1014

If i don't ever post #1015 that picture of era will always be top of page... which is more tempting than it seems.

Spidey & era & Speed Painting

Today era wore his spidey slippers with the light-up eyes. They looked kind of like moon boots on the little boy. I am slowly ensuring that era grow up with Spidey along side (thank you Marvel...). You will recall the indoctrination includes memorizing the original animated jingle. And now, pictorial proof i'm dressing the little gaffer up in spidey wear.


Life is good. Life isn't any worse with spidey duds on.


This is my new screen saver here at home. (a better version obviously, which, i might share if someone i knew were interested...) Anyhoo...

era rocks!

This Spidey illustration video is quite stunning, and well worth the few minutes it takes to watch. This video is 4 minutes of sped up paint shop pro style sketch & color. Nico di Mattia. Intense sound track too... heh.



/era has seen this youtube video, but we haven't watched any of the Spiderman movies yet. i need to save something for his early teen years, don't i? :)

Era Time

/i do love Tuesdays with era.

//Today is brought to you in part, by the letter H

A Year Ago

A year ago this weekend;

We played basketball in Millar, ate at the Trove.

Then i took era swimming for the first time.

/This weekend was good to, don't get me wrong. :)

Era & Captain Caveman

Aside from a healthy dose of Baby Einstein, tonights educational moment has been courtesy of Sesame Street... and dad. :)



/That clip is oldskool...

//hmmm, seems like some folks don't like the idea of captain caveman & son watching much tv. (according to the above Baby Einstein link). i wonder if youtube clips count???

Ramones More & Less

At lunch today i tried to sing the Spiderman theme song from tv when i was growing up. i butchered it... so, to ensure era's proper growth and development, i will post the real song, and we will listen to it repeatedly. (there will be a test on this later...)
/i can hardly wait to let him read the old comics i have stashed away.





You know that the spiderman theme song was epoch changing because the Ramones chose to cover it, as the above youtube video shows.



And to complete era's evening development, i posted some More & Less Bert & Ernie... always good!

Count & the Mail

/more father and son time, spent well!

Basketball & the Push Off

NBA Finals 1998. i remember where i watched every game. I remember who i was with, and if i think hard i might remember what i ate... what i drank was easy; coffee.

The 1998 finals were the Bulls sixth title, which meant it was Jordan & Pippen & co's second three-peat. i was not rooting for the bulls on this one. i wanted Stockton and Malone to get their ring (both have since retired without a championship, Malone even came close with the Lakers - but probably regrets not suiting up with the Heat.)

The sixth game ended with Jordan shooting over (thru?) Bryon Russell. Bulls were down by one, then they were up by one; game over, series over. For almost ten years i've been jousting with basketball fans (and good friends) about Jordans "push off" of Russell to create separation on that last fateful shot. Surely it was an offensive foul. i have the game on DVD and, to torture myself i watch it... like yesterday afternoon era and i watched it, again.

You can see the grainy shot at 2:54 of the below youtube video. if you care...

/and if you watch the whole video, 4:44 was beautiful too, no?

Guess what? it might not have been that much of a push off, in fact... after all this time it now occurs to me that motive may have been involved in the announcers calling of that shot. See, as the live broadcast records, it was Isiah Thomas who commented, in the heat of the moment that Jordan got away with a push off, he then goes on to talk about Super stars getting that treatment. Golly, Thomas never EVER had any bad things to say about Jordan did he? (for the record, yeah, i think those two had some moments of opposition.)

So, while i'm not a Jordan fan per se, and i still believe the "five point swing" in that game should have gotten the Jazz to a seventh game, i might actually be at rest when considering the push-off, or lack there of. Fans can be rabid, and blind. i suppose i may have edged that territory... i should have taken note of the Thomas angle back then... but it took a few years. All that being said, i still intend to harass Jordan/Bulls fans with the push-off comment. It's just good clean fun!

Speaking of Pippen, while watching the game (where Pippens' back is uber sore) Renee asks if Pippen was really all that good? "Of course" i said, Jordan didn't win any rings without Pip (just like Kobe hasn't won any without Shaq). In fact, at 42 Pippen is still playing pro ball... accross the pond: Pippen Scores in Finnish League

Papa & My Tender Heart

Papa Do You Love Me?

