summary

I made a to do list:

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Change AC Filter
• light Bulbs
• Stow bag of outgrown clothes
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Air in Tires
• Fix the truck's floor
• Declog tub
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Cut the grass
• Paint son's room
• Wash sheets
• Wash daughter's clothes

Which now, a week later, looks like this:

• Fix Roof
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Caulk Tub
• Paint son's room

I finished the attic a few days after my family came home. There was a henge on the door that had broken. It's really a project that needs at least 2 people. One to open and close the attic. The other one to be up there to re-attach the spring. Otherwise you end up like Clark Griswald in Christmas Vacation.

Anyway, all but 5 things. I'm kind of proud of that. I coulda done it all, but I couldn't resist taking Friday off.

Day 14 - Saturday

I wake up at 5 and touch up my son's room. There are a few spots that were a bit uneven.

I get clean and go to Office Depot for a few DVD-Rs. And then I swing by the Game Stop to sell a few games that are never going to be played. On the way through the parking lot I get a call from the family... they're packing up and getting ready to hit the road. I do the same.

The drive up is nice. I put a bad copy of Day Watch in the DVD player. It's hard to watch your favorite movie and drive at the same time, but somehow I manage.

We meet at 351 (the halfway point). My mother in law has a birthday coming so we let her pick... she wants Shoney's buffet. What a strange buffet... Sort of a breakfasty meat fest. I go for a salad, brown rice and something not unlike pepper-steak. We give my mother in law her gifts. We buy her lunch. We ask the wait staff to sing to her.

And then we go for home.

I'm finally alone with my family. It's a thrilling moment. I can't take my eyes off them... except for the fact that I'm driving. They are beautiful. My oldest sin seems 10 years older. My daughter seems 10 times cuter. My youngest son seems so sweet. My wife is just a fox. I drink her up.

The kids watch Brother Bear. Someone makes a joke and the two oldest laugh and laugh and I realize that I haven't laughed or heard anyone laughing since they left.

That says it all really.

Day 13 - Friday the 13th

It's Friday. It's a payday. I get to leave early. It's Friday the 13th. It's raining.

There is not a movie scary enough to capture my joy right now.

I go with Army of Darkness and the new Futurama. Futurama wasn't as good as the last one... Shoulda watched Evil Dead and Army of Darkness.

Day 12 - Thursday

I was getting ready for the morning and I heard something in the hallway. One of my cats is on the ground. He's sobbing, panting, trembling and has lost control of his bowels. I'm not sure what happened but it looks like he may have tried to climb one of the doors.


I can't get him to focus, but I don't think he's concussed... he didn't throw up. I check his legs and ribs and everything seems okay really. He stops panting and crying, but is still unfocused and breathing rapidly. I wander off to try to find a box or something to put him in for the trip to the Vet. When I get back, he stands up and walks away. No limp. He hides under the bed. Takes a nap. I call in late to work... I need to make sure he wakes up okay. Which he does. He stays under the bed, but seems fine. So I go to work exactly one hour late. Traffic is great. I've had time to drink an extra cup of coffee. It's a much better pace really. I'm going to try the hour late thing again sometime very soon.


It's sunny and hot outside... until 4:30. I get home to thunder and lightening and light rain. The rain is pretty light though so I decided to see if I could at least cut part of the front yard. As soon as I start the mower, the rain and lightening stops. I got to cut the front yard. It starts sprinkling again... I decide to see how far I can get in the back. I run the push mower back and forth. The rain is picking up a bit. I finish. Stow the mower in the shed... and the rain stops completely.

It's getting dark outside. I paint my son's room while watching a really bad copy of Day Watch.

I forgot to eat dinner. Noodles.

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Caulk Tub
• Mop under the house

Sean Astin

Dear Sean Astin,

Thank you for Goonies. Thank you for Rudy. Thank you for Harrison Burgeron, the Lord of the Rings and the Color of Magic. Thank you for your appearance on Monk... if you knew me you'd know why I found that one particularly delightful. Thank you too for Memphis Belle and War of the Roses.

I've never thought about it before but, you've worked with at least two of my five favorite writers: Kurt Vonnegut and Terry Pratchett. You've done one of my all time favorite kid-adventure movies and one of my all-time favorite sports films. You've done my all-time favorite WWII flick and my all-time favorite spouses trying to kill other spouse film.

I don't know that I always give you the credit you deserve, but if nothing else I want to say... Thank you.

Gratefully yours,
CitizenBuck

Day eleven - Wednesday

I have a headache, but my heart is in the right place today.

