A Day Like All Days

Christmas was fun. gmjambear and I each got some video footage of the family's "Jingle Bell Rock" gift exchange (everyone stands iin a big circle and you pass packages to the right on "Jingle" and to the left on "Rock") and hopefully we'll get some more from my sister and edit them all together.

Boxing Day brought a significant snowfall, after which we went outside and played in the snow with my grand-niece Alyssa and grand-nephew Aiden; there's a big hill behind my dad's place and they had sleds already waiting for them in Dad's garage. After Alyssa's mother came by to pick her up (as she got off work early due to the weather) we headed out for chili for lunch.

Thursday we had lunch at White Castle and did some grocery shopping with Aiden in tow, and that evening Gary and I headed for downtown Cincinnati to see the Cyclones play hockey against the Elmira Jackals. As usual, lots of bears in the stands and a few on the ice. Unfortunately for the 'Clones, Elmira won 4-3. As a promotion, they had the Stanley Cup out on the concourse so we got our pictures taken with the Cup.

Friday I went to get my hair cut and beard trimmed since I was done with my Santa impersonation for another year. Later we did some photo processing on Dad's computer so he's got copies of our Christmas snaps, and then hit the YMCA on Winton Road which I'd visited last time I was in town. We were pleasantly surprised to find our ActivTrax accounts work there too, since the old FitLinxx system was specific to the facility where you signed up. Unfortunately one of my contacts washed out in the pool so I have to wear my glasses until we get back home.

Yesterday we attended my nephew Andy's wedding. A good time was had by all, even if there was a slight misunderstanding when it came time for family photos, but that was cleared up by the time the party was over.

This morning I took Dad to church, where a very nice-looking otterish/bearish fellow was the lector (reader). Afterward we had breakfast at Dad's favorite restaurant, First Watch, did a bit more shopping and came home to watch the Bengals beat the Ravens, 23-14. The late game is still in progress and I'll catch up when I finish this post.

We return to Everett tomorrow evening just in time to ring in the New Year. Wishing you and yours a happy and prosperous New Year!

Oh say, can you see
My eyes? If you can,
Then my hair's too short

I've been experimenting over the past couple of months with letting my hair grow out beyond all reasonable bounds. It's been fun, but I'm not managing it terribly well, and it's not even long enough for a proper ponytail yet. However, with my trip to Dallas coming up Real Soon Now (during which I will be meeting my immediate supervisor in person for the first time, not to mention spending a lot of time wearing a hard hat), I figure it's time for the experiment to end. As much as I'd rather not, I'm going to have most of it sheared off tomorrow.

pandabuff mentioned at a special rehearsal this afternoon that having hair that long would bother him, and I know it does gmjambear if only because it overemphasizes his bald spot. But my father still has a full head of hair at eighty-four, even if it has gone mostly snow white. So I figure while I've got it I should make the most of it.

So today we decided we both needed to get out of the house, and I wanted to get some pictures before making such a radical change in my appearance, so we visited the Everett Marine Park and Lions Park and got some pictures of Possession Sound and the mountains. Then we took some posed shots of each other to use in LJ icons and such.

I'll want to do "after" pictures tomorrow. But for now, here are some of the pictures we got in the parks today.