North to Montana

Paul was not all too happy this morning at 4AM when I carried him outside into the 40 degree weather, en route to JAX. He and Becky headed off for the great Northwest via Delta Airlines, and when I talked to her around 9:30, Paul still didn't seem very happy. Of course, things were made worse when she missed her second flight. She kind of knew it was coming, as she only had about twenty minutes to get off one and onto the other, but she was still slightly upset when she called. And by slightly, of course, I mean very upset. As of now when I type this blog, the plane is somewhere past Denver, so she's only a couple of hours behind her intended arrival time. I can only hope that Paul is asleep right now, otherwise, the five hours worth of shut eye last night for a boy who normally takes in about ten, will probably equal a lot of agitated fellow passengers onboard. I could hear him yelling at her in the background when she called, and he's becoming very good with his word skills, but honestly, I don't know where he learned all of those expletives.

Ah, the joy of airline travel. I'm guessing she'll be in Spokane around 3PM Pacific time, but that really depends on what flights are available out of Salt Lake. Better cross my fingers that something works out, or I'll be getting another dramatic phone call very shortly.

Anyway, as you can imagine, this blog will probably be slightly boring over the next couple of weeks, with no pictures to post. As it is only me... here alone... fighting to survive, as the laundry accumulates and the refrigerator becomes barren. Two finals, two papers, and Tuesday after next, I'm out of here.

Farewell and Adieu, Chester

Oh, Chester, you flea-ridden free loader, you will be missed. Yesterday, we bid a somber farewell to Chester the Cat, as we won’t be seeing him again anytime soon. Well, unless he can swim really, really well and can hold his breath for long periods of time... only kidding, Grandma! A nice lady came by the apartment in response to my Craigslist ad, and she took away that gray, and often foul smelling, annoyance. Mostly, I will miss his incessant whining outside of our door, the shrill screams at 2AM when the other neighborhood cats came calling to beat him up and steal his free lunch, and the piles of regurgitated Wal-Mart brand cat chow he left conveniently splattered on our steps. Yes, I cannot wait to get a cat of our own someday. But the lady will take care of him. Apparently she runs a colony for abandoned felines and had room for one more. She said they would treat him right, feed him, and keep him warm in the cold months, in hopes that he would be adopted out to a nice family before long. But I must say, it was kind of weird that she came to our door wearing a white apron with a logo from Ming’s Chinese Buffet, and I didn’t quite understand why she kept calling him “Tuesday Special!”

Mmm, sweet and sour sauce makes anything taste like pork...

Thanks for the Givings, Uncle Ted

Well another Thanksgiving has come and gone, and all that remains is… well, the remains of the turkey. And what a turkey it was. Becky and Ted did a fine job of roasting the bird, stuffing the stuffing, baking the apple pie, mashing the potatoes, and casseroling the green been casserole. Me, well I went and bought the sparkling cider… and it tasted pretty bad. But I did do a fine job of eating everything, so at least I was worth something.


Paul warmed up to Uncle Ted pretty quick, and the two of them had a good time hanging out at the beach, walking the streets of St. Augustine, and checking out the Christmas craft show (I’m not sure how well Uncle Ted enjoyed that, but Paul’s mom had a wonderful time). Paul never did quite figure out that Uncle Ted wasn’t “Bill,” but technically, that’s close enough I guess.


You’re not going to believe this, but we did make it out to Ripley’s museum. I’d been wanting to go there for some time, but the $15 ticket price was a little steep, so when we had a coupon for $5, that seemed like a good idea. Overall, it was a little disappointing. But they did have this cool room where the walls spun around, and Becky and Paul almost toppled over the edge of the railing from the dizziness.


Of course we went to a few parks, because there’s little else we do around here. Paul and I enjoyed the slide (me a little more than him). But he did love running around and finding the colorful "fssh! fsssh! fsssh!" Which, in Paul talk, meant the painted fish around the park.