I say good morning to all my co-workers. I get started on my in box. I'm happy to be at work today.

At 10Am I interview the candidate for the assistant position. I need to hire her. My boss is going to hate this.

The rest of the work day drags by.

On the way home, I pick up a Gyro. I place my order and wait outside... I enjoy the sound of thunder. Rain is coming and I still haven't cut the grass. I race home to start before it hits. It's sprinkling... I change clothes quickly. I get a call from the missus as I'm putting on my shoes. She's had a blue day and is on her way to my parents house (which never helps a bad day ever). She's overwhelmed by Father's day and her mother's birthday. We talk. We get a plan. I keep one eye on the clock. An hour goes by and I note that I could've been done by now. We say goodbye.

More thunder and now there's lightening, but still no rain. I don't know what to do. I eat dinner (Gyro, hummus & rice) (my favorite) watch two episodes of the Family Guy and wait until the rain starts. I feel released now even though I coulda done the yard in the time it took to watch the Family Guy. That lightening was close though and I didn't want to take chances.

I pack up the pool and head to Wally world.

They take the pool back. and I pick up painting tape, a few father's day cards, a dr pepper and the DVD for Day Watch. But I feel bad about the Day Watch thing and put it back... Reminding myself that I've got a budget. That wasn't easy I tell you. I truly love that series.

Then I go to Office Depot to recycle some toner cartridges and pick up a pack of DVD-R's.

Back home to get ready for Thursday, but I get a call from my wife who really needs to unpack her day. My parents will do that to you.

I get off the phone after 11. Take some pills, make some coffee and lunch. Put in the Color of Magic and tape up my son's room so I can have it ready to paint when the time comes.

I have no idea when I went to bed.

Day X - Tuesday

I don't wanna wake up. I want to watch TV. I want to drink coffee & play sudoku. I want to make a film about the Tinies and run errands and sleep and dream. I want to watch a movie that doesn't suck. I want to make a movie that doesn't suck. I want to get a new CD. I want something else. Something better. Something easy and extremely difficult. I want to make something.


I arrive late for the first time in months.


Families greet me ready to sign some loans. Fuck them.


My father sends me an email letting me know he had my grandmother's ring appraised for me and it was worth over $10,000. Fuck.


My mother emails to ask for a phone number.


Fuck it all.


I don't want to be here today. I cancel my appointment for the Chiropractor tonight.


When I get home, my mood doesn't get much better. I clean the pool and get it ready to return. It's raining. I heat a potato for dinner. I do some laundry. I take out the trash. I go to fill up the truck. I'm bored.

I'm lost.

I decide to sit and finally watch Casino Royale. It's not the kind of movie I was in the mood for, but it's new and I can't find my copy of Evil Dead. Craig's not as fun as some of the other Bonds have been, but he's pretty amazing never the less. That dude can act. That dude can take a punch. That movie was pretty impressive all in all. The crane fight was the best... which make the rest of the movie feel unbalanced in a way... but there's enough everything else to keep the ole attention. Good job.

I make some calls while watching the film. And I make a Tinies thing...

I'm not why I felt that needed to be made, but I suddenly don't feel as restless. I'm inspired to move on to the Dangerous Alphabet using my own art work.

I'm starting to feel better. I realize that the thing that's bothering me is the lack of "them." I'm lonely. I miss my wife and kids. The day was busy and the payoff was a lonesome house. I turn the radio up really loud. I get ready for tomorrow.

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Caulk Tub
• Mop under the house
• Paint son's room

Day Nine - Monday

Woken at 5AM... not sure by what. Made coffee. Turned on the television and watched the news, but all that was on was local nonsense.


I decided to take my time getting ready (as opposed to running out the door).


It's the first day of orientation so I have to take a break from recon. Double checking my orientation list. Setting up testing for the Loan Processor applicant. And taking the occasional stab at the missing $5,600. Which transforms to the missing $2,000 by the end of the day.

I go home and let the dog out. Then I go shopping. I look for a TV adaptor. I get some groceries. I go home.

Tonight is sushi night. I get a Cali Roll, a Salmon Roll and some noodles. I eat and watch Deep Rising... because I love that movie.

I should've cut the grass, but decide to focus my efforts inward... it is, afterall, 300 degrees outside. I change some lightbulbs. I clean my daughter's room, the kitchen, the hall and most of my bedroom. Suddenly I realize that it's 10PM and I haven't done anything to get ready for work tomorrow. I wash towels, take some pills, make coffee and stow the left over sushi for tomorrow's lunch.

