VIII: Coming to a Theater Near You
Greetings all,
It's time for another update, and what better way to start than to announce two more additions to the distribution list. Welcome to my aunt Mary, who joins us because my Uncle Jeff must be tired of forwarding them to her. And welcome to Beth Bridge, friend of the family since forever. With every new addition, the risk of offending someone increases exponentially. But I live on the edge, like all accountants. Seriously though, we (and by we I mean me) could not be any more surprised by the popularity of this thing...
[read the next sentence in dramatic movie-trailer-guy announcer voice]
"Here's what the readers of the NYC Update are saying about this fascinating time-waster:
"'The updates are more fun than the actual event,' raved Joan Watson,
"'This is becoming a Monday morning routine - coffee and the NYC Update.' said Mark Ford,
"'Hilarious....I give it four and a half out of five stars,' wrote Jenny Schnieders,
"'I peed my pants' said Regis Watson,
"'Stop sending these things to me' said James Watson, Sr."
Ok, I made those last two up.
On to the update - we have quite a bit of catching up to do. Our Memorial Day weekend was pretty low key. We had considered a trip to the Statue of Liberty, but decided against it because of the forecasted possibility of inclement weather. Naturally, it ended up being 70 and sunny the entire weekend. It's the second time we've had to cancel that trip…but we will get it done eventually. We were able to catch the telecast of the Indy 500, which was fun to watch. Though I must say the pollen count in the house must have risen right around the time Jim Nabors was singing Back Home Again in Indiana. We also imposed ourselves upon two cookouts, one at a neighbor's house and one at the home of a family that Regis met while grocery shopping. If you really need me to explain that to you, you don't know my wife very well.
The Friday before Memorial Day Weekend, Regis and the kids went to the Sun High Orchard (http://www.sunhigh.com), which is about five minutes from our house. The orchard has a small farm where kids can feed rabbits and sheep and goats. I haven't been there yet, mainly because it sounds like the petting zoo I was subjected to as a child, where I was attacked by a small gaggle of pygmy goats, most of whom were trying to eat the lint out of my pockets. Jimmy and Maggie apparently enjoyed feeding the "seep." I asked how our youngest did and got this reply: "Annie didn't want to feed the sheep, she wanted to eat the carrot we were trying to give them." Yeah, that's my girl.
You will all be sad to know that our Swiss yard man, Hans, is no longer on staff. Hans had what one might call "punctuality issues," so he had to be launched. You know ND alums, we have a quick hook. But seriously, when we lost Annie in the yard, it was time to make a change. We've replaced Hans with Don, who is the world's tallest lawncare professional. Don stands 7 feet 2 inches tall. I'm not making this up. He drives a truck (it has a "hemi" …. he offered, we didn’t ask), and has been pulled over by the police frequently because…are you ready for this…he sits in the extended cab to drive. So, when you see the truck go by, and you look in the driver side window, there doesn't appear to be a driver. Where do we find these people? Anyway, Don is doing a great job, and when he isn't mowing, we are having him clean gutters and change light bulbs.
Our friend Jenny Schnieders came to visit this past week, so there was much frivolity and chaos. Yesterday, we went into Manhattan, as it was the first time Jenny had been to NYC. We walked through what I would call the "Tourist District", which is basically the square from 50th street to 42nd street, between 4th and 7th avenues. This essentially includes Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, as well as some other spots. The visit to Times Square included a trip to a very large Toys R Us store, which looked suspiciously like our family room just moments after Christmas presents have been unwrapped. We also walked down to 34th street to see Macy's, as well as the Empire State Building. After some waiting in line ("you've gotta be kidding" to quote Jimmy), we went to the top, which was a first for Jimmy and the girls. Maggie and Annie didn't seem all that thrilled, although Maggie claimed to be able to see our car. Jimmy and Jenny hung out and took in the sites, and Regis tended to Annie, who was victimizing all around her with a teething-induced series of mood swings. At one point, I was explaining to Maggie that we were looking at Central Park, where we had been a few weeks before. After hearing me explain this, a group of German tourists began asking me questions. Within seconds, I was surrounded. I graciously answered their questions, explaining where the World Trade Center had been, showed them the UN building, explained that Central Park had been designed by Knute Rockne, and sharing other random trivia. They thanked me, then remarked how lucky I was to live in such a great country. They even asked me what I thought had made the country so great. I said that while some have credited the sacrifices and work ethic of our immigrant ancestors, I attributed it more to two very important "good luck charms," specifically daily bathing and personal hygiene products. I think they took the words to heart. Perhaps it will start a trend in Europe, or at least among those who come here to visit. That's me, a one-man State Department.
