AREA 365-71

Collecting Dead Relatives

The recent storms of last week reminded me that I need to make a post about a family history story. You see, back when I was about nine-years-old my mother and I moved in with my grandmother (Maw). She was pretty scary to a little kid. We all have a scary grandmother, don't we? Anyway, I got to know her pretty well. She liked to tease a lot. We lived in a small mobile home and here in Texas we get some pretty scary looking clouds sometimes in the spring. You can just imagine what a twister would do to a little trailer setting on top of cement blocks. Whenever the springtime storms would pop up, Maw would turn on the television and watch the news to see what was happening with the weather. Of course many times during a storm, you can't get any television. This is where things went downhill for me.

Maw would proceed to bring out her weather radio. Yep, a whole radio made just for listening to the local, national weather radio station. Now, if you've never heard one of these awful things, you're really missing out. Amidst all of the static you can barely make out this recorded weather message. I imagine some guy in a basement somewhere putting out this message for all of the diehard weather radio listeners..."Local temperature, 68 degrees, high winds likely, rain, hail. Listeners are urged to take cover in the event of a tornado." REPEAT..... I swear this guy never gives you any useful information.


She would listen to this terrible thing for about 10 minutes at a time. I hated every second of it. You could barely understand what the guy was saying. There was so much static it just made me want to cringe.


A couple of years ago, I believe someone had given Maw a NEW weather radio. Something more modern. At least it looked more modern. Once you turned the thing on, it's still the same guy giving the same announcement over and over with the same static. Guess who got the old radio. Yep, yours truly. While rolling my eyes I said something to the tune of "Gee, thanks Maw. I'm sure I'll listen to it all the time." She just laughed. She told everybody how I hated that thing.

When Maw passed away in January, my mother gave me the "new" weather radio as part of my "inheritance". I think I said something like, "Gee, thanks Mom. I'm sure I'll listen to it all the time."


Here's the real kicker....Whenever a storm comes around during the springtime, like last week, you can find me sitting at my desk tracking the weather on the internet. But, right beside me is that stupid weather radio going full blast. I know that I wont get much information from the radio. I seriously doubt that the news that is broadcast over that one station will ever save my life, but there is something comforting about the sound of listening to static trying to make out what that guy down in his basement is saying about the wind, rain and hail. I only hope Oda Mae and her children learn to hate it as much as I do.


Dominus Vobiscum

-OD

AREA 365-70

AREA 365-69

AREA 365-68

AREA 365-67

Sometimes...

...I don't like having to pretend to be a little kid.
...I don't want to think about what to make for dinner.
...I don't want to have to tell someone to pick up their toys 50 gillian times.
...I don't want to have to think about going "potty" all day.
...I don't want to find more patience.
...I don't want to have to be home at bedtime.
...I don't want to watch what I say or do.
...I don't want to watch cartoons on television.
...I don't want to learn ABC's.
...I don't want to listen.

But, just sometimes. It's been one of those days.

Dominus Vobiscum

-OD

AREA 365-66

AREA 365-65

AREA 365-64

I'm Still Here...

So some of you have probably been wondering where I've been. Well, I hope some of you have been wondering where I've been. I've actually been fairly busy. I had to go out of town this last weekend and play a concert in Abilene. Before that I had been practicing quite a bit. The next two weeks will be much of the same. I'm also pretty busy with my AHJ (At-Home-Job). I've been getting behind in some work and have needed to catch up. Eventually, I will.

Oda Mae got to spend the night last night with Gran. I think she had a good time despite wanting to cry when Oda Momma left her and when I came and picked her up. She was pretty sure I was going to leave her again. Our friend in the Symphony played a fantastic solo this weekend. According to the Star Telegram, he almost set his Strad on fire. I would agree. We got to go see the concert and then spend some time with our friends at "Kings Chinese BBQ". Were talking real Chinese food. We did however pass on the Duck Tongue and Chicken Feet appetisers. The main dishes we had were really good. The best part was the dessert. Oda Momma didn't think so, however. It was a sweet egg drop soup with a real egg in it. At first we didn't know if it was an egg or not. :) Then we came home for real dessert that included Tiramisu, Carmel Apple Pie, and Ice Cream. MMMMMmmmmmm We watched "Noises Off". Have any of you seen that movie? It's pretty funny stuff.

I'll keep trying to catch up on the pictures and the posts. I've got more to talk about....



Dominus Vobiscum,



-OD

AREA 365-63

AREA 365-62

AREA 365-61

AREA 365-60

AREA 365-59

AREA 365-58

AREA 365-57

As the Rooster Crows...

It's been a while since I actually posted. I caught up on my AREA 365 this morning, and now I have some time to catch up on my goings on during the last week.

Of course last weekend was Easter weekend. I was working at a church over in Dallas. When they get the sermon online, I'll post a link so you can hear the solo stuff I played. After that I was getting ready for a big quintet concert down in Waxahachie this last Saturday. Over all the concert went well. I was pretty drained by the end of it though. I had my own little fan club show up for the concert. You can see everybody in the picture I took from in front of the audience HERE. I hope you all had a good time. Thanks for coming!

The Mozart Requiem went well last week also. Particularly because I got paid more than I was actually expecting! Woo Hoo! That happens all too rarely.

