Late Night Stupid

Utah is weather-tarded around this time of year... pretty much every year. It's almost May and we're still getting snow at least twice a week. Above, a photo from a few nights ago. Coming upstairs from a late night's work... I figured I'd document the spring storm with my still new flash. Standing on the edge of the deck in my pajamas and bare feet, I click off a few largely uninteresting images. The fun began when our cat... a strictly inside cat... ran through my legs, out the back door and and into the darkness. Ugh... I know it's my fault, but really? It's 3am.

Knowing I have to retrieve the family furball, I try to quietly extract my shoes from our closet, all without waking Tracy. Needless worry... she wears earplugs to bed these days. I could have run a band-saw by the bed and she'd be none the wiser.

Still swearing under (and over) my breath, I stepped onto the snow, and then... immediately thought better of the plan. If I go after her, she'll just run under the deck. So I waited. I also called to her in my best "you're-not-in-any-trouble" voice. Then I made that clicking sound with my tongue... similar to the one that sowboys use to make their horses go faster. Unsurprisingly, nothing worked. What did work was the cold. Apparently, cats that are used to laying on the couch, or the shirt you just ironed, don't really like snow. As soon as I backed off and stopped with the shenanigans, she came right in. Do these things only happen to me?

Missing Moments

A few modestly notable items from the recent past...

Eden and Hailey jumping for joy... or because I asked them to. It kind of looks like they're in a Toyota commercial or something. There was no TV spot, but Eden did pick up a bargain on a sweet PT Cruiser from Grandma. Who knew we'd find a 10 year old car with only 8 miles on it.

The tasteful lettering lovingly applied to my car by a couple of co-workers. In spite of the meticulous kerning and graceful arc, I think it went on easier than it came off.

The Mexican meatballs we made once and probably wouldn't make again. We love allrecipes.com but this one was frito blandito. I suspect the author of this "south of the border" treat is actually a 47 year old hockey mom in central Wisconsin. I'd like to think she carefully scans the labels for mild cheddar because the sharp stuff is just too spicy.

Note: Okay... I just looked up the actual recipe and author. Profile page below. I had never actually seen this before... I promise. Now I feel bad for being mean (and omniscient).

This is Evan brushing his teeth before bed in the bathroom while simultaneously programming in C++. He's also been teaching himself Russian.

Evan and I just before our semi-annual ski excursion at the Canyons. As you can see from the photo, he's way outgrown his bibs... and his arms. We really need to ski more, or less. The once a year plan is not the way to go.

Extreme Home Combover

Q: How do you make a 109 year old house look brand new?
A: Not Pictured

This is an in-progress photo of our recently re-roofed house. Okay... Not our favorite way to spend 10k... but at least it's something that's new... and fixed. Next up, paint... And maybe windows. Is vinyl the wrong idea? I worry yes... Our budget disagrees. We'll see. One more bid on Wednesday. Who doesn't enjoy a good high pressure home demo?

A Family of Hair

Eden just finished a three day hair styling competition at school. (her first ever) For a rookie, she did so well... placing fourth out of about 15 students. Hailey graciously offered to be her model. I selfishly offered to take photos. So for the past three nights she's stopped by the house afterward... hair still intact... for an impromptu shoot. Armed with a sliver of knowledge, a willing subject and my new Canon Speedlite 430EX II , we set about faking it. A few of the results below. Are they good? No idea. As it turns out, enthusiasm obscures objectivity like nobody's business. Not sure it matters though... we both loved the process.

Day One -



Day 2



Day 3

Loving Life

A photo of Tracy and Ev just after he passed off the requirements for Life Scout... one step below Eagle. As you can tell, he's beaming with excitement. (a stark contrast from his genuine enthusiasm as a 12 year old... What a world of difference testosterone and two years makes) That said, I get it, I really do. As a kid, much younger than he is now, I shrugged off a friend's invitation to join Cub Scouts.. Even then I knew I didn't want to become a Weeblo... whatever that is.

And yet.... we hope he hangs with it just a little longer. The Troop he's in is pretty engaged in the business of camping, merit badges and other miscellaneous whatnot. Thank you Dan, Ben and Co.. And while sleeping in a snow cave closely matches my idea of torture, Scouting does seem to give the boys interesting things to experience and something to work towards... a blessing in the time of texting and Call of Duty. On the horizon... A week long canoe trip in August and hopefully an Eagle project. Stay tuned.

Two other items of note. See how much taller Evan is than Tracy? That's a recent development. Also, a special thanks to Mom for getting his merit badge patches affixed to his sash... looking so legit.

Passing Through

I'd probably rather photograph people than places, but because I lug my camera around pretty much wherever I go... I just shoot what I can. I don't think any of this is too exceptional... I'm assuming shooting landscapes is analogous to playing the bass guitar. An instructor I had once told me that the bass was an easy instrument to pick up and play, but incredibly difficult to play well. Ladies and Gentlemen... Smoke on the Water.

Just So We're Being Clear

If you're not sure what kind of people you're dealing with here... If you haven't been paying attention. Two very recent stories that should help.

Example 1.
Tracy is pulling out of the underground parking at the Gateway when she feels something in her hair. Panicked and still navigating the tight space in a not-so-nimble SUV, she attempts to shake whatever it is. As she approaches the attendant's booth and rolls down her window, a tiny beetle flies from her hair onto her left wrist. Continuing to multitask her way through the situation, she simultaneously hands the woman her ticket and flicks the offending insect from her person... right into the attendant's eye. If you're asking... "What are the chances of that happening?", I'm telling you... 100 percent. The girl let's out a groan and covers her freshly bugged eye. Profuse apologies and awkwardness ensue. No words are spoken, no forgiveness is offered. The gate lifts and Tracy reluctantly drives away. Somalis don't practice witchcraft do they?