11PM. I'm in bed and I remember the list... which hasn't gotten small enough yet. I get up and decide to fix the toilet which is wobbly and no longer really attached to the floor. The bolts have gone rusty so I put in Night Watch and replace them. I'm done before Anton lays eyes on Yegor. Meaning I'm either very fast or something's not quite right. I flush. No leak. I'm fast.

Off to bed then.

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Shop TV adaptors
• Caulk Tub
• Mop under the house
• Paint son's room

Day 8 - Sunday

My sister came round. More swimming. Some video games for the boys and stuffed animal games for the girls. My sister met my youngest son. That was a powerful moment.

A few minutes after they left, I pack up. I said goodbye to the family. I hit the road.

On the way out, my parents and I got a pizza. They gave me a TV and a Bike and leftover pizza and ... anything else that wasn't nailed down. Parents are funny that way when they get to a certain age.

I'm not sure what to do with the TV. I don't need it. Let me know if you want it.

Anyway, the dog and I drove home listening to Coraline... which is one of my top five favorite books to read over and over again. I've never listened to the book on tape before. It was not as creepy, but still very beautiful.

I got home at 11. Unpacked the car. Fed the dog. Made coffee. Took some pills. Realized that the cats were suspiciously absent and found them locked in my bedroom. A towel had been left on the door nob. Apparently one of them thought it'd make a good toy and shut the door while attacking it. Serves that towel right but I don't know how long they'd been there... I don't think it was very long their food was almost empty and the litter was almost full... but still. I hate to think about what coulda happened.

I put in a movie (and don't know which one) and fell asleep at midnight.

Day Seven - the Saturday before

My wife, my son and I cut the in-laws yard. They live out in the country and it's a huge yard. My son gets over-tired and asks to quit before we're done. I tell him absolutely. He did a lot of work and deserves a break. But then he refuses to go saying that he really wants to serve his grandparents. That kid amazes me.

My sister in-law and her daughter come down for the day. They arrive just before we finish the lawn. First thing we do together... hit the pool. We swam and swam. Then we took a break for lunch and went swimming. It wears you out a bit after a while.

I stepped on a scale at one point. I've lost 20 pounds since February. I'll bet 15 of them went today.

I wasn't hungry for dinner. I got really sleepy and was sort of worried about making it through the night, but... took the missus out for a date. My energy came back to me the second we were alone in the car together. Together alone.

We got coffee (which I loved) and saw the new Indiana Jones movie (which I hated).

It was worth the price of admission to see Indy and the amazing Marion again... but everything else drove me nuts. The tarzan scene. The sword fight while getting flogged in the pants by passing branches. The waterfalls. The tree elevator. The constant Lucas/Speilberg self references. The fridge. The prarie dogs. The CGI. Spalko's accent ... like they couldn't've found a Russian actress. It was all a bunch of nails on chalkboard for me. Is that bad?

By the way, something I didn't understand. Why wouldn't the beings have recovered the skull? Even though it's been 9,000 years... We know they're still on Earth (Roswell and the 2 Russian crash-sites). We know they're committed to moving in secret. We know that they simply needed the skull for the saucer to make the return trip. I think I may have missed something as to why that expedition was beyond / beneath them.

I noticed that Iron Man was getting ready to start so I snuck us in thinking that we deserved a good movie, but I felt actually guilty so we left.

We went home and walked and looked at stars and said loving things to each other and called it a night.

Day Six - Friday Before

It's Friday.


I'm hitting the road tomorrow. Driving the family to the in-laws. I'm not sure what kind of web access I'll have while on the road, so Saturday & Sunday's entry may be done with pen & paper.


I've got a lot to do to get ready. A CD to finish. A lot of laundry to wash. A bag to pack. A car to clean. Bills to pay. A lot to do.


But work is spent trying to find that missing $1,400.00. I ended up finding a few more errors and an now trying to find $5,600.


That can wait.

I get home and pack. I do not finish the CD, pay the bills or clean the car. I just pack.

We drive straight through. The kids nod off so we end up only having to make one bathroom stop. We watched the Lion King on the road and then nothing else for the rest of the trip. No movie. No music. Just my wife and I chattering away. It's a stressful conversation about dating without a babysitter. I'm horrible at the 10 to 11 PM conversations.

We get to the in-laws at 11 something. The kids are asleep. I'm dead on my feet. Goodnight.

Day Five - Thursday Before

I'm not sure what to watch while the family's away.


