Head-Tilt

So Carter is still struggling with his crazy vertigo (also called, at least around here, "Dizzy Dog" and also called, by vets, "Canine Vestibular Syndrome").  He's seeming a bit better, but he's still a bit off.  For instance, there's this head tilt thing he does:

I know, it's cute.  But his poor head is ALWAYS at this tilt, not just when he's asking for more treats.  It's totally pathetic.  He is no longer stumbling around so much in the total drunken-sailor style.  But he is having trouble navigating steps and uneven ground.  The crazy eye-rolling that was happening the first night (pre-diagnosis) has thankfully disappeared.  We did the dramamine for a bit, but it didn't seem to have much effect.  It's our hope that he'll be better soon.  On the bright side, he's eating just fine (you know we were really concerned when *this dog* didn't want to eat).  We've been missing our walks (though perhaps he hasn't so much!).

The weather here has been lovely lovely lovely!  Hooray!

Some Lucy Art

I finally scanned some of the things she brought home when she moved to her new classroom:

That was during the ocean unit, last summer.  More recently, she has "written" some pretty nice stories.  The teachers write down what it she wants to say, and then she illustrates.  Here's a classic:

 

The prompt there was "what would you buy with a hundred dollars?"  As you can see, she has some very interesting ideas.

 

The above is a remarkably accurate representation of Lucy sledding.  Our sled is indeed bright orange.  Also, note bellybuttons.

She's crafting away right now.  I introduced her to water balloons today.  This weather is awesome!

Happy Patriot's Day to all tomorrow.  Massachusetts really knows how to add long weekends into the calendar!

 

School Picture Time!

Check it out:

OMG, it's like we have quadruplets!

 

ah.  That's better. 

Like to reminisce?  Here's the one from last year.

Take Us out to the Ballgame!

Today is OPENING DAY for the RED SOX!
Check out our big fan:

This from Lucy (she's dictating the blog post here):

I am a big fan of the Red Sox, but mostly I'm a fan of soccer.  I practice soccer: I run run run kick!

Can you make me a blog?

Silly Mom, I know how to type!

I do!

I can spell Lucy and Ruth and to 

I think I might have to go potty

Yes, I was typing her comments in real time.  So there you go.  Soon, no doubt, she will have her own blog.

The backstory on the dress is that I went into Boston to visit with my friend (Hi, Susan!!) and it was opening day.  The T was awash in fans.  So I ended up buying this little number, partly because it is so darn cute, partly because Lucy knew I was in Boston, and partly because it will needle my brother, who is a fan of some other (losing) team.

In other news, Carter is not doing so well, but is not doing as bad as we feared.  He has vertigo.  He can't quite stand up; he pretty much looks drunk or seasick all the time.  But hopefully, this will pass.  And we are grateful that it's not worse (we thought he'd had a stroke!).


In other (less serious) news, Lucy has new curtains in her bedroom!  My mom hemmed them; they came from Ikea.  Here's a look:

For comparison, check out the post and pictures here.  And here's one with Lucy herself:

She really likes the curtains.  There's pink on them, and she doesn't want to change them (that's what she told me to write).

That's the totally random news blurbs from here for today!  Enjoy the lovely weekend!

There's a lot to like about (virtual 3-D) Lowell

Google has a "Google Model Your Town"competition going on.  Among their Top 6 entries is our very nearest and dearest favorite: Lowell!

You can vote for the model here:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/sketchup/competitions/modelyourtown/vote.html

Vote for Lowell!

And also, you can see all the individual crazy 3-D models of lovely Lowell buildings here:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=d49508ef904360593b3255f750af3679
No, 83 Durant isn't up there yet, but there are lots of lovely models of places we know and love, including Boarding House Park, Haffner's Gas Station, City Hall, Jack Kerouac's Birthplace... and so much more.  Just go to google earth and look at Lowell and you'll see all of downtown Lowell in 3D glory!

(VOTE!)

If you're not eating Peeps by 8:30 am....

...you're doing it wrong.

See that glazed look in her eyes?  Oh yeah, this is a pre-breakfast Peep (well, bunny, to be precise).

YUM.

Happy Easter to all!

 May your sugar crash come after you find all your eggs.

Blog v. the Facebook

I am so far behind on my blogging that I could just cry.  Not like, literally cry, because I'm not really distraught about it, but in a figurative sorta way.  There's so much that's gone by (like the month of March) that I've meant to write about, including St. Patrick's Day, my Mom's visit here, that whole tenure thing, my new haircut, the Wedding Present show that we went to in Boston, the Edward Tufte conference I attended....but things are Too. Darn. Busy. This paragraph officially serves as a placeholder for all those things I need to go back and write about.  Someday.

Some folks have suggested (well, perhaps a word stronger than "suggested," more like "cajoled" or even "openly mocked") that I should that I should be on the Facebook.  After all, on the Facebook, I could have posted info about all of the above in quick fashion on my "Wall," so that everyone would know of all these important and late-breaking updates in real time.

I am not on the Facebook.   I've alluded to my Facebook-less existence in a few previous posts, like this one, but generally, I'm just not interested in spending the time on the thing....and I know, from my previous Friendster experience, that I would spend WAY too much time on it.  For lo these many years, I have repeatedly explained that my being on Facebook is not compatible with my getting tenure, and not because there'd be some scandal (although who knows what damage someone could do with a scanner and a pile of photos featuring my circa 1986 perm), but because I would just spend too much time on the FB and then never get tenure, because your tenure file doesn't include your Facebook status updates.  At least not yet.

But at this point, the tenure deal is as close to done as it can possibly be.  I am waiting for the final (really final) vote of the Board of Trustees.  I have recently learned that they don't even vote on us individually: they actually vote on the ENTIRE slate of all folks up for tenure together. 

But despite the imminent arrival of my "job for life" that tenure supposedly (but not exactly really) is, I am still officially never going to sign up for the Facebook, and this article explains why.  I realize that putting all my stuff out on this blog, with a web address that is my home address, also raises all kinds of privacy concerns, but that's my own little hypocrisy, and I can live with it.  At least until I get spooked and go password-protecting this thing.  Which I might do.  Hrm.  Stalkers? Are you reading this right now?  If so, could you just leave a comments and let me know?  Thanks!

So while, we ponder the horrors of "Privacy" in our internet age, I am going to share with you a recent, classic, Conversation with Lucy.  Who knows how much she will hate me one day when these conversations are discovered by our future internet-saavy-insect-robot overloads.

Lucy: Mom, how do I make fart bubbles come out of my head?
Me: Could you repeat that?
Lucy (more slowly): How do I make fart bubbles come out of my head?
Me: Ummmmmm......what makes you think you can do that?
Lucy: Well, you know, the fart bubbles.  Above your head.
Me (utterly baffled): Fart bubbles?  Above your head?  Who told you about these?
Lucy: Miss Christine [one of her teachers at school].
Me: Miss Christine taught you this about fart bubbles?  Maybe we should ask Daddy.
Lucy: FFFFauut bubbles!
Me: THOUGHT bubbles!  OK, that makes a lot more sense.

So, the combination of Lucy's troubles with the "Th" phoneme (which when she says it, sounds like an "F") and her Boston accent (which means she has a hard "A" and drops her "R" when she says "fart") makes for hilarity.

So, anyone, how DO you make either thought bubbles OR fart bubbles come out of your head?  Internets?  Can you help us?  Facebook?  Any answers?  I thought (or fart) not.