Team Tinnaro :: Family Life

Ana Tobin's New Invention

2012-01-29T12:08:00.001-05:00

Dad: (singing "I Can't Help Myself" by The Four Tops, LOUDLY) Ana Tobin: (concerned) We need a de-earwormer. We have way too many earworms in this house.

Gatorade For Sale

2012-01-28T22:53:00.001-05:00

The kids wanted to set up a "Gatorade stand" to sell drinks from our back yard today, so I, in the throes of re-assembling the bathroom plumbing from the recent painting project I have been incessantly whining about, said they could sell my gatorade to all of the people walking down the alley.

After a few minutes of hearing "Gatorade for sale, One Dollar!" I realized that if they were going to have a sale, I had better step up to the plate. I grabbed a dollar out of my wallet, and went outside...

Dad: Any luck, kids?

Ana Tobin: Nope.

Dad: Well, I'll take one. Here's a dollar.

Eli: Would you like a LARGE Gatorade?

Dad: Sure!

Eli: O.K. That'll be TWO dollars.

Which is how I bought my own Gatorade back for $2.

It's All Relative

2012-01-17T19:35:00.001-05:00

The kids have been introduced to the relativistic concept that as you approach the speed of light, you travel faster through time than those travelling slower than you.

So Edison and Eli are currently running back and forth in the living room saying "I'M MAKING TIME SPEED UP! I'M MAKING TIME SPEED UP! I'M MAKING TIME SPEED UP!"

As a corollary to this, since I am NOT running back and forth in the living room, I'm getting old faster (to them).

Thank goodness the effects are infinitesimal. If they weren't, I'd be with them trying to get to Longboat Key in June.

It's True

2011-12-26T09:38:00.001-05:00

Ana Tobin: (Playing with a magic kit) I know how to confuse the mind!

Dad: Yes, yes you do.

A Trip to Disney

2011-12-23T08:47:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we checked off a milestone for the kids, and finally took them to Disney World (the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT). We all had a great time, mostly walking around and taking in the sights, and riding a few rides. Some highlights:

The kids loved Pirates of the Caribbean. Eli particularly liked the dogs.
Ana Tobin and I squealed in fake horror all the way through the Haunted Mansion. The boys chickened out.
Space Mountain terrified Ana Tobin and Eli. Edison loved it, and I would have loved it too had I not spent the entire ride waiting for Eli to slip out of the seat in front of me and hit me in the face. That scared the pants off of me, despite the fact that I knew that he was safe. Ana Tobin was convinced that she was going to die.
Edison was really looking forward to Great Britain in EPCOT but they had, to his disappointment, no Doctor Who swag, and no blue police call box. Undeterred, he used a red phone box for a TARDIS anyway.
Ana Tobin loved China and Japan and would have spent millions of dollars there, mostly on clothing. We got her a Rimonade (a Japanese soda that tastes like bubblegum) instead and she enjoyed it tremendously.
The MISSION: SPACE ride was awesome, but I insisted that I get to ride the "more intense" version, and paid for it with an hour of nausea. Everyone else had more fun in the "less intense" version. My inner ear just ain't what it used to be.
The monorail was loved by everyone. Except when Eli was leaning on the door. I didn't like that part.
FASTPASS is a great idea. Just walking in and walking on to a ride is killer.
I thought Finding Nemo sorta ruined "The Seas" exhibit, but the kids thought it was cool. Edison cleaned up in the "shark facts" quiz afterwards.
Ana Tobin really enjoyed trying to figure out how all of the special effects were done on all of the rides and exhibits.
My third trip to EPCOT and I finally got to ride the "Spaceship Earth" ride. I'm not embarrassed to say I thought it was pretty cool.
All of those coffee stands are a godsend.
Ana Tobin was too shy to get her picture taken with Mulan.
There was a giant frog in the pond in China that we all thought was awesome. And an enormous softshell snapping turtle in the lake, too.
Edison's final review of the experience was "Yeah, it was pretty fun. Not as much fun as a day at Longboat Key, but it was fun."

All in all, a great day with the family. We went out and made some memories!

It's fun to be in my head.

2011-12-18T21:40:00.001-05:00

What's so Funny?

2011-11-19T18:24:00.001-05:00

The backyard. Ana Tobin is dancing, swinging around and around, with a plastic bag that has something in it...

ENTER Dad.

Dad: Having fun, Ana Tobin?