I found a copy of the new Indiana Jones movie, but I don't feel right about watching that without my wife. I also found a copy of Be Kind Rewind, but I don't feel right about watching a movie with Jack Black & Mos Def - one's really annoying and the other's never made a good film...


Hrm... tough call. It's a very important decision with serious implications. I'm overwhelmed by the weight of it.


The morning went okay, but was somewhat "hurried" again. I rode in with the family and even though we all got a good night's sleep... no one seemed to be moving at the right speed.


I was told that a co-worker might want to apply for my open assistant's position. I must admit I've thought she'd be great in the position and could probably appreciate the promotion, but I have not wanted to take one of my boss's employees (esp while she's away taking care of her fading mother). I'm not quite sure how to proceed really.


Got stuck in recon hell after that. Skipped lunch looking for my lost $254.63... which, upon further investication, grew to $13,476.08... I found everything but $1,400.00 in the end... but I had to skip lunch to do it.

After work, the family held a lemonade stand. This was my son's idea. He's in Vacation Bible School this week... and they're trying to raise money for Angel Tree's summer camp program (trying to send 49 kids to summer school at $250 per kid). He's been collecting change all week and talking about how he wants to do a lemonade stand and hopes to raise at least $2.25.

So last night we held a lemonade stand. The first car pulled up... she asked how much and I told her we were collecting spare change for Angel Tree and offered that we're asking for whatever spare change she can find. "If you've got a penny," I told her. "You've got plenty." She gave me a five. I was stunned. I asked her if she wanted change or 30 -40 more cups and she said no and drove off.

It was like that all night. Some people gave fives, others a dime or whatever they had. One guy was jogging and, of course, didn't have any money. My son gave him a drink and a few minutes later the jogger came back with 3 bucks. People started loitering... waiving at cars and telling them what we were going.

It was beautiful. I was so humbled by God, my neighborhood and my son.

I didn't think much would come of the stand. I thought $2.25 would be the most we could expect. In the end, we took in over $60. How about that?

Thank you God. Thank you neighborhood. Thank you son.

Day Four - Wednesday before

Woke up in a horrible mood with a heart full of splinters.


Snapped at the kids. Annoyed by the kitchen and its horrible smelling trash can and pile of unwashed dishes. Grumbled through the morning drive. Sat down at my desk ready to hate every minute of the day, but was interrupted in my seething by a call from one of my favorite people in Birmingham. How cool.


I'm back on track now. Sorry kids. Sorry kitchen.


Where was I?


Recon. Phone calls. Mail. HISHE CD (decided to ditch the TAL CD). All that jazz.

Got home and, as it turns out, my bad mood seems to've rubbed off on everyone else. The night is full of crying and shouting and a few spankings here and there. I didn't get anything done. no one did. It was enough to just survive the night.

Everyone else went to bed at 7PM. I stayed up and watched Dead Letter Office... which is not, in fact, a mystery at all even though the title and DVD's cover would lead you to believe otherwise. It's actually a very sweet slice of life from Australia with dancing, flirting and rich / lovable characters that take their role in the dead letter office to heart. I liked it very much. As you probably remember from Lord of the Rings' Two Towers and Return of the King, Miranda Otto is very likable.

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• light Bulbs
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Mop under the house
• Paint son's room

Day three - Tuesday before

I just got an email from my father. Some guy wants to buy my coke machine for ... a lot. It's an old machine - the kind that sells glass bottles for a dime. I used to love that machine so much when my father and I worked together. It was a cheap oasis. It was an american classic. When he moved his office, he didn't have room for the machine and was going to punt it. I asked him if I could keep it... but don't really have room for it at my house either. It's been sitting in his garage for 10+ years. I hate to sell it to the guy knowing that it probably doesn't work, but I have no reason to hold onto it, you know?


Work is quiet today. Recon. This American Life. HISHE's CD. TAL CD.

After work I went to see Dr Jessica. She cracked my back, neck, eye, arm, and legs. I usually feel great when I leave the Chiro, but this time I felt pretty beat up. And hungry.

Went home, had a shake and rode bikes to the library... ran into an old friend that made me wish I coulda had more time to catch up. When the kids went down I took all their old clothes that don't fit anymore and moved them up to the attic.

I did not do the dishes or take out the trash. I thought about it, but decided it would wait.

Look at this... my two favorite things on one show:



As I said on the comments... "I remember this episode. I remember thinking Paul looked so sad and worrying that he was either going to quit the band or something horrible. But I also remember they sounded amazing and wishing they'd played the full version of Nails in my Feet like that. I wonder whatever happened to Jon's sidekick Howard."

