What's New? 2007-05-01

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What's New? 2007-05-01

 Friday 11 May 2007
  Ray, from Chris Rengstrom Plumbing, is here, working on several long-time vexations. By now four faucets have stopped leaking (yes, I've previously replaced the gaskets) and he's used a Sawzall to cut out the rusted kitchen sink drain.

Inspiried by good stuff happening inside, I attack the heavy-gauge "schedule eighty" iron pipe used years ago to guide the tree as it grew. Now it's irritating (to me). Now it's gone. Looking around at the other sidewalk vexation, I see that the lockbox the realtor used when we bought our house has rusted enough that I can get it off the gas pipe with pliers. Ahhhhhh. Such satisfaction.

 Sunday 9 May 2007
  I spend the day volunteering at the kids' school.
 Monday 7 May 2007
  Wow, we're really on a Hapkido roll! Today was the start of belt-testing week, where we're tested on the skills appropriate to our belt and are awarded stripes (well, electrical tape in various colors). Despite the unbelievably high unseasonable weather today, 92° F (33° C), I went to the dojang and was awarded four stripes by Ms. Morrisey (first dan). (I could have been smoother on Immobilization nr. 4, but I have the basics down and I'll be fluid by the time I test, possibly next month.)

I ran the sprinkler in the front yard today for the first time in a year; the big tree seemed to need it. Heck, with this heat all the greenery needed it. I'm sure the two bluejays who've adopted the tree will appreciated it.

 Sunday 6 May 2007
  Up early with the very warm day, it's more spring cleaning, even before breakfast (where the girls played with the chopsticks).

Rose & Lila share chopsticks at breakfast

Some gardening (filling up the green compost bin), a quick trip into Golden Gate Park to the Polish festivities with the kids (but Dziadziu bailed on us, unexpectedly, heading over to Felicia).

Here's Isaac relaxing in the grass of the baseball diamond.

Isaac relaxes in Golden Gate Park

Discussion time. Rose, dressed this way, reminds me of the times we went strolling along the cow paths in the Austrian Alps.

Isaac and Rose talk

Lila mugs for the camera during a very aerobic pinan.

Lila in Golden Gate Park

Isaac treed, just the way he liked it.

Isaac treed  in Golden Gate Park

Then home for a bit more spring cleaning and gardening.

 Saturday 5 May 2007
  Another spectacular day on the Hapkido mat: I got to do two classes back-to-back (always great) both with Marlon and Adam Garcia (first dan). Adam has mad ki skillz (as the kids say) and between the continuation of the not-for-sparring theme and the two randori (乱取り; freestyle multiple-person attack)

Isaac's pix of Papa Mickey

After class Robert asked a bunch of people to hang out at In-n-Out Burgers (just south of the dojang, in Daly City). (Last Saturday it was at Fresh Choice.) It's a wonderfully sunny day, so we all head out. Here's the Hapkidoka and spouses enjoying the fare.

adults at In-n-Out Burgers

The kids play near-by, post meal.

kids at In-n-Out Burgers

Later on, after some unsuccessful shopping attempts, Lila - and the unseasonably hot sun - persuades me to get them an ice cream.

Lila ice-cream-face

Isaac takes a photo of his newest Thomas the Tank Engine train. He's in love :-)

Isaac's new train toy
 Friday 4 May 2007
  At the kids' school's morning line-up, Coach Drew gives Isaac an award for the longest mileage run in his class. The Running Club meets twice a week, and Isaac has been doing two miles each time. His backpack is festooned with tiny two-mile award feet; for the semester award he got a running person figurine to add to the chain. We're pretty pleased.

Isaac awarded for longest mileage run
 Thursday 3 May 2007
  This is the second week in a row that Mr. Valero taught us techniques not for use while sparring. This time it was a generally defensive technique, starting by slapping down the opponent's front hand (assuming a fighting stance) with your front hand, hook punch to the face (with your rear hand) which then joins the front hand holding the opponent's hand, brought around you with a circular motion, then wrist locked and opponent taken down. (Okay, okay, not a good description, but enough to jog my memory....)

Isaac: shampoo time
 Wednesday 2 May 2007
  Spring cleaning. We started back in February, going through things we haven't touched in a year. Lots of things have been donated to cousins and extended family, even more has been passed onto the used stuff underground railway into which Rose is plugged, and a few things have been rediscovered for the kids. I have no idea why I thought you would enjoy this photo of Les musiciens de Brême, but I did.

Les musiciens de Brême

In the anteroom of Principal Willem Vroegh's office Lila reads a book to me.

Lila reads

Isaac clowns around with Zöe at the foot of the school's play structure.

Isaac with Zöe
 Tuesday 1 May 2007
  Rose in the basement, peering around all the Burning Man (and mountaineering) supplies I've pulled out for re-packing. The pink thing is a sleeping bag, loosely fluffed in a storage sack. Gotta keep those fibers ready to hold the air and keep me nice and toasty warm, no?

spring cleaning

Lila's penmanship is wonderful, and she's got so much to say. So I gave her a new journal and told her how to date each contribution. She's using kindergarten spelling for the words she doesn't know....

This is the ranbo [rainbow]. The ckolers [colors] of the rando [rainbow] are red orij [orange] yelo [yellow] gren [green] blue injo [indigo] vllt [violet].

Lila's journal entry

Lila is *very* competitive and generally doesn't like games in which one side loses. So I'm surprised when she asks me to play checkers. Isaac has been learning a bit of chess at school, on the play-yard. So, so cool.

Lila and Papa play checkers

Isaac checks out a box of Jelly Belly jellybeans proffered by Rose.

Rose offers jellybeans

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