Date 11-9-1998
We were off today so I went to
finish raking leaves.
Then Tyler decided he
wanted to help.
So every pile I raked up he
promptly scattered all over again.
Needless
to say it took quite awhile.
But after awhile
he helped to put them in the paper bags
.He
trys so hard to help.
When we got the leaves done,I decided to
put up X-mas lights outside.
It is a beautiful
day.
About 55 degrees and the sunshining
against the clear blue sky.
The big pine tree at the corner of the
driveway still had its lites from last
year.
And much to my surprise they worked
except the second half of the first string.
I
checked the fuses and took out every light but I
still can not get them work.
Tyler helped me
work on the lights.
I was trying to fix the
one set that the second half did not
work.
Carefully pulling out every one of the
300 lights that were not working,I was attemping
to find the culprit was not working
.As I
gently eased one out ,the first half went
out.
With my frustration level hitting the top
of the meter.
I spent another 20 minutes
working over the first set of 300 lights.
The
whole time Tyler is trying to grab the lights and
saying "Baby fix lights daddy".
To this I
would reply "No baby daddy has to fix
lights".
This went on the whole 20 minutes and
I was half through the first set when Tyler ran
off.
I looked to see where he was running
to.
And he headed right to the timer that the
lights are hooked to.
As I watched him ,he
said "Turn lights on daddy"I walked over to timer
and found that it had been turned off.
The
little rascal had shut the timer off.
I just
laughed so
hard ,tears rolled down my eyes.Forgetting how
smart
he is,he had saw me
turn the dial on the timer to turn on the
lights.
I then decided to take down the in the
living room.
The ones that have been there for
5 years.
After the dust cleared from taken
them down.
I put them outside on the front
bushs.
The set I took outside to check,which
again Tyler felt the urge to help.
But again I
was lucky and they came on when I plugged them
in.
So I went to putting them in the bushs and
evidently Tyler did not care for the
placement.
As I painstaking put them into
position on the bush.
Tyler would yank them
out saying "No daddy".
After a compromise( I
took him in the house to eat)I was able to
compete the first set.
The second set I found
did not work.
So again I set to find the bad
bulb.
When Tyler came crashing out the door
yelling again"Baby fix lights baby fix
lights"
Before I could stop him.
He grabbed
ahold of the light set and started to turn the
ligh
t bulbs
.And guess what,yep he fix
them
.The bulb he had in his hand was not
working and when he picked it up they came
on.
I told that he was so smart and he not
daddy fixed the lights.
He looked up at me and
with as smile from ear to ear.
He started to
yelled "Yay baby did it baby did it.
We came
in the house and he saying the same
thing.
Janice asked him what he was talking
about.
All he could say was "I did it mom".
Then we set out to grease the truck.
I
crawled underneath with little Tyler right behind
me.
The truck sets up high enough so I do not
have to jack it up.
The whole time again Tyler
is saying "Baby do it daddy baby do it.
"That
is quite a task to crawl around under a
truck,trying to the grease off you,the baby and
keep the gun out his hands.
We done pretty
good until I went to turn the steering wheel and
Tyler walked up right behind me.
Face first
into the grease gun.
All over his little face
and shirt.
Then he wiped the grease off his
face and climbed back under the truck.
He
promptly went about greasing the bottom the truck
with the grease in his hand.
All the while
getting grease in his hair.
It was really not
that bad ,but he sure did look like a
mechanic.
He is daddy's little helper.
He
is like a little me.
Everything I do he wants
to do
He is just full of amazement,and so am I
as I watch him grow.
Peace and
Grace
Jim
12-20-1998
Janice was working
late that night,so thought I could get it done.
I
should not think so hard,I usually get in trouble and
this was no different.
I had all the wrapping
paper and scotch tape at home or so I thought.
See
there I go again thinking.
Well I knew the wrapping
paper was in the back closet or so I thought.
Let
me give you some advice
Never ever go into the
back closet wihout full body armor.
This includes
an industrial strength,construction approved,bullet
proof,save your kiester when a piano falls on your
head hard hat.
Excuse me while I get the triple
strength Tylenol.
Now let me see where was I,I get
a little confused since that incident in the back
closet.
