The Empire Will Rise Again

We went in for a diagnostic ultrasound this week. Everything is going well, the baby is growing
normally and the pregnancy is proceeding as it should. There's one small problem, though. It looks like we'll be having a baby Emperor Palpatine.

Our baby...

...The Emperor

You want this, don't you? Your Jedi pacifier.




Take it, and suck on it for a while, and your journey to the dark side, by which I mean "nap-time," will be complete.

Who is the baby daddy?

We never said Kurt was the baby daddy. For all we know I could be carrying Johnny Depp's Love Child.

Deafness, Africa, Empathy, and Technology

I heard a very interesting piece this morning on NPR's weekend edition. It was about a deaf man, Josh Swiller, and his experiences with being deaf in a world of hearing people. To be more specific, the conversation focused on his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and how his deafness shaped that time. I was thinking of Dad's experiences with Chris Congleton, and Uncle Pete's activity in the deaf community... thought you might be interested in checking it out.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14369713

Josh also made some intriguing observations about deafness, introspection, and empathy. He said that he felt being alone with one's own thoughts and feelings can serve as a wellspring of compassion. I wonder, then, if there is any correlation between the pervasive technology that bombards us with sound and external information, and our disengagement from each other - our collective unrest in what seems, on the surface, to be a time of plenty...

http://www.cracked.com/index.php?name=News&sid=2370

Just some stuff I'm thinking about.

Truck Dismount

I've been playing these goofy little free games - Stair Dismount and Tuck Dismount. They're independent games available for free at http://jet.ro/dismount/. Basically, you get a straw man that you get to beat up - the more damage, the higher your score. Push him down the stairs, crash him off a truck, have fun and get out your aggression!

Stair Dismount

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig: Part II

Okay, we know we are behind with these posts, so enough with the comments already. You try actually keeping a blog up to date. Only possible if you don't do anything (in which case what are you posting?). Anyway, I think we left off with Mother's Day Tea/Piano Recital. The following day was Monday and I am thinking that was the day we went to Iron Hill Brewery for lunch with Mom, Nanie, Aunt Sherry, and Kelley. We really put the Arnold Palmers away and were happy to find out that the gift card that we almost threw away because we thought it had less than $5 on it actually had close to $100, and more than covered our lunch. Thanks again to whoever gave that to us!

Did Arnold Palmer really invent these concoctions?

Alright, at this point I am having a hard time remembering what happened, chronologically anyway. I want to say that the following day we met my dear friend Joan for lunch, but I might have the days mixed up. Is this why you are supposed to update your blog within a month or two of actually doing the things you are writing about? Oh, well. Anyway, we went to one of our favorite Newark eateries, Homegrown Cafe, to meet Joan. She was unable to attend the Mother's Day Tea, so we brought her party favor and surprised her with the big news. I was sure Joan had already figured this out because she somehow always knows what is going on inside of my head even before I do. Somehow this time around, we were able to surprise her. That metal plate in my head must be blocking my signals. We had a nice visit, but of course it went by too quickly.

Dirt Doc, Pie Girl, and the one and only Joaniecakes!!!
(Is Kurt shrinking?)

We stopped by Cameras, etc. on Main Street to hopefully purchase the camera that I have been lusting after for months and months. We wanted to wait and purchase it from Camera's, etc. so we could support Dain and one of our favorite small businesses in Delaware, and take advantage of tax free shopping. Well, Dain wasn't there (he was driving to Key West- the complete opposite direction from Nova Scotia, I might add) and they didn't have the camera I wanted. But I ended up with a Nikon which was very similar, and I think I like even better. Just then the heavens opened up and it started pouring down rain. Serious rain with thunder and lightning. We were beyond excited by this and just sat in the car and enjoyed it for a while.

Next we were off to visit with Candice and Jim. They live in the cutest cottage I've ever seen, and I was excited to take Aunt Edna, I mean Mom, there for the first time. Candice was also unable to make it to the Mother's Day Tea, so we had to deliver her party favor to her as well.

Pie Girl and her forever fairy friend Candice

After spending as much time as we could spare in the fairy cottage we had to depart so we could make it to Momma and Commander's house (I think) for dinner. It wasn't Thursday, but we figured we could make an exception just this once. After dinner, Dirt Doc was meeting some friends and Pie Girl had a very special engagement...The Miss America Party!!! Yes, we held it in June this year (we had it on tape) and she knew the perfect sash to wear...

I just couldn't pass up this opportunity!
(The sash says "Miss'd her Period")

Mary actually made me a special sash that was very sweet- it just said "Missed" on it, but then I surprised all of them by changing into the one that I made. Jeff joined us this year, which was awesome- I mean, what a man! And he will probably kill me for posting this, but I think it needs to be done...

Come on, Ladies. How can you resist a man that is this secure in his masculinity?

I won't post the others because to be honest with you, the Miss America Face isn't all that flattering. And I don't want anyone to get made at me for making them public domain or ruining their chances of running for office.

The following day involved meeting up with Dad for lunch, visiting our old stomping ground of Landenberg, and dinner with Jason and Danielle. Have I mentioned how many of our meals were scheduled so we could dine with different people at each of them? And that reminds me....we ate dinner with Kris, Sami, and Logan at the Deer Park one night, too. But now I have no idea when that was. Maybe Monday? Anyway, it was a busy day before we headed off to bed only to wake up at some ungodly hour to get to the airport in time to catch a 6 am flight to Halifax, Nova Scotia. And to hear all about that portion of the trip check back in about 3 months. Just kidding, I think I can manage to get that post up in 6-8 weeks - or your money back!

There's no "A" in Yogurt. But there is one in Yogart.

Last weekend, we went to the mall - an activity that always elicits a giggle from Pie Girl because, seriously, the mall? Anyway, we were there for two reasons: to see Stardust (very good, by the way) and to try some frozen confections from a vendor she had told me about - a vendor I was skeptical even existed. The name of the place was purportedly "Humphrey Yogart," and they sold frozen yogurt (er, yogart). I couldn't believe the name. It has to be the worst pun EVER. Plus it sounds like something you'd see in Sam & Max. You know, sandwiched between a Stuckey's and some sort of mega-grocery store that advertises free mealworms with every purchase. But I assure you, it's true: Humphrey Yogart does exist (and is apparently a west-coast chain). We brought along the camera for documentation only to find that the batteries were missing. Dammit, who put them in the charger? And what sort of a silly place is that for batteries? Thankfully their concoctions are about as delicious as their punny name is awful, so I'm sure we'll be back soon. And when we return, I will try to get a photo and post it up here soon, preferably Photoshopped to include Sam & Max.