Laowai

recent posts

  • I’M DILL (Posted by Brian)

    “Bea, are you done painting?”

     

    “Daddy, I’m dill.”

     

     

    Bea is not an aromatic herb that pairs so well with cream and salmon, she is simply communicating that she is still eating. Kathy and I always remark about wanting to remember Bea-isms so here is one. The hard part is that we laugh so hard every time we hear it that we kinda want to hear it some more and don’t really correct her. I guess this is a fairly common daddyhood dilemma.

     

    Here she is while still painting. Unfortunately she is not the prodigy she might appear – the skillful colors and lines on the page were produced by her mother. What appears to be body in her hair is the smoldering remainder of some hot braids the day before.

     

     

    I’ve been traveling since Monday and even now that I am home, Kathy and Bea are in Michigan until tomorrow afternoon. Surely Bea gives this little melancholic look whenever Kathy mentions Daddy.

     

  • AT THE POOL

    If we’re not at the beach you can find us at the pool this summer. I’ve turned the far end of our patio into our pool area. It’s just so easy for me to fill it up and let her play. If it’s a little chilly out I can even put warm water in since we run the hose from our kitchen sink. Our patio has been such a blessing with Bea – it’s safe and enclosed and it has plenty of space for a toddler to run around and get tired out. Here she is – aaah summer is bliss.


    Check out my new bench. Dad cut the wood for me on Father’s Day and I finally got it put together and painted. I suspect Brian hates the color – but it livens up that far end of our patio. I made the same bench once before. I think it’s from an issue of This Old House magazine. It’s cheap and easy to make… if you have a saw – thanks dad.

  • LAZY DAYS SKIRT

    I made this Lazy Days Skirt skirt from the free pattern on the Oliver + S blog. It uses some ribbon to finish the hem. I didn’t realize how it worked until I started putting it together. It’s a really clever way to hem a skirt cleanly and easily. I want to make a bunch of these this fall so Bea can wear them with tights and sweaters. But that can wait – today it’s still summer. 

  • POPOVER SUNDRESS

    The only good thing about Brian being out of town for days in a row is that I can let the house get messy and make stuff. I made this simple little sundress last night. It was really quick and easy to put together. It was offered in the British magazine called Sew Hip and by the pattern company Oliver + S. I have been drooling over Oliver + S patterns for a long time. I get so very inspired when I look at the examples in their Flickr group. And everything I read says they are really great quality patterns. If anyone would like to get a birthday gift for me – uh – here’s your hint.

  • HI DADDY

    Wish you were here.

  • ADVICE FOR A DAUGHTER

    I found this web site called 500 Pieces of Prudent Advice for My Baby Daughter. It’s an interesting mix of funny and practical and wise words to live by. The author of the web site calls it a collection of lessons of questionable importance to share with my daughter before we grow up. Here are my favorites:

    #186 Relish rocking your baby to sleep.

    #164 Overflow with passionate exuberance every now and then.

    #163 Learn how to drive a stick shift.

    #161 Live alone for a period of time.

    #159 You reap what you sow.

    #158 If you love someone, tell them.

    #144 The only problem you can solve by eating is hunger.

    #143 Honor your grandparents.

    #142 Drink milk.

    #139 Shopping is neither a hobby nor a sport.

    #135 When you drop someone off at home wait until he or she gets inside before driving away.

    #130 Order the local specialty.

    #123 You don’t have to pretend you know something if you don’t.

    #115 It’s not a good idea to weld while wearing tights because the sparks will burn holes in your stockings and legs.

    #114 Dress appropriately for work.

    #110 Keep your grandmother’s cookie recipe alive.

    #106 If you can, grow some of your own food.

    #99 You are bound to experience disappointment.

    #97 Whimsy is essential.

    #94 When attending a party, open the door with one hand and bring a gift in the other.

    #87 Wear a bra.

    #85 If you’re asking yourself if you should have one more drink, the answer is no.

    #77 Sometimes it’s just not about you.

    #75 Always RSVP.

    #71 Guilt is a paralytic emotion.

    #70 If you love a poem, passage, speech or piece of prose, memorize it.

    #62 Take walks.

    #60 Get enough sleep.

    #57 There are some topics of conversation that a lot of people like to talk about, but very few people like to hear about.

    #54 Travel light.

    #52 Please, please don’t obsess about your weight, your hair, etc. Obsessing is okay but do it about something valuable.

    #43 It can feel good to get lost.

    #41 Maintain good credit at all costs.

    #38 Sometimes people just want to be heard.

    #37 Whole grains and fresh fruit are good choices.

    #36 It’s easier if you clean as you go.

    #33 Consider choosing footwear appropriate to the occasion.

    #28 Splurge on fresh flowers once in a while.

    #24 Don’t lie very often, except to comfort people.

    #23 When frustrating things happen, keep them in perspective.

    #22 Learn the rules of football.

    #17 Be Generous.

    #16 Call if you are going to be late.

    #9 Give lots of hugs to everyone you care for.

    #7 Always make time for the art museum in every city you visit.

    #4 When given the opportunity, wear a costume.

    #3 Don’t underestimate your father’s ability to understand you.

    #1 Always send a thank you note.

    >

    I thought of one more piece of advice today: wear lots of sunscreen.

     

  • WHERE OH WHERE

    Where oh where is our summer disappearing to? I’m starting to get a panicky feeling because my August weekends are filling up and that makes the summer feel close to over. I want to go to the beach a bunch more times so we can soak up all the summerness. 

    Here’s Bea giggling and catching a ball in Grandpa and Gramma’s backyard.

  • BLUEBERRIES

    We had a wonderful time picking blueberries with Grandma and Grandpa in South Haven. 

    Wanna blueberry mom?

    Oh never mind – I’ll eat it myself – along with the other 273 blueberries that are already in my belly.

    Birthday pie for Brian.

  • THE HYDRANGEAS WERE BEAUTIFUL

    The hydrangeas were all over South Haven. Decorating the fronts of so many quaint old houses. But – on all our walks – I for some reason didn’t get a picture of them. Here’s what I did get pictures of:

    A set of 40 some stairs led to the big and busy beach.

    Waves splashed little legs and little arms held tight.

    Smiles and laughs and family all mixed up in the sand.

    Quiet moments and not-so-quiet moments were shared with Grandma and Grandpa.

    Swings were swung.

    A little help was necessary on the trek back to the house.

    A claw foot tub and a rocking chair in the upstairs bathroom were well used.

    A very tired girl napped on sandy sheets in a bright sunny room.

  • THESE ARE HIP HOPS

    I wore my hip hops all of last week when we were on vacation in South Haven. Oh what fun we had. Now I have to sort through a boat-load of photos. Stay tuned.