Jingle Bells and Veteran's Day

Having just returned from vacation late last night, Rebecca headed to Kroger today to pick up some food necessities so we could feed Maggie and Seth dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow (shopping being something we try hard to rest from on Sundays - and pretty much any time when we don't have to get something). Over said dinner, Rebecca asked Maggie if she could remember the song they'd heard at the store - which she could. Jingle Bells.

Now it's bad enough that all the Christmas stuff has already been out for a couple of weeks - but "Jingle Bells" before Thanksgiving?! And on Veteran's Day/Memorial Sunday? We paused before lunch to remember those whose lives have been lost in war, and prayed for peace. (Maggie wanted to know why people were hitting each other in wars - after I fumbled with an attempt to explain Memorial Sunday, and war in general, Rebecca saved me from myself and translated my efforts into 3 year old-ish, to Maggie's satisfaction).

I love holidays. I want to anticipate them, savour the build up - especially the new holiday I've gained from living in the U.S. But Kroger has apparently decided that we can just skip Thanksgiving (unless they're offering the convenience of buying turkeys for both holidays at the same time). Maybe if it hadn't been Memorial Sunday today I would have just shrugged at Rebecca's comment and kept eating the Freschetta pizza we settled on for dinner. But Jingle Bells as the soundtrack for Veteran's Day? I don't know about that...

Peace.

Satsumas

Satsumas
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

We're looking forward to tasting the first harvest from our 4' satsuma tree - we've been enjoying the last of the sweet peppers and bush beans this week.

Barnyard buddies

Barnyard buddies
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Maggie & Seth enjoyed their school pumpkin patch and really enjoyed getting to hold candy in their hands - some of which was redistributed as kids came trick or treating in the neighborhood - just say 'no' to (excessive) sugar.

bike + bike

Wrecked jeans
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

After 16 years of owning and riding my '84 Ironhead Sportster, I finally had a wreck. And despite the proliferation of SUVs and pickups in H-Town, I was hit by a...bicycle. My new friend Alvin was cutting across a 4 lane street on his bicycle pre-dawn on Thursday, and although he beat the Metro bus in the right lane, he hit me in the left lane about a second after we saw each other. I laid the bike down, and slid down the road with it on top of me (see jeans) and Alvin's bike on top of mine. Thankfully neither of us are badly injured, although he has torn a couple of ligaments in his ankle. I just have some nice road rash, and a few bruises. I'm waiting on news about the state of my bike - lots of cosmetic damage, smashed clutch, dented tank - I think the insurance company will total it, but I have hopes that I'll get it back on the road. We'll see...
I was mad for about 5 minutes after the wreck, but then I started feeling a bunch of compassion for Alvin, and my anger diffused quickly. We've talked several times since the wreck, and are going to drink some coffee together sometime this week. I started playing the 'if only I'd...' game a couple of days ago, but no one wins that one, so I stopped sharpish. Maybe it's just one of those things. I'm hoping something unexpected comes out of all this - and that it's a good something! Again, we'll see...

Martyn Joseph

Martyn plays for Maggie and Seth 10-07
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

After opening for Martin Sexton on the first 10 dates of his tour, Martyn dropped by for a couple of days before heading back to the UK to tour with his new album 'Vegas'. He did a show to an enthusiastic crowd at Taft Street Coffee, and we're hoping he comes back our way next February. His biggest fans in Houston are definitely Maggie and Seth, and they want you to buy 'Vegas'. Now. Because it will make you get up and dance. And you won't be able to get "Vegas...hmm, mmm. Vegas...hmm, mmm" out of your head.

The family

Our family - June 07
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

Thanks to Geoff Maddock's expert tuition this afternoon, we're on our way to becoming blog-competent. flickr account opened and ready to go - here we are, earlier this summer in Greenville, IL.

Western Meadowlark

Western Meadowlark
Originally uploaded by the gladdings

we like birds. here's one we made earlier...