This park had a giant cross. Obviously. And it was a beautiful, tourist-filled day in St. Augustine. We ate at Scarlett O'Hara's tavern. I didn't know she ever came to St. Augustine, but apparently she owns a food joint there. I had the fish'n'chips, Ted had the pulled pork, and Paul had... you guessed it, a hot dog.

Oh and what would a trip to Florida be without a walk on the beach. Not exactly the warmest water, but loads of people were out enjoying November in FLA.

Overall it was a great holiday, and we’re glad Ted was able to make it down to cook us food and take Becky shopping. But it’s obvious Paul is going to be a little confused at the Unbehend house this Christmas… because there sure will be a lot of “Bills” around.

The Paul of Christmas Past

I came across this photo and just thought I'd do a little flash back... all the way back to 2007!! Yeah, that was forever ago, at least in Paul years it was. Look at how much this kid has grown in just one year! I would show a picture of me from 2007, but I don't like remembering how much hair I had back then.



Unbelievable that it's his second Christmas already. Hopefully this year will be snowy and white in Montana!

I Hear Sleigh Bells Ringing...

Ah yes, while the water may be too cold to get into these days (at least for us resident Floridians), the upside of the approaching winter is… it’s the most wonderful time of the year! To quote the song that may be playing to your right, “Here we know that Christmas will be, green and bright, the sun will shine by day and all the stars at night…” Yes, it’s the Holiday Season in Northeast Florida!

It is Christmas time again, well maybe not quite yet. But if the stores can put out their ornament covered wreaths, and environmentally friendly aluminum trees, and talking, dancing, kissing, and swearing Elmos, and Hannah Montana Christmas stockings, and fake snow, and tiny little houses to put in the fake snow, and tiny little people to put next to the tiny little houses in the fake snow, and 400,000 feet of multi-colored blinking lights for $1.99, and all that other garbage that they try to sell you… then I can change this blog to reflect the fact that Christmas will be here someday in the near future too.


The stores are filled with angry shoppers, pushing and shoving their way through the racks and stepping on fallen clothes and old people in attempts to get those early deals. The Day of the Turkey is quickly approaching, and soon thereafter, the malls and shopping centers will be complete madness. They really ought to call it Hurricane Christmas. I see the aisles of Winn-Dixie loaded down with bags of sugar and flour, cans of pumpkin mix, cranberries, stuffing, marshmallows, and nasty yams… and I remember how much I don’t miss working at Safeway this time of year.

I imagine up north the first snow fall will hit soon, or maybe it already has, and with it will come all those drivers who forget every year that the roads get slick. Cars will be strewn across the highways, smashed into each other, and upside down in ditches. And if that happens to you… if you’ve been injured in an accident, just remember... you may be entitled to compensation.

Pardon?

I must graciously decline your contemptible offer of triangular cut grilled American cheese on cracked wheat bread. You see, my good fellow, I am used to more elegant dining atmospheres, and I only eat the most sophisticated of cuisines. Now where – pray tell – is my Oscar Meyer premium, free-range, Kobe beef frankfurter?

Bright and Early

The last full week is upon me, and finals are rapidly approaching. I only have three this semester, but I do have two papers due by December 12. I thought I’d take this time (while I’m watching the Browns on Monday Night Football, fully expecting them to blow the lead they’ve had all game in these final minutes) to post a few pictures we took in the park the other day. So here you go:

We decided to get out of bed early for a change, and while it was a little cold at first, it was really a beautiful Sunday morning in the park and well worth getting up for.

Paul has never been a big fan of covers when he sleeps, and while he has actually kept this hat on for a few minutes at a time, he’s in general not fond of warm clothes. If he’s going to spend five weeks in Montana starting in December, I guess he’ll have to get over that.

Thanksgiving is next week already, and Becky is terribly excited about working on Black Friday in the mall. But at least Paul’s Uncle Ted will be here to eat turkey with us. Oh yeah, and that touchdown with two minutes left just put the Browns under… what a shock.