Author Barbara Joose writes this in response to the question, why did you place this story with the Masaai people of Kenya?

"Why did I write a story that takes place in Kenya? Why are the father and son Maasai?

Partly because Kenya is a bright and beautiful place. Partly because the Maasai culture is interesting. Also, life on the mara can be very hard. There are lions and hyenas and dryness. Messing up, on the mara, can be very dangerous.

When I was in Kenya, I could see the ways Maasai families are different from my own. But when I watched papas with their children, I could see the same tenderness and pride and big Papa-smiles I could see on my own Papa's face. And then, I could see the parts that were the same." - Barbara Joose

This is a phenomenal book that i picked up a year ago. I read it to era often... so often now that i quote bits of it to him when we are chatting. I only think to post this right now because very good friends of ours are expecting their first child this spring, and i think this book could be as grand a gift for them as it has been for era and i.

Thanks to the Google book project, you can read this childrens book online, you'll love it, and want to own a copy for sure!

Era - Pez

Era helped me take stock of my PEZ collection the other day. i had the digi-cam out and was updating my inventory with digital pics. Era likes pics... and he loved the Pez i gave him for all his help.









The E.T. pez era has in the last two pictures is one i bought in Kenya... at a super market in Nairobi. The super market was on the main floor of an open air 3 story mall... lots of stairs, and lots of fun.

Era, Levi & the Seven Samurai

A couple era pics to hold you over to new years... or sooner.



era & Duke kickin' it by the tree.


On Christmas day, the boys out at the farm.


Little buddy Levi and era.




That last picture isn't even staged... Renee found era with the video, he had gone and picked that video case over all the others. I am assured of era's good taste now. The Seven Samurai is an absolute classic... i've seen it almost as many times as i've seen The Godfather, or The Blues Brothers.

Era & the Count

I like to count. I like the count.
era likes the count too!

Zippy Era Vlog

OK, i got a video loaded online... take a boo!






/never let the technology win... i'll work on loading more videos some other time. Maybe i should invest some time in editing software know-how.

Era - NES

Era bear is documented here, for the first time, taking great joy in what he will learn to lovingly refer to as the NES. The Nintendo Entertainment System... 8-bit, old skool goodness.


Another pic of era outgrowing one of the cats... i love the look Duke is giving the camera.


A year ago last week, this video of era was archived...

he's come a long way, and grown a fair bit in the last year. i'd show you more videos but i'm having difficulty loading new vids to zippy, and i haven't taken the time to find another option.

The Friendly Giant

Further to my blithe attempt at indoctrination, i let era watch the opening and closing of the Friendly Giant. Old skool goodness. The chicken in a sack on the wall was a nice touch too! Throw in some more sesame street and this boy is going to know all about children's TV, at least the stuff his dad watched.

PUMAlijah

PUMAlijah... the era cat!
That was a fun birthday party we attended.

Grovers Hat

I've had Grover teach era in the past, now Grover has the hat for it.





/enjoy... era did!

era: Grounded

I really shouldn't ever wonder what it is i'm doing. But when i do, this grounds me. This right here.

Brand Patriarch

Brand Rosendal was born in 1921 in Barneveld, Netherlands; the third of 11 children. He has told riveting stories of how he matured to manhood amid Hollands Occupancy during WW2. Brand married in 1946, and emigrated to Western Canada in 1950. With eight children of his own, Brands family has grown almost exponentially. It has been my particular honour to have married into Brands' family.

Brand, for as long as i have known him, has been warm & welcoming, stern, trustworthy & supportive. He has served the role of Patriarch impeccably well i would suspect.
Today, just days after he has passed on to be with the Lord, i was proud to partake in the celebration of his remarkable life while family members mourned their loss.

Era-bear visited Brand early this year, with pictures for posterity.

Brand was a remarkable man, one worthy of his namesake to be sure.

Fall Era

I haven't left much time for blogging tonight, but i will leave you with one dilemma; From which of the below thumbnail pics should i select and use as my new desktop on the at work computer?







We took era out with some friends for pictures the other day, and had so much fun doing it that Renee & era went out again for more pics. (it's a good thing all the pics are digital, otherwise the developing costs would be astronomical...)