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• light Bulbs
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Mop under the house
• Paint son's room

Day two - Monday before

I rode into work today with the family. We listened to Mermaid Avenue by Billy Bragg & Wilco... which is something you should own if you don't already.


We stopped off at a gas station and checked the tires. Most were fine, but one of them didn't even register. I'll have to keep my eye on that. I forgot to check the spare while I was at it... note to self...


I got to work and planned on working on recon while my workstudy stuffed packets for orientation... but the work study never showed and the mail was too much to allow for Recon.


I spent the entire morning listening to last weekend's This American Life. An amazing episode called the Prosecutor. You should listen to it.


At lunch I started a few CDs for the road. One is an audio rip of a Disney Princess songs for my daughter (finished), another is a TAL compilation for my wife and the last is a mix for the HISHEs.


Then back to the day's mail. Back to This American Life... which was about the 10 commandments... which is odd to me really because we just started studying the 10 commandments in sunday school. We started by taking a quiz in which we were meant to list the commandments in order. I only got 5 right by the way. I'll be downloading this ep.

After work, my family and I took a long walk from one end of campus to the other. It was great, but by the end we were all out of calories and starting to get a bit off.

Back home. Quick dinner. Took my son under the house and showed him how to change the AC filter while he chased cammel crickets (this happens every time I teach him how to do the filter).

Then I cut grass. Everything after that was an exhaustion colored blur.



The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• light Bulbs
• Stow bag of outgrown clothes
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Mop under the house
• Paint son's room

A CD: Disney Princess Sing Along

For the girl... for the road...
Her first CD

1. Intro


2. A Dream is a wish your heart makes - Cinderella


3. Part of Your World - the Little Mermaid


4. A whole new world - Aladdin


5. Once Upon a Dream - Sleeping Beauty


6. I'm Wishing/One Song - Snow White


7. Colors of the Wind -Pocahontas


8. Beauty and the Beast - Beauty & the Beast


9. Reflection - Mulan


10. Like Other Girls - Mulan II


11. Sweet Wings of Love - Mickey, Donald, Goofey: the 3 Musketeers


12. If You Can Dream - Featuring all eligible princesses


13. Put it togther

Day one - the Sunday before

I made a to do list:

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Change AC Filter
• light Bulbs
• Stow bag of outgrown clothes
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Air in Tires
• Fix the truck's floor
• Declog tub
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Cut the grass
• Paint son's room
• Wash sheets
• Wash daughter's clothes

And that's how it begins.

So that afternoon, I decided it was finally time to fix the truck's floor. About a year ago, I got some milk for a friend. On the way home, the milk jug got a hole in it and went all over the rug in the back of the truck. The smell was horrible. Since that time, the rug's been hit with several things of Fabreeze, lysoled to death, air dried, abandoned, washed, scrubbed, thrown away, recovered, re-lysoled, etc. It now smells great again so I put it back in the truck because the uncovered floor gets too hot for groceries and the dog.

After that I played with the kids until they went to bed.

then I took care of the bedsheets and my daughter's clothes and de-clogged the bathtub - which was something I was going to do while they were all away because I had visions of re-doing the pipes... but it turns out draino works just as well.

My wife and I went to bed then... we put in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. We didn't watch the whole thing.

So here it is again... updated this time:

The List

• Fix Roof
• Finish attic
• Change AC Filter
• light Bulbs
• Stow bag of outgrown clothes
• Line son's Floor
• Fix door frame
• Return pool
• Install TV
• Shop TV adaptors
• Air in Tires
• Caulk Tub
• Fix toilet
• Cut the grass
• Paint son's room

House to myself - an Introduction

One week from today, I am going to have the house all to myself for 6 whole days.

This is not a common thing for me. I'm married with three children, three cats, one fish and a dog.

It's not a big house. Some days it feels very small. Most days is can be very busy... which is beautiful because my wife and kids are awesome and I love to do things for them. I love to serve them. The dog too. She rocks.

But a lot of the time I find myself not doing the things that need to be done because the house doesn't slow down until very late at night.

So when I have the house to myself, instead of taking time to catch my breath... something kicks in. I run around the house like I'm on Meth (until 1 or 2 in the morning) doing things that I want done.

This two-week-long blog is my attempt to chronicle almost everything that happens around there when I've got the place all to myself. Including everything that goes on the week before when I'm getting ready to get them on the road.