Respectful Memorial Day

I don't want to wish a, "happy" Memorial Day since it is intended to be a day of respect, remembrance and honor for those fallen in our nation's defense as members of the armed forces.

It's been a a long time since I've posted here, and even longer since I've posted my goal progress or family matters.

CML is home from Boston.  EHL graduated from High School.  I mention these in chronological order.

MAL and I flew to Boston and drove back with our eldest on the weekend of the 10th.  It was fairly uneventful except that we had to stay overnight in her dorm and discovered a mattress that is even more painful than our own.  As an aside, MAL and I went on a sort of date to see The Amazing Spiderman 2 (least of several evils) and a dinner at the Bull and Finch (the "Cheers") pub. CML has been working there as a receptionist.

EHL graduated last weekend.  It was a grand affair in the Sears Center Arena in Hoffman Estates. Brazil Express Churrasco Grill in Schaumburg.  It was a small place in a strip mall but very good, and the service was excellent.  I would recommend it as just as good as Fogo de Chao in Chicago.  The Brazil Express will tell you it's cheaper, but I don't think by much.  Apparently now the restaurants of choice for Mundelein birthdays and events are Brazilian steakhouses.  I don't think we will completely abandon our old standbys of Bob Chin's Crab House or Tsukasa in Vernon Hills.
 Afterwards we had dinner at

As far as goals go, I've been behind in my writing because of lack of time.  It is a real lack of time and not a lack of priorities as I do not have enough actual, real time to do everything my family needs, exercise, work and get more than about 4 hours of sleep a night.  I'm really not sure how I'm going to get everything done, but something is going to have to suffer.  It is just a matter of what and how badly.

I have been studying Greek nearly every day, but it's not the kind of study that will get me forward very quickly.  I'm going to have to bite the bullet here and make some very big sacrifices as this is absolutely the highest priority.

Report from Mundelein for the Week of 18-24 Aug 13

I have a lot to report this week, but no pictures.

Evee was selected captain of JV Volleyball team.  I'm hoping she will grow into the leadership role.

Sophie tried out for Volleyball and didn't make it.  Personally I don't believe in cuts at all in grade school.  What is the point of sports?  Is it to win?  That seems worse than shallow and pointless.  The point of entry level sports should be to teach sportsmanship, teamwork, healthy physical activity, responsibility and leadership.  The sports should be the fun vehicle to teach that.  How can you possibly teach it if you cut kids who are really trying.  If they are goofing off or are disruptive, then I can understand, but not based on skill level at this point.  I think when you cut at this level you are only teaching the kids that they aren't worth teaching.

Teeny is home again.  She was in Montana for a week, but she's home now, preparing to return to school.

I rode my bike to work twice last week.  For the past several weeks I've only managed to ride to work one day each week.  I'm working my way back up to three bike commutes a week.  I want to average that.  I have about 40 bike commutes this year, and I won't make 75, which I consider my standard goal.  The first year I had only 33, then 76, then about 50 last year.  I should make 50 again this year, even with my trip to Tanzania.

I'm so proud of my lovely wife.  Maria attended a banquet this last week where she received a President's Award.  This is a very high honor (the "President" being the president of Abbvie).  She took a lady that worked on her team that did not receive the award, but who Maria thought should have.

I'm going to try to learn some Swahili for my trip so my Greek lessons will take a back seat.

End of Summer and a Goal Report

Summer ended this week for us in Mundelein.  School started for the middle school and high school on last Wednesday.

Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday we got new siding all around our house.  The new siding is vinyl and insulated.  Let's hope it helps with those bills.

I spent the day at my in-laws while they got new gutters installed.  It was nice.  I got fed pretty well.  I asked my mother-in-law to call me every day and talk Greek to me.  I don't know, but I think it might help.

My goal report is thus:

1. Learn Greek - as I said, I spent the day with my in-laws and asked for daily calls.  I still need to work harder on it though.
2. Gold JtE - we had our first Commissioner meeting on Tuesday.  We are closer than we were last year at this time.  It is still looking good.
3. New Job - no change and NSTR (nothing significant to report)
4. Quarterly Dates - we're making plans to take Teeny back to Boston and we are going to drive back alone, with a hotel stop in the middle.

I have no "official" writing goals this year, but what writing I'm working on and what I've done will be reported on Illini6.

A's, Other Good Grades and Other Things

Straight A's! That was Star's first HS report card. She did great and we are so proud of her. There were 25 out of 577 freshmen who got straight A's. Since she didn't have any "honors" classes she is ranked 25, but without taking that into account she is #1 in her class! Woo Hoo!

