Monthly Archives: October 2011

Halloween 2011

Patty and Eddy did not go trick or treating in the same area this year, but of course that is what happens when the kids get older and they want to go with their friends and they do not necessarily need to depend on you driving them to their trick or treat destination. Eddy went with his friend to Stow and Patty stayed with her friends in Akron. It did not snow this year, despite the fact that the temperatures have been dropping into the freezing range for the last couple days, but it did rain. Lucky for them neither one of them was caught in the rain.

I left out the hoodie Eddy was wearing and the coat that Patty was wearing for the pictures, but as always in Ohio, you have to dress in layers. There are only a few more pictures to be seen and as usual you can find those on the pictures page. I do not know how many years they have left to go trick or treating. I suppose when their friends stop they will as well.

Bunny

There is a new addition to the house. The kids have named the bunny Cinnamon. My mother actually had a rabbit named Cinnamon. The rule on naming the rabbit was that they had to agree with whatever name they came up with, and that was what they agreed with. The kids have been wanting a pet. We have had hamsters and guinea pigs, but never a rabbit. This rabbit came to me absolutely free. Apparently, a friend of Rick’s is moving and where they are moving they are not permitted to have rabbits so they were more than happy to give them to a family where the rabbit would have kids to play with.

We have plenty of food, treats, bedding, and everything the rabbit could possibly need. The only thing left to do for us was to feed Cinnamon apples, carrots, and whatever else looks like she would enjoy. We are taking her out everyday to let her run around, but always cautious that she does not chew on any wires. We have been warned that rabbits enjoy doing that. We were so excited about the rabbit that we even took a video of her.

Fun on a Farm

Rick invited Jo and I out to his Grandfather’s farm to shoot his father’s guns on a fairly sunny Saturday. I believe I have fired a shotgun before, but it had to have been a really long time ago, because I only have a vague memory of having done so. On that Saturday I would fire two different shotguns and a rifle. I certainly did not remember how loud guns are, but thankfully after you fire a few shots the sound does not seem to bother you as much. I am sure that is due to your temporary hearing loss.

We went way back into the woods and shot at trees and an empty plastic container that had previously been full of some concoction for luring deer. We learned how to properly and safely handle the firearms and generally speaking we did not miss what we were aiming to hit. It was extremely satisfying. Rick even had me throw the plastic jug into the air so that he could shoot it that way, and he managed to hit it twice with a shotgun before it hit the ground. I think the truth be told Jo is a better shot than I am.

When we were done shooting we went back to Rick’s father’s house and had a steak dinner, with baked potatoes, green beans, sweet peppers, and pie for dessert. We all got to eat as much as we could. It has been a while since I have had any food that did not come out of a box. We spent some time with his father and his stepmother in their amazing house and it was a really great way to end an amazing day. We also got to feed two cows and see their duck pond. The cows were not sleeping and I highly doubt we would have been permitted to tip one of them anyway.

Patty’s New Bike

We have had a real issue with bikes here in Akron. Patty has had several bikes since we moved here. The first was a bike she brought here from the apartments and it was stolen. The kids each received a bike lock, and they got to set their own number combination, and another bike was bought at the Akron bike auction. That bike was stolen as well. The third bike fell apart, because it was cheap and used to begin with and the fourth bike had the rear derailleur bent in by some type of force when it was chained up outside the Firestone library. Derailleurs can be replaced, but the bike was a cheap Wal-Mart bike, so it was hardly worth it. That brings us to today’s bike.

Searching for a used bike has proven to be rather difficult. Whether this is a problem unique to Akron or not there seem to be a great many resellers in the area who buy used bikes, that would have suited Patty just fine, and then attempt to sell them for at least twice what they paid. Determined to find a bike the search continued until this bike popped up. This perfect bike. Patty has gotten very serious about riding a bike. It is not uncommon for her to travel upwards of 20 miles on a trip. She really needed a good bike that would let her go that far, and possibly further.

The bike was being sold by a couple who had purchased road bikes. Someday if Patty gets serious about bike riding for physical fitness perhaps she will want a road bike, but for now a hybrid is the best option. It is a comfortable bike and fits her perfectly with plenty of room if she happens to grow a few more inches. The thinner tires are perfect for the road and the Towpath. Bike season is sadly coming to a close here in North East Ohio and it will soon be snowing, but Patty did get to ride the bike for a week before the weather started to turn. Maybe there will be one more weekend with decent weather.

Eddy’s Foot Necklace

There is an early morning activity that students at St. Paul’s can participate in, where they walk laps around the gym. Showing up no sooner than 7 AM the gym is open and there is an adult waiting to supervise the students walking. The incentive for all this walking, for the students, is earning prizes and Eddy has earned his first prize. The foot in the picture is awarded when a student completely fills in all the feet on a card. The card has 20 feet to fill in on each side and it takes 5 laps in order to fill in one foot.

This program goes on all year, so there is no telling how many feet Eddy will end up with on his necklace by the end of the year. He has not missed a day yet, and usually sets his alarm and wakes up before I do. He has friends who have been in this program for years and they have many feet. We are all very proud of Eddy for waking up early and getting some exercise before school.