Early Christmas

We had a bit of an early Christmas at Casa del Jeopardy over the weekend. With family members having commitments all throughout the mid-atlantic region, it became necessary to celebrate the season more than once.

Not that anyone was complaining.

The Wife's brother and his wife came up from thier bucolic paradise outside of Williamsburg so as to share in some festivities and help decorate our humble abode. The tree was trimmed, and the house bedecked with all manner of garland, greenery, and lights. Even our semi-adopted daughter, Midshipman 4/c J, joined in the fun. She took a break from her cell-phone texting and ipod listening long enough to hang an ornament or two. Teenagers will be teenagers, even when their the future leaders of America. Lest you think that this somehow bodes ill for us, let me be clear: we will be in good hands.

Gifts were exchanged, to the delight of all, especially me. I (OK, it was for both of us) got an antique rocking chair that fits like a glove, and is the perfect place to relax in my cardigan next to the fire.

Of course, no one gets more excited than kids. The Kid got something really neat from her Aunt and Uncle this year.

For those of you who didn't know, The Wife is a musician. She has a BA degree in piano, even.

So when Auntie and Uncle arrived with this,

It was like looking into the future. Or maybe the past...

On Being a Daddy

Before you become a parent, everyone says to you "it's gonna change everything". What you don't realize, can't realize, is what exactly "everything" really means.

Sure, in the beginning you get a lot less sleep, and you're pretty much chained to the house 24/7. Those are no-brainers. You can probably also comprehend loving something as much as you do your child. Again, not a great mental leap.

Of course, "everything" means the little things too. The really un-obvious ones. Allow me to offer an illustration from my recent past.

Several months ago, I went to a wedding for the first time since becoming a dad. No, not that one. It was before that. The Wife couldn't go, so it was just me. Again, it was a shipmate, so I was in my Full Dress Blues, looking awfully dapper and manly. If I do say so myself.

Everything was going swimmingly right up until the father of the bride arrived at the end of the aisle with his daughter on his arm. It was at that moment I realized that someday I was likely to find myself in that position. It was a strange amalgam of fear, resignation, hope, and joy.

So there I was, flanked on either side by fellow Naval Officers, resplendent exemplars of the best America has to offer, and I'm trying my best to remain composed. From what I recall, I faked stifling a sneeze to explain the sudden un-dryness in the ocular regions of my face. At least I retained some of my dignity. I'm just glad we (as ushers) were seated in the back of the room.

I thought my father-in-law might have enjoyed or at least related to this story, so I called him the next day.

When I got done, you know what he said?

"When it was my turn, it wasn't hard at all."

That may be the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me...

Ask

And ye shall receive...

Reading a book before bathtime. Which explains the dinner on her shirt.

Taking a bath and experimenting with new 'dos.

The reasons I wake up, the reasons I come home, the reasons for my very existence.

Shopping

So, yeah. It's that time of year again. Thankfully, the intertubes have put forth a site where pretty much everything is way cool.

Looking for a gift for me? You'll find it here.

So I Got To Use My Sword Today

I just got back home from attending a buddy's wedding over at the Naval Academy. Beautiful place, the Academy Chapel. And the wedding was nice, too. We're not very close, the groom and I, but he was a shipmate in need, and that's what we do.

Having a sword arch with only 5 people? Well, that's just not done. I'm local and I own a sword. It was the very least I could do.

I was more than happy to don my Full Dress Whites for the first time, sword and all. The Wife couldn't make it, since someone had to watch The Kid. It's just as well, since she didn't know anyone there at all.

I have never been on The Yard in uniform, much less in one of the nicer ones we have. Did you know that tourists just love to get their picture taken with random Naval Officers? I didn't know that either. You may also be surprised to know that there are a lot of really hot young women among those tourists, and they all wanted to get their picture taken with me. Go figure.

In a country that seems to be infatuated with litigation and warning labels, it seems that the U.S. Navy is leaving itself wide open to some sort of lawsuit by not placing warning label in this uniform.


WARNING: IF YOU EARN THE RIGHT TO WEAR THIS UNIFORM, HOT WOMEN WILL LIKELY THROW THEMSELVES AT YOU.

Halloween

I know I'm a few days late in getting to it, but we made our annual Halloween pilgrimage to Greensboro last weekend.

We began the day by dropping The Kid off at her Grandparent's house (thanks Lili!) and continuing on. If you remember from last year, the drive down was absolutely horrid. What should have taken 6 hours ended up taking well over 10. This year was a complete opposite. Strikingly beautiful weather for the entire trip. We eschewed the interstates as much as possible, sticking to state routes and byways. We traversed a goodly portion of the Old Dominion, which was in its full autumnal glory.


The weather for the weekend was typical late October in the Piedmont. Highs in the 70's and lows in the 40's. I had to pack one of everything.

This event was different from years past, in that our most gracious hosts decided against the big bash and opted for a more intimate affair. Not that the big parties weren't a bucketload of fun, but it made it harder to actually, you know, socialize. The house was bedecked in all of its Halloween finery, and the photos cannot do justice to the decor.





I have to admit that I cannot remember the last time I laughed as hard as I did on Saturday night. Barbs were zinging back and forth in the way that only happens between people who have known each other as long as we all have. An outsider would have seen us laughing for no apparent reason, and to try and explain it would have somehow made it less magical for us. Suffice it to say, I am likely the worst dart player on the east coast, if not the whole of North America.

What else did we do?

Glad you asked...



We relaxed by the lake



We watched demonic Michigan fans learn to drive.



and we cornholed in the driveway for countless hours. A surprisingly difficult game, if you've never tried it. There's a whole lot more strategery then you might think.

Alas, Sunday came far to soon, and we got back into the car to head home. The Wife and I had forgotten how quickly one can pack without the The Kid and all of her accouterments. We were blessed with the same good weather going home as we had on the way down, and took an even more scenic route back to Richmond. Twisty roads through rolling hills that gradually gave way to the flat and straight topography of civilization. The Kid seemed genuinely happy to see us, and delighted in showing us the toys she has only at her grandmother's place.

Since we only get to see this particular circle of friends a few times a year, the time we get to spend with them is all the more special. Next up on our schedule is the annual March Madness weekend, which is (thankfully) much closer to home. And although college basketball ranks just above cleaning the catbox on my things-I-want-to-do-o-meter, that's OK. I don't go to watch the games.

As Promised

Some photos of our fall adventure...

Going down the slide

Making new friends

Helping Mommy find the right pumpkin (or as The Kid says, "cumpin")

Running through the cumpin patch

A hayride with Daddy