Ana Tobin: Yes!

Dad: What's in the bag?

Ana Tobin: Dirt.

Ana Tobin: Why are you laughing?

Dad: (aside) Because I thought if I ever caught you swing dancing with some dirtbag I'd have to punch his lights out.

Ana Tobin's Teacher Conference

2011-10-28T23:51:00.001-04:00

WARNING: This post contains gratuitous parental bragging. Deal with it!

We had Ana Tobin's parent-teacher conference today. And her teacher was running out of superlatives trying to describe how much she loves having Ana Tobin in her class, and had to resort to showing us how wildly she blew the curve on all of her assessments. She's pulling straight A's across the board, reads voraciously, writes way above her grade level, and was ridiculously above the curve in science, which really blew her teacher away. Her teacher's running joke with Ana Tobin is asking her, "Are you sure you're in third grade? You're not in college?"

She makes her parents very, very, very proud. But not in a taking credit kind of way. She does all of this this herself.

Logic

2011-10-28T23:30:00.001-04:00

Trying to tidy up the house, after dinner and before homework...

Dad: HEY! Eli! Do you want to keep that?

Eli: Yes.

Dad: Well, don't throw it on the floor. If you throw it on the floor, I'm going to assume it's garbage and I'll throw it away.

Edison: But if it's on the floor we know it's not garbage, because we throw garbage in the garbage can.

Dad: (speechless)

More Biology Lessons

2011-09-13T19:39:00.001-04:00

Picking up the kids from school has been pretty illuminating the last few days. Today's subject: Bats.

Edison: I love bats, I think they're cute.

Eli: But vampire bats can suck your blood!

Edison. They don't suck blood at all. vampire bats bite an animal and then lap up the blood, like kittens. They're mammals, too. Vampire bats are like flying kittens.

Captain Beefheart

2011-09-12T21:35:00.001-04:00

The kids got a great giggle out of hearing someone talk about Captain Beefheart on the radio today. It took me a minute to realize that they way the kids heard it, his name was "Captain Bee Fart."

Assorted Answers from Edison's Math Survey, Grade 5

2011-08-31T21:32:00.001-04:00

Some questions and answers from Edison's beginning of 5th grade "Math and Me" worksheet, where he answers questions about math:

Q: Finish the sentence: Math is...

A: Plain not cool.

Q: I get most bored in math class when...

A: Math class is in session.

Q: I get the most interested in math class when...

A: A giant Scopio (ed: a monster Bionicle Scorpion monster thing) attacks or even more interesting, a pack of bone hunters.

Q: I depend/don't depend on a calculator when doing math because...

A: (Don't depend is circled) ... My dad won't let me.

Q: I first remember doing a math problem...

A: In KINDERGARTEN! MAN! It was boring.

Later on, when asked whether he liked working alone or in groups, he answered that he prefers to work in a group, "because I'm more for unity!"

Apparently we have some work to do on the "math is fun!" campaign.

A Little New England Hurricane Story

2011-08-30T09:12:00.001-04:00

Here's an epic hurricane story from the family archives -- the "Mom" in this story was my great-grandmother's sister (Grandpa Copeland's Aunt). Pretty amazing stuff:

http://nelights.blogspot.com/2010/12/hurricane-of-38-at-dumpling-rock.html

An Epic End to Summer

2011-08-21T22:59:00.001-04:00

With the end of the kids' summer vacation and the regular school-year rhythm breathing down our necks, I felt the nagging urge to do something epic, something different, something memorable, something with the family. I wanted to go out and make some memories. (As if ONE epic beach vacation isn't enough for one family, right?)

So what do you do when it's hot and buggy in Florida? GO FURTHER SOUTH. I booked us for a 3-night stint camping. In the Keys, in August. I was well aware of the potential for major suckage - remembering Lesley's and my last summer camping trip, which was fun, but marred by constantly swarming ravenous mosquitoes and unrelenting heat and humidity. I had visions of three hot, miserable, bug-eaten and (maybe the most treacherous) BORED children stuck in a campsite for four days, bookended by two loooooooooooong drives. What was the worst that could happen? The kids would remember that disasterous camping trip we took to Long Key State park. They'd never been there, I'd never been there... I can't lose.

