Toys in the Attic

My blogging server has been uncooperative today but nonetheless I've tried to get this posted on time. Friday is my wife's birthday! I could probably spend the better part of a few years writing down all the things about her that make her special, but then you'd get bored, she'd get embarrassed and I'd get carpal tunnel. Suffice to say she's the best thing that ever happened to me by a long shot. She's the best wife a man could ask for, and I'd be lost without her. She's a great mom to Gracie, a dedicated worker at her job as well. But more important that all of that- she's just the most decent human being I've ever known. She's caring, kind, and thoughtful and always considers what she can do to make the world better for others. Sometimes her optimism shames my cynical side. It might be corny to say, but she does indeed complete me. When I met her I felt like I had known her forever. She has the courage to call me on all my stupidity, but also the love to forgive me for it. I know often I disappoint her, fail her, annoy her and yet she's still here, giving me more and more as if to say 'you're not getting rid of me that easy, I'm here for the duration'. She is then, ultimately, my best friend and she's gorgeous on top of all that. Happy Birthday, my love. Last weekend, Shell and her Dad installed our new porch that they had built a few weeks ago and brought to the house in pieces to be assembled. It looks great (as you can see in pictures below).

The place is really starting to look nice and feel comfortable. There's still much to do, but the list that we compiled when we first bought the place of all the renovations and additions has at least dwindled to a reasonable size now. And it's a good thing too because suddenly Ginny Grace has decided this is the perfect moment to make herself Super Mobile Baby! She finally figured out the crawling thing and is racing around the house at breakneck (eep) speeds. She's climbing up on stuff, trying to stand and walk and surf. It has seemingly lowered her frustration level since she can now get to where she wants to go, but of course has seemingly heightened our frustration (and fear) level since she can now get to where she wants to go- which, as is the case with all babies, is EXACTLY where she doesn't belong. For us so far it has been under the kitchen table and directly at the dog food bowls. Speaking of Butch and Sundance (Dixie and Willow), Dixie has become obsessed with her summertime game of terrorize the chipmunks. This means she spends the better part of the days glowering at the ground in the backyard, eyes fixed on the spots in the corners where the little chippies hide. Then at some point, I assume they send one of their braver munks out on a suicide-diversion mission and a black streak tears through the yard along the fence-line as Dixie chases it so the other chipmunks can race out for food and smokes I suppose. Dixie has so far this year made no kills…but she continues her targeted surveillance activities until we ply her back inside with promises of cheese and a car ride. I'm reading a collection of essays in a book caled "The New Killing Fields: Massace and the Politics of Intervention" which obviously is not a happy book. But it is interesting especially as it was written in the intervening period between the launch of the Afghan war and the invasion of Iraq. It takes case studies of Cambodia, Rwanda, East Timor and a few others to argue for, what I would call but perhaps not the authors, "pre-emptive intervention". There's much to disagree with no matter which way you lean politically, and much with which you might ultimately agree. What the book does do at its most fundamental though is highlight the complexity, sometimes the paradox, or use of force to end brutal dictatorships and ultimately stop (or hopefully prevent) eventual genocide. Also I'm reading "Nothing Like It In The World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad" by Stephen Ambrose and am finishing my third reading of Joseph Ellis' "Founding Brothers" which I needed to read again after reading McCullough's "1776" There's so much I want to read this summer. I have a stack of books on my desk that I'll slowly plow through I'm sure. I have made Ginny Grace's blog public now too. I've been keeping it since we had the ultrasound that told us we were having a girl. Since we knew what we were naming her I set it up and it's just got little short posts from her point of view and a photo. Some of the pictures may have been posted elsewhere, but occasionally there are a few you've never seen, so if you want to take a look just visit Say Goodnight Gracie. You can also leave her a message if you wish, all of which we will save for her for when she's older. Also she has her own email address gracie@stamant.org where we save emails from friends and family for her as well. I trust that one day she'll look back at all the stuff we've saved and be grateful and know how much she was loved. For now though it's time for some photos: Nap time...