Era gets Soul

/Just making sure that era learns his roots... soul. :)
youtube & seasame street are great resources. Heh.

era Goes to the Zoo

We took era to the Zoo today. The Calgary Zoo. He loved it. And why wouldn't he?

i was excited to show him the African animals that i had seen on safari.



This is arguably closer than i have ever gotten to a lion in the wild. (The fence does wonders for one's cavalier disregard for personal safety)


Era enjoyed watching the elephants... a lot. For a long time. (Does that elephant have aluminum tipped grills?)


It's hard to argue with the boy when he likes the red panda. That is a cute beast.


The ring tail Lemur was a hit too, era likey!


Here you see dad bravely helping era sneak up on some wild game. Vicious beasts in the wild; (ducks)
What? what?


/i probably should have wore a yellow hat (implying that era is the monkey)

Gouda Time

Era ate Gouda today, for the first time. Gouda is dutch cheese, and era liked it. That was good.

During one of our trips to Kenya, we found a Dutchman managing a farm North of Nairobi. He'd been in Kenya long enough to perfect the manufacture of Gouda. Mmmm. We bought and ate a lot of Gouda on that trip. A lot of Gouda.

Studio Boy

My father and i had a great afternoon together today. Tomorrow, it's back to work (today was a holiday).

Era is out of town tonight, but i've got my pics handy. Enjoy.

era - One Year Ago Today

July 27, 2006




And now... After the sparklers were in the cupcakes, for the very first time;



"Thanks for a great first year" (at least, that's what i think he's been trying to say...)

VP era BONK

I got these pics emailed to me this morning while i was at work. Seems that my boy is all grown up. (and by checking the file names of the pics, you can see he is mocking my job title too - That's MY boy!)






I ought to buy that little boy a tie... and send him to my next work presentation. He might do better than i do in swaying the folks, and he doesn't have near the command of the English language i have. (but he does have a crazy cute look about him, no?) Would you let that boy build town homes in your neighborhood? Of course you would.

Click the video below to see era play a game of BONK with the camera.

Era, Digger & the Anniversary

era & Prince are watching Digger Dan get the back yard in shape.


This smug little boy figures he is getting a back yard. Heh.

/Today was an anniversary of sorts. A year ago today i started with Classic. Since i started there, my role has been refined...

Era Firsts

This weekend the family and i went out to a nearby family farm... it was my first time *driving* the Russian motorcycle with sidecar ( i rode on the back of one with my family while growing up - like gypsies, only not) and it was era's very first motorcycle ride.



He liked it.

Today was another first for era... Not the first time in the pool, but the first time he was taken to swimming lessons. He did awesome... for a baby he floats pretty good.






We'll be doing more of that.

Sturgeon & Fergus

We spent some time in a cottage on Sturgeon Lake, just down the coastline from Lindsay & Bobcaygeon (remember the Hip?).
Then, a little more time in Fergus, and the surrounding countryside. What a great assortment of old world architecture, cultural diversity & great farmers markets... Wow.

First, era had the pleasure of learning to ride (a dog).
It is going to be stampede soon... and you have to start *busting* something, why not Petey the Dog?



/for those of you with knowledge of the sport, yeah, era got a full 8 seconds in.




Next, while boating Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, era managed to use the wheel. He's gonna make a fine pirate some day.





Summer time meant Sun time... and era got his share. This boy knows how to travel, and how to relax.

/i bought a can of Cheetah Energy Drink... heh... Not to drink (yet), but to put on the shelf as a reminder of that pivotal race in 1988 that i watched & CHEERED as Ben Johnson won. And now this: "Yes, I Cheetah all the time." Punny i suppose... but it's not a big hit, as reviewed by ads that suck.

// i bought the book. Hard cover. Reading it has been an absolute blast.

Grover Teaches era

It's not saturday morning, but thanks to the interweb i can have Grover teach my boy any day of the week. Thanks Grover...

/and thanks Tim Berners-Lee who invented the interwerb (someone should have told him to make it larger)

//i suppose some thanks needs to go out to youtube as well!

What a Great Weekend

This weekend i migrated some pics of era from the digi-cam over to the desktop. A few of those pics follow:



Era eating blueberries... good times.


Sleeping on dads shoulder, as he often does.


Loving his latest toy... thanks.


His favorite snack time is still Waddles the Duck.