My fears were bolstered when we arrived - yes, the campsite was nice, but it was pretty darned hot, and the mosquitos were starting to try to eat us alive. And then I discovered that I had forgotten the entire camp kitchen - so I had to drive all the way down to Marathon before dinner could be made. That first night the air was humid and hot, and the mosquitos were voracious, and we all got eaten up.

But as it turns out, it was a fantastic adventure.

The next morning I got up before the sun, and made breakfast while watching an incredible sunrise. And it just got better from there. The sea breeze was blowing hard through the next two nights, keeping it cool and comfortable and relatively bug free the next two nights. Although it WAS blowing the kids' tent so hard on the last night, we had to move them into our tent (Ana Tobin was a little freaked out).

The campsite itself was right on the beach, and we got the one with the two imminently climbable trees. The water was clear and shallow for a long way, and mostly covered with a grass flat that held a large number of fascinating specimens. The kids LOVED snorkeling and checking out the marine flora and fauna, and spent hours with their faces in the water. Large terrestrial crabs made their homes all around, various hermit crabs and frogs showed up throughout the trip adding to the entertainment. We took a day trip to Key West, since Lesley was the only one of us who had ever been there, and got to take in a little bit of the flavor of the place. We will most certainly be doing THAT again!

And the sky... Lesley named it the "Epic Sky Vacation" because the sky provided us with regular entertainment - huge, billowing clouds provided an ever-changing backdrop to some of the most beautiful scenery that our beloved home state has to offer - and the nights offered a huge expanse of stars, a view of the Milky Way clearer than I've ever seen, two indescribably beautiful moonrises, and numerous falling stars, thanks to the waning Perseid metor shower.

Now, we turn to the school year with bug bites and a suitcase full of memories to take with us. We DID something this summer - bookend vacations, with a fantastic week at Longboat Key to begin with, and a wonderful camping trip in the Keys to end it.

Check out our little vacation video, a video of one of our visiting hermit crabs, our afternoon in Key West, and Lesley's awesome photos, which tell the story better than I did.

I have patience...

2011-07-07T13:49:00.001-04:00

Lesley shared this quote from a shopping trip today:

"I have patience. I usually don't use it" - Ana Tobin whilst shopping in Target.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EDISON!

2011-07-06T08:02:00.001-04:00

A very happy birthday to our amazing 10-year-old, Edison Tinnaro. There's always that weird thing, it seems like it couldn't possibly have been 10 years, and at the same time, it's hard to imagine what it was like before him. Creative and focused, Edison's imagination is wild and expansive, and currently spends a great deal of time with his Bionicle friends and Gregor the Overlander. Edison has become a voracious reader and is still an avid LEGO builder, keeper of fish, and is as always a kind and loving soul who is very excited about all kinds of living things which, thankfully, includes his brother and sister. We love you, Edison, and I hope we have as much fun over the next 10 years as we have over the last 10... or maybe EVEN MORE. Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday, Eli

2011-07-04T20:27:00.001-04:00

And so, on the 234th anniversary of the birth of our great nation, Elias Magnus (Eli Tinnaro) turned to the mighty age of 6. Eli continues to be gregarious, adorable, and impetuous; still obsessed with animals (recently listing "Pet Store Keeper" as his future occupation at his Kindergarten graduation); and always either following or leading his elder siblings on one adventure or another, frequently fulfilling the role of the appropriate breed of puppy for the occasion. I hope you had a happy birthday, big boy, and we love you beyond measure.

I had planned on sleeping in...

2011-05-28T08:03:00.001-04:00

After a few long nights, I had planned on sleeping in. But Eli had other plans, and it's hard to be mad at a 5-year-old who makes you breakfast in bed (crackers & peanut butter) and then won't be quiet until you eat it and race light cycles around the living room a few times.

It's Science!

2011-05-15T12:13:00.001-04:00

Edison: Only light can travel at the speed of light.
Eli: Because it's light!

Eli on the incompatibility of hot dogs and chips

2011-05-09T19:05:00.001-04:00

Eli: Dad, the next time we have hot dogs, please don't put chips on my plate, because when I see them, I don't want to eat hot dogs.

I suppose if you're 5, this makes sense.

Easter Busted

2011-04-24T10:28:00.001-04:00

SPOILER ALERT: If you believe in the Easter bunny, remember that this whole blog post is made up by some vicious liar who is trying to steal your soul and crush your dreams. Stop reading now, kids, it's bad for you. Go watch TV.

Now, for the rest of you...

