From the mouth of Sam

Teressa: Sam, you're my angel.
Sam: No, I'm an alien.

Andy's sure shot

Andy never lets his limitations hold him down. When he comes to visit, he just likes to do regular things like bike riding and bowling and now, basketball. At one point today, he stepped back from the basket and hit five shots in a row.

Rain gutter regatta

Mason blows his pirate ship toward the finish line


Mason accepts his first-place award

On Saturday, our pack held its rain-gutter regatta. Mason and I had spent some time this week sanding and painting and sanding and painting and sanding and painting some more. I had no idea how we would do with the contest. The regatta is something our pack only does every once in a while, so there wasn't a lot of local information on how to build a better boat. We must have done something right, though, because Mason blew through the field and won every race on his way to taking first place. Maybe it was because we had a better-built boat. Maybe it was because Mason is more full of hot air than the other children. At any rate, he was triumphant.

Is that a complement?

So I've been working pretty hard lately on my pushups and sit-ups and running lately, and I think I'm looking good. My wife approaches me this morning and says, "You are getting pretty chesty lately." Is that code for "Wow, look at those muscles," or is it "Are those some man-boobs you're growing?"

Chair rail

The bathroom wall before ...


And after putting up the chair rail

Part of the big plans for the bathroom that I discussed in the last post was to put in a chair rail. Teressa has been hoping that I would finish the job before her mother comes next weekend. As you can see from the photos above, it may not be done yet (I still need to caulk the edges and paint), but it looks a lot closer. Unfortunately, as I was doing the job, I discovered that the walls are nowhere near square. So instead of just using the power miter saw to cut 45 degree angles for the corners, I ended up coping them instead. This added at least another three or four hours to the project. Hopefully it will look nice enough that it will be worth it in the end.

The philosophy of decorating

We have been working on redecorating the downstairs bathroom. I have painted the top half of the walls and am in the process of putting up a chair rail. While I am doing this, Teressa has been finding new decorations. I don't suppose I've been much help in the process. Every time she comes up with an idea, I shoot it down. First she wanted to hang up pictures of the family. My response: The reason I lock the door when I'm in here is to keep those same people from watching me when I'm going to the bathroom. Tonight we were at Ross when she found some inspirational phrases in nice frames. She thought those might be a good idea. Of course, they read things like, "You can't change the direction of the winds, but you can change your sails." I'm I the only one that sees something wrong with that?

So finally Teressa says, "Fine, what would you hang on the wall?" Well, I would hang a nice scenic photo — of a waterfall.

All aboard

Teressa: Do you think Sam is is old enough to potty train?
Sam: Ride the potty train. Choo choo!