October 2006 Archives

Due to Jfer's family visit and my busines trip, I won't get to see Magda for a whole week. Before they headed out of town, we met for lunch at Zuzu's. When Jfer went to the bathroom, Magda asked "How do you say yellow?" As it often happens, it took me a while before I understood what she wanted, but then she proceded pointing at different things (table, salt, pepper, water, cup, straw, flower, chair, wall, fan, window, door, etc.) and for each asking how I say it and then repeating it after me. It amazes me the english vocabulary she has -- and most of it can be actually understood. And it thrills me that she wants to learn the Czech words, too.

BTW, for "yellow" I say žlutá...

I'm applying for a new passport on Monday and needed to get current passport photos. Usually I get them from Kinko's (now called FedEx) so I got a set today. I have an international passport which takes a 3.5x4.5cm picture and the guy at Kinko's said they'd only do US passport pictures which are 2x2 inches. OK, I said, just make it a little smaller by moving the camera back. In the good old days with their Pollariod camera this used to work. But now, with their "improved" digital setup, I ended with a set of pictures which look a bit dark (I imagine their flash is calibrated for a fixed distance).

And then I though to myself, heck my camera is way better than the POC they use at Kinko's, I should be able to shoot my own damn passport photos. So within half an hour I had a good set of clean shots. Then I laboriously layed them out in Photoshop (I use it once in a blue moon, so I always struggle).

And then I thought to put google to use and discovered ePassportPhoto which makes it trivial to create a 4x6" collage of passport photos -- both standard and US sized! So now I'll have a mediocre set of 2 photos from Kinko's for $14 and a great set of 8 photos printed at Costco for $0.18!

Jfer's out of town, so it's just the dogs and me this weekend. I walked them both this morning before heading to work, as usual. Due to Rose's escape inclinations, I left the dogs in the bedroom like we usually do when we leave the house. I was hoping to go home over lunch to let them out, but didn't have the time due to an extended lunch at Ski Shores (arriving via a boat). So when I arrived home after work, I figured that I might have to deal with an "accident".

I headed to the bedroom and was jubilantly greeted by the pups. And then I go hit by a vile smell -- yep, one of them couldn't hold it. I quick glance at the floor didn't reveal anything obvious. And then I noticed the bed! Strategically placed into multiple piles was a variety of turds. Some small, some large, most of them runny and one nice one containing chunks of Greenies. All but one deposit were on the duvet and the last one was lovingly placed right next to my pillow! I nearly tossed my cookies.

Argh -- Rose is such a bitch! Homer had no problem hanging out at home. And she problably could have held it too, if she had wanted. But not sir! She had to crap -- and crap with gusto!

I called Jfer in desparation and she just told me to get rid of the duvet and cover (she probably sees this as a shopping opportunity). So those are gone. The mattress protector did its thing and has been washed as have all the sheets. And it seems that the stink is now gone, although maybe I just got acclimated.

Well, at least this puts poopy diapers and toddlers peeing on the floor a bit into perspective...

Today is Magda's 2nd birthday. Jfer already taught her to say "two" when asked how old she is. And when I asked her this morning when she was "one", she answered "yesterday!"

On Saturday we had a nice birthday party party at the brand new playscape in Gracywoods park. We had a good turnout and despite our usual last minute frantic preparations, everything turned out well.

Magda got lots of cool gifts, very few of which were of the pink kind. Her favorite was a new doll that became the object of contention between her and K.

One of the wedding presents we recevied was a gift certificate to Fonda San Miguel which we are finally planing to use tonight. I hope it has not expiration date, since it has been four years...

On the way to work this morning, I was listening to KUT and got to hear the anniverisary sponsorship message that Jennifer has been scheduling every year on this date. Some years I don't get to hear it, but not this one. I had completely forgotten about, so it was a pleasant surprise.

So happy anniversary, babe --- and many more!