We had an EPIC adventure at the beach yesterday evening, keeping the kids up late playing with the Premos so we could see the sunset at Indian Rocks Beach. It was awesome fun, and we got home WAY past bedtime. After putting the kids to bed, I stayed up editing together the videos from our beach trip, and finally, around 1 AM, I rolled into bed. And almost completely forgot the easter baskets. But I didn't. At the last minute, I rolled out of bed, grabbed the candy and toys, and headed down the hallway. As I made the turn into the dining room, I met Ana Tobin. Cold busted, I took the offensive:

Dad: (stern) WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED?

Ana Tobin: (blearily rubbing eyes) uhhhhhhhhhhhh... I don't know.

Dad: (softer, less like a complete jerk scaring his daughter in the middle of the night) Get back in bed, sweetie.

After tucking in Ana Tobin, I tried to QUIETLY fill the Easter baskets, with no Easter grass. Which is when I discovered what Easter grass was for (other than spreading all over the house to drive Pepa up the wall): Easter grass muffles the hellatious clatter that jellybeans and M&Ms make when you dump them into a wicker basket. I felt like I was shouting into a megaphone: "NO, KIDS, IT'S NOT THE EASTER BUNNY, IT'S JUST YOUR DAD FILLING YOUR EASTER BASKETS. PAY NO ATTENTION. STAY ASLEEP."

And since I'd already crushed the bunny-filled dreams of one kid, I figured I'd move on to another one. Taking their Easter baskets to their rooms (I didn't want them to wonder which basket was for which kid), I walked into Edison's room with his basket and immediately his eyes lit up. IT'S A TRAP. That kid was laying in wait, wide awake, in bed, waiting for Dad to bring the goods.

Edison: Hi, Dad.

Dad: (stupidly) You're awake.

Edison: Yeah. I couldn't sleep.

Because, really, what response to that question makes sense? "The question is not if I am asleep, but if I am ever truly awake." or just "Ummm. No."?

Dad: Well... (holds finger up to lips in the classic "shhhh" motion) Happy Easter. I love you.

Edison: I love you too, Dad.

And so ends the Easter Bunny. But don't go thinking they won't get baskets next year. but I'm no fool. Christmas eve, I'll be ready. Two words: Ambien Ovaltine.

Ana Tobin, Poet

2011-04-17T22:30:00.001-04:00

Another proud parent moment: Ana Tobin brought home "Words Are Beautiful", a collection of poems by her 2nd grade class. And in it, she wrote this poem...

Rain

Soft and cool, refreshing and nice
how I like rain.
Sometimes hard as lightning,
sometimes soft as snow.
It comes in clouds,
pink, orange, or white,
how I love the rain.

Not a Stupid Tree

2011-04-10T13:39:00.001-04:00

Overheard at the park today:

Girl: I'm trying to climb this stupid tree!

Eli: That tree is not stupid. It just is what it is.

How much Mythbusters is TOO MUCH Mythbusters?

2011-04-09T11:58:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting at the kitchen table, getting caught up with some items for work, and listening to all three of the kids play...

Near as I can tell right now, Heavy (ARC Trooper soldier from Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Stitch (you know, from Lilo & Stitch), and Sharky the Baby Shark (you know, from Eli's imagination) are all doing SOMETHING on the coffee table with plastic wrap, a water slide, 10 gallons of gasoline, 100 yards of det cord, and some c4 explosive.

Those kids sure know how to have fun.

Ana Tobin is not Psychic (currently)

2011-04-05T19:36:00.000-04:00

This morning, while making breakfast and talking about the dreams we had last night...

Ana Tobin: I had a psychic dream last night.

Dad: Cool! You had a dream that told us about the future?

Ana Tobin: Well, no, it was all about things that have already happened.

Dad: I thought that if you were psychic, you had premonitions about things that haven't happened yet.

Ana Tobin: OK, well, I'm not psychic. I am re-psychic.

Overheard

2011-03-27T11:03:00.002-04:00

Overheard somewhere around 7 AM, this morning, the first Sunday of the kids' spring break...

Ana Tobin: What are we doing awake this early? We must be OUT OF OUR MINDS!

From a discussion on the use of color

2011-03-26T12:07:00.000-04:00

Daddy: ...but I like black and white, pen and ink drawings. I think it's amazing how they can distill an image that looks so real just out of one color.

Elias: It's not one color.

Daddy: It's not? But I thought it was just black.

