Category: Family

This past weekend, Annette’s parents were in town in lieu of coming up here on Thanksgiving. We had a nice time, though one of the challenges of entertaining the parents/in-laws is finding something new for them to do after they have been here a zillion times.

Anyway, among other things, we went to the Toledo Zoo on Saturday. We arrived at just shy of 4 pm, which was a kind of odd time for this time of year. The zoo closes at 4 pm, and technically, folks have an hour to clear out. However, the zoo re-opens at 5 pm from this past weekend through Christmas for the light display, which is certainly worth the trip by itself. But Will wanted to actually see some animals at the zoo (go figure), and we didn’t want to be out too late.

Our timing turned out to be excellent. First off, we saw some cool animal activites– they were feeding the seals when we arrived, and we also so the wolves quite a bit more active and visible than they usually are. Second, we had the place almost completely to ourselves, at least until folks started showing up for the lights, which is a pretty big deal at the Toldeo Zoo every year. And it’s worth the trip, actually. It’s kind of fun walking around a dark and chilly zoo, looking at lights of animals instead of actual animals.

While we were walking around, I saw a sign that said “carousel.” You know how sometimes you have those weird juxtapositions in your head about things? There we were, walking around these monumental-like zoo buildings, more or less alone, and I thought wow, kinda like Logan’s Run. Remember that flick? I remember that movie really creeping me out, as it probably should have since it was in the theaters about 30 years ago. Anyway, remember the scenes toward the end where they are wondering around the ruins of Washington, D.C.? That’s what it was like.

Something to think about on your next trip to the zoo….

As part of Annette’s birthday week, we went to the Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase Friday night. Annette’s wanted to go to this place for a show for a while now. Personally, I wasn’t against going, but I wasn’t for going either. It’s just not one of those things that was high on my to do list.

But we did have a fun time. The AA Comedy Showcase is in the basement of Seva and has that black, grungy interior that I suspect (from what I’ve seen on Comedy Central, at least) is the default decor of comedy clubs everywhere. The 8 pm show we attended was a non-smoking event, which was a good thing because the dark basement space looked to me like like it would be pretty unpleasant for the smoking shows.

The first joke of the night was when Annette asked to see the wine list. They did have other bar items and fine popcorn, though.

The “main act” that night was Maryellen Hooper, though there was also an “MC” (who told a few jokes, told us to tip our waitstaff, and told us we where we were supposed to exit after the show) and a brief “opening act” (who I thought was pretty lame). Hooper is someone who looks vaguely familiar from various comedy shows, though I can’t say I remember actually ever seeing her on TV.

I don’t really have much more of a review other than she was funny. Lots of jokes about her adopted baby, her husband, boys versus girls, etc., etc. Clean stuff, pretty much. Anyway, a fun night, not crazy expensive (well, the drinks weren’t cheap), definitely something I’d do again.

Will and I had our annual pumpkin hunting outting this past weekend. For the last three or four years, we’ve been going to this one particular pumpkin patch sort of on the way to the Plymouth-Canton area. I always get lost on the way out there because I always think it is on Plymouth-Ann Arbor Road, but it’s really on Ford Road (or highway, whatever it is). Anyway, it is a “U-Pick-Em” kinda place that is quite a bit cheaper than buying at the grocery store and it makes for an adventure.

Our carvings, while attractive and the like, are sort of “middle of the road,” really. Here’s some pictures of the finished products:

Two things to mention here: with the pumpkin on the right, I was going for that “translucent” kinda look where the glow of the light in the pumpkin shines through. This hasn’t worked yet; I think I have to carve more away first. Second, the red splotches you might be able to see in the picture are actually hot sauce, which I am hoping will keep away the damn squirrels from last year.

Here’s a better/more dramatic picture of the other two pumpkins. Pretty cool, huh?

Still, I have to hand it to the folks who have some pictures posted at extremepumkins.com. As Will gets a little older and capable of handling the carving knife himself (as opposed to the spoon to scoop the junk out), I think we might have to try some of these versions of pumpkin carving to make it more interesting.

Well, the Hawkeyes (and, in my opinion, the referees) pissed away a game against the most evil Michigan Wolverines, but at least Will’s soccer team won. Not that they keep statistics on 8 year-olds playing soccer, but that puts his team at 2-2, with one more game for the year.

Soccer has turned out to be a fun sport for Will to play and it is a lot more fun than basketball for Annette and I to watch. For one thing, Will is better at soccer than he is at basketball– actually, all the kids are better at soccer than they were at basketball. For another, I think the fellow parents and such are a lot more fun than was the case in basketball, quite a bit more pleasant, too.

A couple more pictures of the action:

Here’s Will taking an out of bounds kick.

And here’s Will coming off of defense– he’s kind of in the background there. Note that it is impossible to escape the presence of the U of Michigan football colors, even at a kiddie soccer game.

Will turned 8 today, and a fun filled birthday it has been. Actually, his birthday celebration started just over a week ago with the trip to Cedar Point, and it will (more or less) conclude tomorrow with a Daddy/Will golf outting where he will try out his new golf clubs, one of his gifties.

Will started the day with a telephone conversation with Grandpa Dan and Grandma Jan. Then we took in cupcakes for his classmates at school, a big hit of course. After school, Will and I (okay, mostly me) baked the birthday cake you see before him (okay, from a mix). Then Grandpa Bill and Grandma Irmgard called and sang a chorus of “Happy Birthday.” And then we all went out to dinner at Will’s pick, California Pizza Kitchen, always a hit.

As I sit here and type this now, I think back to the night Will was born 8 years ago. I don’t have enough time to write up all of the details of it (and I’m not sure it would be all that interesting here anyway), but it’s funny because I remember it all quite vividly, even though– fast-forward to today– Will’s third grade teacher told me this morning, while I was holding a flimsy box of cupcakes, that we have raised a good little boy.