Aside from Fathers Day, which was a blast, i stayed up too late and watched the entire first season of The Unit (13 episodes). Dennis Haysbert is as good as a special ops Delta Force guy, as he was President Palmer. (This guy has been acting so long he has been on Magnum PI & Lavern & Shirley. - Old Skool)

Tickets to the Game

CCL had the opportunity to sponsor our local baseball team, the Medicine Hat Mavericks. We jumped at it. Got our sign up in left field "www.donotrent.ca" and everything.

The big perk tho, is a handful of game tickets. I've gone to one game a year for a few years now: to show support - it's time to take the family!

When i got home Renee had gotten era ready to go... all i had to do was put the tickets in his hands, and off we go!






Tonight was the Mav's second home game of the 2007 season. Sounds like a good time to take era out to the ball park. Eat some dogs... drink some pop. Sleep time comes fast for little ones (either that or dads attention span was short), the three of us left during the 3rd inning.

The Mini-Mavericks club was being advertised pretty heavy, along with the t-shirt and autographs the kids receive was a Mini-Mavericks baseball skills camp for kids later this month. That is a little too soon for era. Maybe next year?

:)

Where Was Grover Saturday Morning

Last week i talked about watching Disco Grover with my boy. Since that morning i've been anxiously waiting for Saturday morning to arrive again. So we could watch more Grover. Watch and blog more Grover.

Didn't happen. Instead, we went to the very first Farmers Market of the season here in Medicine Hat. Brian Kannekens of the Bean There Roasting Company was on hand selling his freshly roasted coffee beans. i glady bought 3 pounds: Tanzanian Peaberry, Ethiopian Harar and Columbian Decaf (for a gift). The market was chaulk full of food... and i have enough coffee now to last me the week. Thanks Brian.
Be sure to visit the Farmers Market for Bean There coffee beans... They're Great!

So, we skipped our Grover Saturday Morning... but theres no harm in posting the Grover video we would have watched together. Me and era i mean. Although i'm sure if Mr. Kannekens wanted to watch Grover with us, era wouldn't mind one bit (Just be sure to bring coffee, for dad).

Grover wants to be a life guard:

Grover certainly seems to have the lungs for the job. Doesn't that guy sound a LOT like kermit?

Local Sign Language for bebes

This looks interesting.

Silly Goose Signs

Era is a little young, but all i know to teach him is "i like your blouse"...

Saturday Morning Disco Grover Era

Era turns 10 (months) tomorrow, and today is saturday morning. It's about time i did two things as father: Watch cartoons with era on saturday morning, just the two of us (Check!) and those cartoons should be old skool edu-tainment(Check!)



/Kudos to youtube for having tons of these Sesame Street snippets.

Era

Era goes to the Park

Cremona Rivers Edge

ROAD TRIP!

Renee and i took the gaffer to Cremona this weekend. He's a great guy to travel with. For real.
We spent the weekend at Rivers Edge Camp & Recreation Centre. Our Sports Ministry team went of up there for some speakers & some r&r. It was all good.

Good friend Harold Cooper (whom i've traveled with 3 times to Africa) & his wife Mary are running the camp. Harold is now serving as the executive director. He is the 5th E.D. in the last 8 years i think? So he has his work cut out for him. Looks like they are doing a remarkable job. The site is beautiful and full of visitors. That is always a good sign.





What a view. If Harold & Mary decide to allow home building on this 300 acre site... i'll be one of the first in line. Cremona is a little town located North West of Calgary, Alberta, within driving distance from our home here in the hat.

Era Goes on a Trip

Tonight we took era to visit his great grand mother Betty. She lives in the Hat, so it's close by, but i drove around and around anyways... makes it seem farther that way. Era enjoyed the drive just like he enjoyed the visit (lots)





The real fun started on the drive home. Era is in the backseat, and he's having a hard time settling (which is unusual for our little traveling baby). His hat is mis adjusted... so i fix it. And he goes quiet. I'm a dad with Skillz. Baby hat fixing skills. I don't bother to take my eyes off the road while i drive... i just know i did a great job fixing era's hat.

Or maybe not.



Renee got this pic when we got home, seems we didn't notice before then. And era kept his little mouth shut. Maybe we hurt his feelings?
(look at that pout)




Gosh, i hope he doesn't think i put his hat over his face on purpose. Heh (it was an eerily quiet drive home). My fatherhood skillz are now if full review. I guess i didn't do such a great job fixing era's hat after all.