Orchid and Tulip are doing well too, but we don't get their report cards for a while yet. We are very happy with Orchid's work habits and attitude toward school this year.

Star was also invited to go on a trip next summer for 3 weeks to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. It is very expensive and she is doing everything she can to help raise the money.

Papa is holding his own right now. He has been receiving chemo for Pancreatic Cancer for a month now. He's lost a lot of weight; he has his good days and his bad; but his blood work is still good. Say a prayer, meditate or send positive thoughts his way.

Summer Ending Update

Seeing as it is mid September and the summer is almost technically over (with the Autumnal Equinox) I figured I really ought to run down everything that happened this summer:

JUNE
- Star graduated from 8th grade at Santa Maria del Popolo. *Orchid played bells for the ceremony
*Star won the President's Award (from the President of the US). There were only two students who won.
*Star read the Reading at mass
- Star and I went to Washington D.C. for her 8th grade trip. She was one of four students who laid a wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Star went to summer school for her state required Health class (she was the star pupil)
- Star's 14th birthday!

JULY
- Star, Orchid, Tulip and I got passes for our park district pool and we tried to go as often as we could
- Orchid got contact lenses (she's almost as blind as her sister Star).
- The Owasippe Trip

AUGUST
- A new flower blooms! On 4 August 2008 my brother, Ginger and his wife Holly added a new bud to accompany Lilac and Geranium. Let's call him PETUNIA!
- We added another flower, sort of, by marriage. Marigold married Apple Blossom. We never thought we'd see the day when Marigold got married. We all had a blast.

- Star
*Started High School (gasp)! She loves her teachers and classes
*Started Volleyball at school. She's on the Frosh B team (takes after her old man on the B team), but she has Volleyball as a specific gym class so maybe next year she'll move up.
*Isn't playing clarinet anymore. She had a good run there, from 4th to 8th grade.

- Orchid
*Started 7th grade. Just one more year to go. She's doing very well so far and has a great attitude toward school.
*Signed up for Track but switched to Volleyball. She dropped out of band, but says she'll keep up her flute. Let's hope she can.
*She's not going to be in Girl Scouts anymore herself, but she's going to be helping Tulip's Girl Scout Troop

- Tulip
*Started 2nd grade, but she still has the same teacher. We loved that teacher last year so this should be another good year for her.
*Still in Girl Scouts and still loves it

EARLY SEPTEMBER
- Bushia (aw heck, she doesn't need a flower name) went into the hospital. She's 88 and very weak, but she is home now and recovering.

- Star is now sharing her wisdom and holy graces with younger Orthodox youth by helping out as an Assistant Sunday School teacher
- Tulip started Sunday School and Greek School (actually tonight is her first night)
- Star has moved up to full fledged GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Assoc.) and has left poor Orchid in Jr. GOYA.
- I'm going to be starting adult Greek school on Thursday nights. Cross your fingers for me.

Saturday 5 Jan 08

I am writing this to you, dear reader on one of my Christmas gifts, a folding keyboard for my PDA.

Well, we had our first basketball game of the new year and we won, 27 to 8.

This must be starting to seem like a blog only about basketball. For that I apologize, but basketball is a nicely packaged topic. Also, I happen to be sitting at the 8th grade boys' game (right after our 8th grade girls' game) while writing this.

We also have two science projects going on. Star has been monopolizing our kitchen with her project on natural dyes. I don't think her hypothisis that artificial dyes are more effective is going to prove true.

Orchid is working on a project with water rockets. She is going to try to show that bottle rockets with water and air are more effective than water or air alone. She is going to shoot the rockets at a 45 degree angle and measure the time and distance. We are sort of waiting for the weather to get warm enough to do it.

Will write more later. Don't forget to participate in the poll.

Schools Back, Soon

I've been quiet here, but soon school will begin again and I should have loads to talk about.

That's what the new poll is about, Christmas break and the impending resumption of school.

Our last poll only got two votes for what you got for Christmas. Come on, we can do better than that!

Ice? Day and New Poll

No school, no concert, no nothing today. It was all called off because of the ice storm they expected that never really came.

We had work of course, that never changes, we always have work.

The Christmas wish list poll is over. Only three people voted. Electronics got three votes and everything else got one vote each. I hope everybody gets what they want.

New poll, what do you send out at Christmas time?

Granny Begonia (I gotta call you Granny, I'm calling Dad Pansy) sends out a typed letter (same one to everyone) along with a photo of sister Lavender.

My sister-in-law Daffodil's parents send out a similar letter with no photo.

We from Mundelein send out a photo card and have this little ole blog.

What do you send out?