unreliable as usual

Sorry folks... I have been lax...

I have been very busy and distracted and unorganized, uninspired... you name it.

My last blog was back before Christmas. It's been kinda a blur but here are some highlights of what has gone on the past couple of months.

Michelle played on her school's soccer team. They play in the winter season, which we were not use to. Since she was one of only 4 or 5 girls who had ever played soccer, she got alot of playing time. Her team did not win to many games but by the end of the season the team was playing some decent soccer.

Michelle participated in a Solo and Ensemble Festival. Her trio received a Superior rating, the highest rating awarded.

Kyle has been participating on the school's Billiards team. Who ever heard of a high school billiards team but hey.... He is doing pretty well. He was awarded most valuable player a couple of weeks ago. Currently his school's team is in second place. The organizer has a really nice web page with all the statistics and standings and pictures and such: http://www.betterplaybilliards.org/

Other than that, Kyle sprained his wrist a couple of weeks ago. He was not feeling well so he stayed home from school. He took a shower he somehow slipped and banged his arm on the side. We took him to the urgent care place, the same one I had visited less than a week earlier (explained below) where he was x-rayed and his arm splinted.

The arm was sprained. It kept him from billiards and golf for a week or so but seems to be OK now.

Karen got a job (outside of keeping us all organized). She is working at "Tax Savvy" (http://www.taxsavvy.biz/), a tax preparation company. She is working full time through the end of the tax season then part time (hopefully) through the rest of the year. She seems to enjoy the work but does not like having to get everything else done in the nights and weekends.

I have been working hard at work. I have teamed up with another guy and we are commissioning a CS2100 from scratch. This switch will be used as a demo switch for one of our customers. This not normally in my job description but it has been a VERY good training experience; all be it very frustrating at times as well. There are more layoffs happening at work. Another 10% company wide. So far my group is being spared.

One day a couple of weeks ago, Michelle called from school and said she was not feeling well. So I picked her up from school and worked from home. That afternoon she was feeling a little better and her soccer team was getting team pictures taken that afternoon. So I drove her back to school for the pictures. It was a breezy day and while waiting for Michelle I watches a paper plate blow by. I felt kinda guilty for not picking it up. A few minutes later I saw a plastic bag heading my way. To make up for letting the paper plate blow by I decided to pick up the bag. Well as I was going to get it, a gust of wind took it. I chased... I ended up tripping and landing on my let hand. The next morning my hand was swollen like a balloon. I went to the Urgent care place that afternoon, primarily because my ring finger was turning purple. They tried everything they could but could not save my wedding ring. They had to cut it off. They took x-rays and did not seen any broken bones. The doc thought it was probably a sprain but thought it could be a hairline fracture or crack. So they splinted my hand and wrist and told me to follow up with an orthopaedist the following week. It got a little better but after a couple of weeks I still could not use it without significant pain. So last week I went to the orthopedist. He determined that I bruised some bones in my hand and also torn a cartilage in my wrist. They gave me a Cortisone shot in my joint (ouch) told me my hand will hurt for another 4-6 weeks and sent me on my merry way.

That's about it.... Moving forward... Tyler comes in for spring break next week. Michelle and Kyle are also off that week. Michelle turns 13 years old march 15th.

Talk to you again hopefully soon...