Comfort, comfort my people, says your God

Today, my heart feels truly broken for the Fitzgerald family.

Ray was diagnosed last May with metastasized liver cancer. After nearly seven months of chemo and radiation, his doctors determined on Tuesday that everything medical that could be done had been. Ray's home going was Wednesday, his cancer is healed and he has no more suffering.

Although, we rejoice with his family that Ray is in heaven, we pray for those that are mourning for him on earth, especially for his wife, Kristin and his three young daughters under the age of 7, Nora, Maggie and Lucy.

Kristin has been such an inspiration. Her courageousness is truly beyond any earthly ability. Even when sharing the news of Ray's death, she closed her email with this verse.

"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins." Isaiah 40:1-2

Inauguration 2009

Check back throughout the day for more photos.

Competitive Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics

I may have lost a competitive Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics game. I'm not sure; rules changed every three seconds, the 5 year old was sure of the outcome and happily declared she had won the match. The 5 year old is one of our favorite short people, and belongs to the class of children known as Emergency Broadcast Children, but that's another story.

Apparently, the 5 year old is named: She-has-an-unbelievable-amount-of energy….will-she-ever-slow-down…NOW-what-is-she-doing!

We believe that's her given name, because whenever her parents talk about her they do two things:

1. Quickly twist their heads about to possibly catch a glimpse of the blur they believe is their 5 year old daughter.
2. Say her aforementioned name

For ease of use, we can call her, 'Evie'.

Here is an unre-touched transcript of the actual Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics game.

Evie: Ok, first, first, first … um …. you hit the ball through there - in the goal BUT you can't hit it with the stick like this …. you MUST hit it slower than me …..
Me: Ok.
Evie: I get a point.
Me: How? (I realized I had much to learn about the game)
Evie: Now, we'll … um … we'll place the ball here and you have to hit ….
JuJu ... Stop It...STOP IT (to her older sister, Juliette, aka JuJu) …

- - - - - -

We go to commercial break while my worthy competitor, Evie, and her older sister, Juliette, carefully and thoughtful discuss who is allowed to play the game. Their mother has to intercede the gentle and civil discussion only three times.

With only minor gnashing of teeth, we return from commercial break.

- - - - - - -

Evie: OK…. Um ….. you can't stop my ball from getting the goal, but I can block yours.
Evie: (with out doing anything) I get another point, I'm leading by 5 points now.
Me: ??? (Apparently, my strategy is to stand around and wait for Evie to score more mystery points.)
Evie: Can I have some water?
Me: (Thinking: A-Ha! My big break! While she is distracted by using both hands on the "big girl cup", I can be assured a victory of the game)
Evie: (Apparently aware of my plans) I don't want any water, anymore.
Evie: I get another point.
Me: ??? (Apparently, I'm still flawlessly executing my strategy of standing around and waiting for Evie to score more points)
…

The rest of the evening continued this way until we had run out of points; apparently Evie had won all of the points "in the entire world". During the post-game press conference, I was careful to mention that Evie "came ready to play" and "wanted the win, more then me"

But I'm not worried about this loss, there will be more Basket-Hockey-Golf-Calisthenics competitions –

When that happens, I'll be ready. (Evie! Look! Over there! It's Mickey Mouse!)


(c) 2009 b shaw

Well-Vented to Reduce Odor

The nation's capital is decked out in portable restrooms. They literally line long portions of the National Mall and many sidewalks along downtown streets.

To the right is the "Deluxe Restroom," which seems to be the model of choice.

The product's website states the following. A couple of words specifically jumped out and I have bolded them in case you miss them:

[Company name] is a premier provider of portable restrooms for events held in the Metropolitan region. Whether you're hosting a wedding, show, race or festival, we'd be proud to service your event.

If you find yourself visiting one of the capital's portable restrooms. These are the features that you will find (with additional commentary):

• Forest green colored restrooms blend in nicely with outdoor settings [how about brick?]
• Dedicated event unit (never used on construction sites) [just your other four million friends]
• Indoor lock for privacy and optional outside lock to allow restricted personnel use [do they mean "personal" not "personnel?"]
• Interior non-slip floor [unless it's under 32 degrees]
• Extra large door opening easily accommodates people of any height [how about width?]
• Well-vented to reduce odor [very reassuring]

Did I mention that there have been reports that there are about 7,000 portable restrooms. Great, that means there's about one for every 575 people. Let the fun begin!

Business PJ

Business PJ (sometimes called PJ casual) is a popular dress code that emerged in offices along the Inauguration parade route in 2009 in response to the anticipated crowds, bridge and road closures, security screenings and prohibited items.

I Make a Lovely Wengormick Bull Terrier

Source: http://wengormickbullterriers.co.uk/html/Ellie.htm

Don't come any closer, or the orchid gets it!

This is what I found when I returned to my office today.

What was once my beautiful, blooming white orchid is now broken off half way up the stem.

However, I think the note clearly sums it up.