Kenyan Prince Era

First: A thumbs up from our young Kenyan Prince: era




Then, second: Era hangs out with a new little buddy Ira. How cool is that. It's almost like the parents planned it. Or something.


Ira is younger, and smaller, but it doesn't stop him from winding up like he's gonna throw a haymaker. (RH could be heard in the background "Show'em the ways Ira, show'em the ways") Or not.


For the final two pics, the explanation can wait till the end:


It seems that we've taught little Elijah how to stick out his tongue. He does it a lot now.


And he thinks that it is pretty darn funny. Almost the most funnyist. Evar.

Era - Round Up

Era is 8 months today. i'm only disappointed that it was too cold for a long walk after work. The walk he and i took yesterday after work was awesome. Conversation was a little one sided. Tho he didn't seem to mind.








This whole having-a-baby gig is pretty amazing. For real.

Era Gets a New Hat

There is a story in here. Somewhere.

Say Arrr

"Scare the grandparents" with baby tattoos. i likey.

With era sporting these, grandfolks won't be scared... they wouldn't even be surprised.

Era & Raema

Ladies nite at the Thai Restaurant. Of course Era goes, he's no fool, the ladies love the little gaffer.

The Learning Mind

"Toddlers have an easier time learning new words when they figure out the meanings themselves" - Reuters.com

And for as the mind grows, we have Scientific American to discuss the Expert Mind and how that mind is made, not born.

era in the Hat

Took the gaffer swimming tonight. Again.


Thumbs up space cadet


That hat fits a bit better than before. Click here to see the first post of era and his hat.

I'll keep blogging the boy... relax. sheesh.

Sippy Cup Vlog

CotC 2.0 Continues

The carnival this week is as hard as ever to get published in, but the read is well worth the link. This weeks Carnival of the Capitalists here.

/Renee would rather i published more pics of era, and less links to the CotC... but is she really my reading demographic? (i guess what i mean is, do you ALL want to see more pics of my boy? hardly.)

Era's 7th month

First, the above Vlog (video blog) of little era laughing about his 7th month day. Click the link for laughing goodness, not this much laughing goodness mind you. Then, the story of era and the chicken. Everyone loves the chicken. Even era loves the chicken. Mmm chicken.

Era's Wagon redux

More Era goodness... this one from MH.

/This has become a veritable Photoshopping event. I love it.

Era's Ride

That is flippin' sweet. Thanks for emailing the image buddy! (and thanks for taking me up on my offer yesterday about photoshoping era into the wagon he hopes to one day own)

/i noticed the blur you added to the image too, makes it look like he's in a racing wagon. too fun.

He does look pretty happy in the wagon, maybe we will need to go shopping. i just wish they were still the same price as 1956. :)

Big Red Era

I got this picture passed to me this evening. Seems that this is now on our wishlist... I imagine it's on Renee's wish list, as era's wishlist at the moment isn't quite as advanced (i don't think).


This can be ordered online too... never would have guessed that 10 years ago, or maybe you did, seeing as this sort of thing was ordered by mail 50 years ago too (Eatons Special Price $9.98 : 1956 Christmas Catalog).

i didn't have the time yet to photo-shop era into the wagon above... but here are a couple pics if you want the challenge (the scale is a little off). If you cut and paste the boy into the *Big Red Classic All Terrain Wagon", send me a copy!





He'll love it, won't he?

Era Sitting. And Sitting. And

Era is a strapping lad these days... a far cry from the whee one he started out as (i never doubted it).
Renee grabbed three pics in quick succession that, when viewed in a particular order are, frankly, quite fun. See era sit. Sit era sit. (been reading too much Dr Seuss methinks)








Fall era fall. Heh, maybe i shouldn't laugh but, i really wish i was there. Bet that was one heck of a bounce, it's a good thing little boys are resilient.

/pic number 2 is great for so many reasons. look at Rosie the dog hamming it up for the camera. too campy. Not staged...

Elijahs' first swim

Elijahs' first swim. Sure he's had lots of baths. But this was his first swimming pool experience. Only to be outdone by his first river, and first lake experience (all planned for this summer). Renee was there too (thanks for taking the pic).