While all three of our kids are wonderful, it is becoming clearer who our best "traveler" is -- Maggie. She was such a good sport AGAIN and caused the least amount of noise. She does surprisingly well in these situations. Her only minor incident was at lunch, where she informed us that her "mouth was broken" because she bit her inner cheek. Ouch. She took it well though, and was a very good sport. Oh, and another funny story -- when the waitress took our order, Maggie ordered for herself, it was very funny.
Tomorrow, Jimmy has his Kindergarten graduation ceremony (pretty soon we're going to have full-scale ceremonies for kids who learn their address), which is nice. I'm sure some pictures of the event will be forthcoming. He will spend his summer playing and attending a few camps, including a reading camp at Rutgers University (apparently a few of the Rutgers basketball players might be campmates of his) and a soccer camp hosted by the NY/NJ Metrostars, who are allegedly a professional soccer team participating in a league that we have in the United States. The "MLS" or some such thing. News to me. Jimmy seems excited, and included in his camp package is a ticket to one of the Metrostars' games. Apparently people actually gather to watch them play. Interesting. Anyway, no worries, readers from the Banich family, he's enrolled to play flag football this fall, so all is well where his sports priorities are concerned.
There will be few photos forthcoming from an assortment of the experiences described above. Promise.
That's all for now.
Take care,
Jim
It's time for another update, and what better way to start than to announce two more additions to the distribution list. Welcome to my aunt Mary, who joins us because my Uncle Jeff must be tired of forwarding them to her. And welcome to Beth Bridge, friend of the family since forever. With every new addition, the risk of offending someone increases exponentially. But I live on the edge, like all accountants. Seriously though, we (and by we I mean me) could not be any more surprised by the popularity of this thing...
[read the next sentence in dramatic movie-trailer-guy announcer voice]
"Here's what the readers of the NYC Update are saying about this fascinating time-waster:
"'The updates are more fun than the actual event,' raved Joan Watson,
"'This is becoming a Monday morning routine - coffee and the NYC Update.' said Mark Ford,
"'Hilarious....I give it four and a half out of five stars,' wrote Jenny Schnieders,
"'I peed my pants' said Regis Watson,
"'Stop sending these things to me' said James Watson, Sr."
Ok, I made those last two up.
On to the update - we have quite a bit of catching up to do. Our Memorial Day weekend was pretty low key. We had considered a trip to the Statue of Liberty, but decided against it because of the forecasted possibility of inclement weather. Naturally, it ended up being 70 and sunny the entire weekend. It's the second time we've had to cancel that trip…but we will get it done eventually. We were able to catch the telecast of the Indy 500, which was fun to watch. Though I must say the pollen count in the house must have risen right around the time Jim Nabors was singing Back Home Again in Indiana. We also imposed ourselves upon two cookouts, one at a neighbor's house and one at the home of a family that Regis met while grocery shopping. If you really need me to explain that to you, you don't know my wife very well.
The Friday before Memorial Day Weekend, Regis and the kids went to the Sun High Orchard (http://www.sunhigh.com), which is about five minutes from our house. The orchard has a small farm where kids can feed rabbits and sheep and goats. I haven't been there yet, mainly because it sounds like the petting zoo I was subjected to as a child, where I was attacked by a small gaggle of pygmy goats, most of whom were trying to eat the lint out of my pockets. Jimmy and Maggie apparently enjoyed feeding the "seep." I asked how our youngest did and got this reply: "Annie didn't want to feed the sheep, she wanted to eat the carrot we were trying to give them." Yeah, that's my girl.
