. So Andrea took him to the office with her yesterday morning. He cooed as everyone oo'd and ah'd.
Around lunchtime Josh and I drove to the office to bring him home. It was hot and traffic on the highway was creeping. By the time we reached the Statesman, the temperature gauge was near the three-quarters mark.
Now, I should have stayed for a little while and let the car cool off. But the boys were tired and hungry. So I figured I'd skip the highway.
I didn't get far. Good Friday traffic was ugly and while we were stuck on the Lamar bridge over Town Lake I watched with horror as the temperature gauge climbed into the red.
And there was no where to go. Surrounded by cars in the middle of a bridge with the kids in the back. Still, I thought I might make it, if I could just get to Whole Foods and buy some coolant or water.
Beyond the bridge, Lamar runs another couple hundred yards or so without a means of escape.
That's when the gauge maxed out and my engine started smoking.
Now, I don't know much about cars, but I know this is the time when I was supposed to pull over. Only there's no where to go. Cars behind me started honking.
After a few minutes of this, I was able to pull into the underground parking garage at Whole Foods. Of course, the place is packed and cars are creeping through the mazelike tunnels fighting for parking spaces. Just when I was about to turn off the ignition in the middle of the throughlane, a spot opened.
Andrea came and got the boys while I filled the radiator with water and then drove to a Jiffy Lube for a radiator flush and fill. Hopefully that took care of the problem.
On Thursday, Dr. Lung's office called to inform us that RSV season is officially over. RSV is a common cold-like illness that is very bad for preemies. Bad enough for Dylan to receive an $1,800 vaccine every month.
With the reason for the season gone Dylan can go out and mingle. So Andrea took him to the office with her yesterday morning. He cooed as everyone oo'd and ah'd.
Around lunchtime Josh and I drove to the office to bring him home. It was hot and traffic on the highway was creeping. By the time we reached the Statesman, the temperature gauge was near the three-quarters mark.
Now, I should have stayed for a little while and let the car cool off. But the boys were tired and hungry. So I figured I'd skip the highway.
I didn't get far. Good Friday traffic was ugly and while we were stuck on the Lamar bridge over Town Lake I watched with horror as the temperature gauge climbed into the red.
And there was no where to go. Surrounded by cars in the middle of a bridge with the kids in the back. Still, I thought I might make it, if I could just get to Whole Foods and buy some coolant or water.
Beyond the bridge, Lamar runs another couple hundred yards or so without a means of escape.
That's when the gauge maxed out and my engine started smoking.
Now, I don't know much about cars, but I know this is the time when I was supposed to pull over. Only there's no where to go. Cars behind me started honking.
After a few minutes of this, I was able to pull into the underground parking garage at Whole Foods. Of course, the place is packed and cars are creeping through the mazelike tunnels fighting for parking spaces. Just when I was about to turn off the ignition in the middle of the throughlane, a spot opened.
Andrea came and got the boys while I filled the radiator with water and then drove to a Jiffy Lube for a radiator flush and fill. Hopefully that took care of the problem.