Example 2.
Just yesterday... Evan had minor oral surgery to make way for a tooth that hadn't come in. In the weeks leading to yesterdays operation a decision had to be made on anesthesia.

Option 1: A local anesthetic and laughing gas.
Cost: A decent amount money out of pocket.

Option 2: General anesthesia.
Cost: A lot of money out of pocket.

What kind of parents would offer a cash incentive to their son to choose the less expensive option? This kind.

Sounds horrible right? Relax... everything turned out fine. With the tooth so near the surface, the surgeon recommended the local. The boy pocketed a cool $75, felt fine and had a two milkshake day. The parents saved a couple hundred dollars to spend on something more enjoyable... like drywall... or the fence that's falling down again.

Sigh... We'll try harder tomorrow.

Seriously?

Today I was alerted to the presence of two sets of pictures on the interwebs.

This first one is me, posted on Chad Hurst's Blog. He's a photographer friend of mine working through a self-imposed project called 30 Portraits, 30 Days. Here he successfully shows my hair loss and the plate of ribs I never got to eat. Unsurprisingly, I hate him now. Not really. I sort of knew what I was in for. Although, I am hoping there's a more flattering photo somewhere in the bunch.

And then there are these photos of Tracy from the Lifestyle section of the Salt Lake Tribune. Here her complete cuteness and fashion sense are on display. Bald spot? Nope. Plate of greasy ribs? Not really. Just her being adorable.


And lastly... not online... until now: this photo of her in the dining room. I think she looks amazing, she thinks it just shows her wrinkles. If she even has wrinkles, I can't see them. I'll never see them.

I can only assume from the length of our marriage and the disparity in these photos that she looks past my "wrinkles" too.

Number 19

We celebrated Eden's nineteenth birthday on the first of March. I use the word "celebrated" with some reserve as she was incredibly sick for most of the surrounding week. She had hand, foot and mouth disease as it turns out... No, that's not the thing that livestock get. Eden doesn't have any hooves.

She was a good sport though. And presents apparently have the power to heal. She got the kind of clothing she really likes... you know... the kind she'll step over as she heads downstairs to raid Tracy's closet.

For dinner, we canceled the curry and fed her milkshakes instead. She did have cake though... although none of us would let her blow out the candles. See for yourself.

Also... Evan isn't wearing a burkha... he's wearing his blanket... named Sheldon.

Year 14

Here's a comic strip I drew up a few years back about a certain, special someone. What is it (besides everything) about this age that plays havoc on one's personality? Eden didn't get one of these... she was inexplicably cheerful. We're collecting material for Evan's version right now. Click to enlarge.

Holidaze

A few photos from the holidays... which were nice, but mostly uneventful. I suppose that's what happens when you don't leave the house for days at a time. Hailey had her 21st birthday– We celebrated at home. This year, as opposed to most, we had her celebration right on Christmas Day instead of making her do the moving over. Tempura for Christmas dinner is a bit unexpected, but not half bad. Eden might dispute this... she's the one kid who hasn't looked kindly on our recent disregard for culinary holiday traditions. Prime rib for Thanksgiving, Fried shrimp for Christmas. What's the problem? Maybe it will just make next year all the better... I think we were overdue for a shake-up.

I never thought I'd say this... at least not in my 40s, but I'm actually looking a bit forward to being a grandparent someday. I suspect it might re-inject some life back into these events. Our kids are great, but they're not full of the same enthusiasm they once were. It's not their fault, they're just older now. They know what they want, they know what they're getting and they know where it comes from. Ignorance or whatever it was, is bliss. It was also contagious... for everyone.

There were plenty of good moments... but maybe my favorite was on Christmas morning... watching Tracy laugh at the way Hailey was wearing her new hat. (both pictured below) Tracy laughs easily, but she only really laughs like this once in a while. The last time might have involved a video that included dancing and an ill conceived hot-dog suit. Ask any of the kids about it. Anyway, these moments are one of our absolute favorite things to see.

January has acted a lot like January. Endlessly cold with a glorious bright spot right around my birthday. Not really. I had planned to take the day off and completely enjoy spending time with Tracy. Instead I worked till six. At least I just put in a half day. It was still nice. Tracy has a way of making things that way.

Flora Meets Fauna

This is one of the four silk-screened posters I received for Christmas. Just bought frames today. I also bought a couple at IKEA. One of them didn't really fit, but I made it work. I broke the other within five minutes of being home. I know their furniture isn't exactly heirloom quality, but seriously? Somehow they've managed to make even glass less durable.

This is that time, right after my colonoscopy, when John Stockton and I sort of had waffles. Didn't really notice until now, but what's up with the way he's sitting? I'm wondering if he's about to spring that "here's the church, here's the steeple" thing on his lunch mate. I like to think he's rehearsing things under the table before the big reveal.

These are the Flip Video Cameras I designed for the company Holiday party.

This is Hailey's car on the street by Hailey's apartment that I dug out of the snow while Hailey slept in Hailey's bed. I may not be the best dad out there, but I think this proves that I'm not the worst.

Not 100% sure this fortune panned out. I'm even less sure how the bee ties in. I'm pretty sure bees are never involved in pleasant surprises.

Le Nom Jeu

Our family heritage contains a cheerful mess of nationalities. Our last name, however, is French... or at least it was. Originally Robidoux or Rabideaux, it was eventually Americanized and allegedly simplified by one of our southbound Quebecois relatives. It's now just Rabdau (pronounced intermittently rab-daw or rab-dow). But as you can see from my (partial) collection, we answer to just about anything.
























Note: If you're one of us, you've also probably been called one or more of the following: Rab, Rabbi, Rabdelicious, Rabadoobie, Ramjet, Ragmop or Ragdoll.