You will all be sad to know that our Swiss yard man, Hans, is no longer on staff. Hans had what one might call "punctuality issues," so he had to be launched. You know ND alums, we have a quick hook. But seriously, when we lost Annie in the yard, it was time to make a change. We've replaced Hans with Don, who is the world's tallest lawncare professional. Don stands 7 feet 2 inches tall. I'm not making this up. He drives a truck (it has a "hemi" …. he offered, we didn’t ask), and has been pulled over by the police frequently because…are you ready for this…he sits in the extended cab to drive. So, when you see the truck go by, and you look in the driver side window, there doesn't appear to be a driver. Where do we find these people? Anyway, Don is doing a great job, and when he isn't mowing, we are having him clean gutters and change light bulbs.
Our friend Jenny Schnieders came to visit this past week, so there was much frivolity and chaos. Yesterday, we went into Manhattan, as it was the first time Jenny had been to NYC. We walked through what I would call the "Tourist District", which is basically the square from 50th street to 42nd street, between 4th and 7th avenues. This essentially includes Times Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, and St. Patrick's Cathedral, as well as some other spots. The visit to Times Square included a trip to a very large Toys R Us store, which looked suspiciously like our family room just moments after Christmas presents have been unwrapped. We also walked down to 34th street to see Macy's, as well as the Empire State Building. After some waiting in line ("you've gotta be kidding" to quote Jimmy), we went to the top, which was a first for Jimmy and the girls. Maggie and Annie didn't seem all that thrilled, although Maggie claimed to be able to see our car. Jimmy and Jenny hung out and took in the sites, and Regis tended to Annie, who was victimizing all around her with a teething-induced series of mood swings. At one point, I was explaining to Maggie that we were looking at Central Park, where we had been a few weeks before. After hearing me explain this, a group of German tourists began asking me questions. Within seconds, I was surrounded. I graciously answered their questions, explaining where the World Trade Center had been, showed them the UN building, explained that Central Park had been designed by Knute Rockne, and sharing other random trivia. They thanked me, then remarked how lucky I was to live in such a great country. They even asked me what I thought had made the country so great. I said that while some have credited the sacrifices and work ethic of our immigrant ancestors, I attributed it more to two very important "good luck charms," specifically daily bathing and personal hygiene products. I think they took the words to heart. Perhaps it will start a trend in Europe, or at least among those who come here to visit. That's me, a one-man State Department.
While all three of our kids are wonderful, it is becoming clearer who our best "traveler" is -- Maggie. She was such a good sport AGAIN and caused the least amount of noise. She does surprisingly well in these situations. Her only minor incident was at lunch, where she informed us that her "mouth was broken" because she bit her inner cheek. Ouch. She took it well though, and was a very good sport. Oh, and another funny story -- when the waitress took our order, Maggie ordered for herself, it was very funny.
Tomorrow, Jimmy has his Kindergarten graduation ceremony (pretty soon we're going to have full-scale ceremonies for kids who learn their address), which is nice. I'm sure some pictures of the event will be forthcoming. He will spend his summer playing and attending a few camps, including a reading camp at Rutgers University (apparently a few of the Rutgers basketball players might be campmates of his) and a soccer camp hosted by the NY/NJ Metrostars, who are allegedly a professional soccer team participating in a league that we have in the United States. The "MLS" or some such thing. News to me. Jimmy seems excited, and included in his camp package is a ticket to one of the Metrostars' games. Apparently people actually gather to watch them play. Interesting. Anyway, no worries, readers from the Banich family, he's enrolled to play flag football this fall, so all is well where his sports priorities are concerned.
There will be few photos forthcoming from an assortment of the experiences described above. Promise.
That's all for now.
Take care,
Jim
posted by Watts at 11:21 AM
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