November 2012 Photo Gallery – Douglas 2nd Birthday, Thanksgiving at Home
November came and went quickly just as the rest of the year has. We capitalized on an annual trip up to Minneapolis to present at the local ACP chapter meeting and tried Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine which was some added variety to our joys of entertaining the Rochester ethnic dining scene (nil). Michael lost his first tooth! Then (placed in the envelope) literally lost his first tooth (seen in the envelope) and an hour was spent scavenging for it. After he went to bed and another hour later, the Tooth Fairy finally found it and as a memento even turned back to him under his pillow.
I spent the last days of commuting to work in Red Car as the kids wave goodbye to me in the early morning. Our 1991 Honda Civic that we bought off the Wilkinson Center board at BYU for $1800 8 years ago and 50,000 miles later finally had a radiator hose crack and I think the distributor is going out so it’s headed for donation to NPR’s Car Talk Vehicle Donation Program. In its stead we’ve hybridized, but no not with a Prius, but “Grey Car,” a Camry Hybrid will try to fill the shows of our Red Car legacy. It won’t be hard though, because as I was considering craiglisting Red Car I inventoried the extent of issues with red car which included: 1. Distributor needs replacing or servicing as it is actively failing, 2. Cracked windshield, 3. A/C broken (never worked), 4. Constantly beeping seatbelt signal, 5. Electrical issues, radio cuts in and out sporadically despite alternator being repaired x2, 6. Right rear passenger lock latch is replaced with a zip tie, 7. Front right bumper side semi detached, 8. License plates zip tied in front, 9. Rear license bolts are rusted attached, 10. Heat shield over catalytic converter fell off (or rather it rusted off), 11. Left passenger door frame has significant rust, 12. Trunk seal is somewhat permeable to rain, as such the trunk can get moist, and 13. Main Relay was replaced (by owner with a Youtube video and a part off of eBay – but hey it worked and saved me $150!). Rest in peace red car: 2004-2012.
Meanwhile Douglas turned two and had a private “mElmo” birthday party and we even put new batteries into our old Tickle Me Elmo and it was as good as new of a toy to Douglas. Gotta love these hand me down gifts. Carolyn made Elmo cupcakes and the kids helped decorate hence explaining the reason why most of the Elmo’s look like they spawned from Chernobyl hot zones. I made a card for Douglas with the boys highlighting his lovely smile. I think he liked it. He got to gorge a whole little carton of blackberries all to himself (not like that was any different than what usually happens to any of the blackberries we ever buy). Finally Thanksgiving came around and since I was on infectious disease consulting service this month, managed to get home in time to help cook a little feast for the family with our oil-less Turkey Fryer that we won in the Lowe’s Gift-a-thon a few years back. Carolyn made rolls herself this year and they all made these cute pumpkin table decorations. We ended the month, the day after Thanksgiving with of course, Christmas decorating.