Oh yah the wrappng paper,well I found
it.
After digging my way out of the rubble,I found
it in the middle bedroom closet.
Now the tape,I
know I saw some in the junk drawer.
You know the
junk drawer where you keep all the little odds and
ends.
Like the extra nuts and bolts that come with
stuff you buy that needs some assembly
required.
The scariest three words in the
U.S.A..
Some assembly required,just saying it
sends chills down my spine.
Speaking of nuts and
bolts I need to put some in that shelf on the wall
before it falls and Janice's antiques break.
I can
use the ones that I had left over from working on
brakes on our car.
Or maybe the ones leftover from
Tyler's swingset.
Anyway back to the tape,again I
think to much .
There was no tape there.
But I
did have the miracle working duct tape.
Duct tape
can fix most everything.
From the mirror on the
car to the front window in the house.
Just don't
stand to close to the window in a stong wind.
As a
matter,I would recommend that you did not stand to
close to the window at all.Well duct tape would be
just fine to wrap the presents after I let the dogs
out.
But when I came back in,there was no Tyler or
duct tape.
Then I heard cry from the kitchen and
there was Tyler and the duct tape in a big
ball.
After unraveling them,Tyler and I went to
wrap the presents.
But both of us had different
ideas on how to wrap a present.
I would say "Tyler
put the tape right here"and Tyler would say"No baby
put tape here".
Well I can win a battle of wits
with a 2 year old or so I thought.
After using
every bit of advise I had read in those books about
raising a 2 year,Tyler put the tape where ever he
wanted.
That is the trouble with those books,the
parents read them but the kids don't.
By the way
what was that crashing noise?
Well we wrapped one
present and it don't look so bad.
The duct tape is
silver and silver is a x-mas color Right?
Peace and Grace
Jim
This is a lesson in life and we need
to be aware of what people tell us,to see the faults
of our own.
Let me start by saying that for the
last seven years
We have had to travel a half hour
to my in laws for every X-Mas.
Every holiday is
the same listening to people complain about the long
drives to see relatives and friends.
The first
year we made our trek I also joined in on the hassles
of packing up presents and unpacking upon arriving at
our destination.
Then packing up the gifts we
received and unpacking when reaching our
home.
When echoing my sentiments I was approached
by the manager of my work place and we discussed the
ritual of holiday travel.
As the conversation wore
down,the last thing he said was"Jim I wish I had to
travel to my parents or in laws but I can not,they
have all passed away".
Be thankful for the travel
because some day you won't be able to make the
trip."
That was first and only time I have made
those comments.
We have had a tradition for 7
years of making that simple half hour drive to loved
ones and ever year the drive gets shorter and
shorter.
My own parents live 1,100 miles away and
I have not seen them for X-mas in that 7 year
time.
It is not anybody fault.
In the retail
business my wife and I are in, this is the busiest
time.
And for health reasons my folks can not make
the long trek up to this cold weather state.
So
every year now I look forward to spending the
holidays with my in laws.
The sights and smells
reminds me of my childhood and in my heart my folks
are closer than ever.
As was the wisdom imparted
to me by my boss,it shall come true.
For my in
laws are moving out of state when my father in law
retires.
This is not something we look forward to
but we will have the past X-mas in our hearts and
they will probably visit us thru the holidays in the
future.[ I hope]
So when some one complains about
the holiday travel.
Feel free to tell them the
lesson that I have learned and the tell them how
blessed they are and how thankfull they should
be.
I know I am thankfull for the time we had to
share with Janices parents.
There are several
things in life that I do do not understand and
probably never will.
One such thing is the way my
wife wraps presents.
When she buys clothes she
will wrap the clothes in decorative paper.
Then
she will put the clothes with the pretty paper into a
fancy X-mas box with decorations on it.
Then she
will wrap the the decorative box with the fancy paper
in more wrapping paper.
This X-mas I asked her why
she did all this extra work and her reply was"I don't
know".
And women wonder why men walk around lost
half the time pondering the opposite sex.
Try to
figure that one out, no on second thought
don't.
You will probably wind up with a headache
like mine.
Peace and Grace
Jim