The Oda Family is doing fine this week. Still trying to get Oda Mae to pee in the potty. I'm pretty sure she holds it in until I get her diaper on then she lets loose. We're watching Elmo's Potty Time every day and it seems like all the books we're reading have something to do with going potty. I'm sure she's on to me. She does like to have her "babies" sit on the potty though. Maybe we're getting somewhere.

Oda Momma has a new co-worker.... Aunt Sis!!! Yeah, Oda Momma and I are on our way now to getting everyone who is related to us to move to FW. We need babysitters that are only 5 minutes away so that we can be spontaneous! :) Soon the Oda Family will run things in this town.

I've not been sleeping very well lately. I think part of it has to do with the rooster down the street. Every day this bird starts crowing at 4:45 am. I have half a mind to find where it lives and plan a nice Sunday dinner this weekend. Are roosters even allowed in the city limits around here? Who wants roosters anyway? Especially if you live 5 minutes from a large downtown area. I say go buy your eggs from the grocery store like everybody else! Freakin' losers.......

One last thing...I read a book last week that I saw "advertised" on another daddy blog. I don't remember which one it was or I'd put a link. Sorry. It was called "Summer of Light" by W. Dale Cramer. It was about a SAHD who found himself taking care of his three kids. He had a nack for photography and started entering shows and making some money doing that while his wife worked during the day. A lot of you SAHD's out there might really enjoy this book. It's an easy read and has several pretty funny moments. None of which remind me of anyone I know. :)

Second, one last thing....some of you know already that I have a blurb about all of the AREA 365 pictures on the FLICKR site. Would it be prudent to put those blurbs on this site as well or can you just make your way over there once in a while?

Dominus Vobiscum,

-OD

AREA 365-56

AREA 365-55

AREA 365-54

AREA 365-53

AREA 365-52

AREA 365-51

AREA 365-50

SAHD's On TV

Thanks to KENZIO for bringing this to my attention!

Apparently April 16, 17, and 18, The Learning Channel is is broadcasting a show called Surviving Motherhood which is airing some episodes about Stay-at-home-dads. Check out the website and set your TiVo's (or in my case the ancient VCR.)

Anybody you guys know?

-OD

AREA 365-49

Hoppy Easter Everyone!

Yes, we had Easter today. I had to wake up at 5:45 to make it to my first of three morning services. All went well. When I got home, Oda Momma had gone to the store and bought a roast to make for dinner. What's really something, is that she already had it cooking and everything! MMMMMmmmmm, it was good! Thank you Oda Momma. You earned brownie points.

Oda Mae was already taking her nap when I got home. She must have been really tired 'cause she didn't wake up until about an hour before dinner time. When she woke up we colored eggs, found her Easter Basket and had a good time. After dinner, the Easter Bunny came and hid her eggs in the living room. The Easter Bunny thought it might be a bit cold outside for hunting eggs. (more on that later).

She had her bath and is now sleeping. I think she was pretty worn out from the big picnic yesterday.....YESTERDAY........

What the heck was up with the weather? Look...

Look real close....you see all those white specks? No, it's not just my poor photography skills. It's freakin' SNOW! There is a reason I live in Texas. It doesn't snow in FREAKIN' APRIL! We had a nice picnic planned with GG. We still went and had burgers, dogs and stuff, but we had to be inside. I was really looking forward to letting Oda Mae run around the park. We did have a really good time though. We played BINGO and Oda Momma won a journal.

Okay, I'm done. I didn't appreciate the snow yesterday, and I just wanted everyone to know.

Next Saturday evening I'll be playing a concert with a group that I play with regularly. You're all invited to attend. Here's the link. It's on the South side of the world this time around. It'll be a good concert. Hope to see you there.

Sorry for the lack of "Easter" photos...they all turned out pretty drab. We'll try again tomorrow at 2nd Easter.

Dominus Vobiscum,

-OD

AREA 365-48

AREA 365-47

AREA 365-46

AREA 365-45

AREA 365-44

AREA 365-43

A Classical Story

Last Wednesday, Oda Mae and I went out for our regular Wednesday morning stuff. We went to The Little Gym and then to Story Time at the Library. After story time, we were going to go to the big library downtown and turn in some books that we checked out. Apparently, they were overdue....a few days overdue. I had decided that while we were downtown we'd call Oda Momma and see if she wanted to go to lunch with us. When I called her she said she was at Orchestra Hall, not downtown. Orchestra Hall is very close to the story time library. She invited us to come see the Kinderconcert that started in about 30 minutes and then out for lunch. We promptly said yes!

We got to Orchestra Hall in plenty of time to get the good seats at the back where we could sneak out if Oda Mae decided she didn't like live "classical" music. When the orchestra started, she sat on my lap and started dancing. She loved it! She didn't hardly make a peep. The only time she made any noise at all was when there was a solo and she said in her "regular" voice "BUMPET". She thinks they all sound like daden when he's practicing. For 45 minutes she just sat there listening and looking around. We are glad we had the opportunity to go.

After the concert, Oda Mae got a free violin lesson. See AREA 365-38.

Then we went and ate pancakes with our friends at IHOP. MMmmmmmm pancakes....

A couple of days ago, Oda Mae decided to try her hand at the "Classical" music scene. Oda Momma was fortunate enough to get it on video. So here we go...

AREA 365-42