Elias: No. It's black AND white.

Early Saturday Morning...

2011-03-26T12:04:00.000-04:00

Scene: Daddy in the kids, watching cartoons in their jammies, on a Saturday morning.

Daddy: Allright. When this one's over, let's everyone get into our day clothes and go to the bookstore!

Kids: HOOORAAAAAY!!!

(Daddy passes out in shock)

Biking to the grocery store

2011-02-13T21:19:00.001-05:00

Me and the crew had awesome adventures today, riding to the grocery store!

I've got a fever...

2011-02-07T18:52:00.000-05:00

"The Beatles may be the best band, but my band is going to be better. My band will have more dogs."
-Eli Tinnaro

Happy Birthday, Princess Ana Tobin!

2011-01-14T07:35:00.002-05:00

WOW, 8 years old - NOW with EVEN MORE AWESOME.

The Fruits of Being obsessed with Mythbusters

2010-12-02T20:39:00.001-05:00

Ana Tobin is obsessed with Mythbusters. For the last several months, when she gets to watch tv, she picks one thing and one thing only. Tonight, this exchange between her and Lesley...

Ana Tobin: You know what floats my boat?

Lesley: What?

Ana Tobin: Helium

Geek dad wipes a tear from his eye...

Eli's Diabolical plan

2010-11-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

Isolate the sappy parent (Dad).
Get a fever.
Make Dad watch boy-falls-in-love-with-dog-nearly-loses-dog-because-of-double-crossing-mean-guy-and-has-tearful-reunion-at-the-end movie.
Remind Dad how much he LOVES dogs.
Look all pitiful and cute.

Well played, Eli. But the answer is still no. For now.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

2010-11-01T22:30:00.001-04:00

It's Halloween. BE AFRAID.
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Happy Halloween everyone! The kids look like they're about to SLAUGHTER some candy in this picture.

Where The Honey Comes From

2010-10-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

We had an awesome opportunity to hang out with Katherine and Jonathan this afternoon and get a first-hand look at the apiary arts -- they were opening their beehive for the first harvest of HONEY. Edison wanted to stay home, so Eli, Ana Tobin and I went along, and I brought the camera to document the momentous occasion.

We learned a lot about bees, too.

Beehives are almost entirely populated with girls, and one queen, and there are around 70,000 bees in a hive of this size. I didn't know that honey, once it's capped, is aseptic and sterile and will keep indefinitely. Pretty darn cool. Eli and Ana Tobin were VERY well behaved and no one was out of place or got stung. I took a good set of photos of the process, and a series of videos showing all of the insectoid goodness. And yes, the honey is awesome. Congratulations to Katherine and Jonathan and their girls for their sweet, sweet success!

I'LL BE YOUR MIRROR

2010-10-21T09:32:00.001-04:00

A dude with a messenger bag, short messy hair, a beard, and sneakers just walked past my office window.

Now I know what I look like.

Eli has a Plan...

2010-10-08T21:44:00.000-04:00

Eli, Ana Tobin, and I were having a discussion about bats this evening, and somehow the discussion turned from Dad's boring lecture about bats "being good and most bats eating fruit and bugs and only one rare kind drinking blood" to Eli's plan for how to get a Vampire Bat to bite a rubber cow.

Cows are smelly, you see, so in order to get a vampire bat to bite a rubber cow, you have to fill it up with smelly fish and leave it outside at night.

Thanks, Eli. Now we know.

AMBUSH!

2010-10-07T09:27:00.001-04:00

AMBUSH!
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

I barely made it from the bike shed to the back gate this morning due to a Republic Army Clone Trooper ambush.

Love is...

2010-10-06T00:33:00.000-04:00

Love is when a 5-year-old boy gives the last few Jalapeno Cheetos to Mommy so she can save them for Daddy, since he thinks Daddy would like to try them.

Squirrel Rodeo

2010-09-22T00:00:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, as Lesley and I and the kids were getting out of the van, coming home from the Y, Lesley remarked...

"Oh, yes, I forgot. There's a squirrel trapped in our bedroom."

HUH?

"A squirrel fell down the chimney and I tried to chase it out and it's trapped in our bedroom. It was time to leave, so..."

Lesley proceeded to chase the stray rodent into Edison's room, and from there, out of his open window while I played squirrel goalie with a mop from the safety of the back porch. Nice work, baby.

Just when I thought things wouldn't get weirder around here, they do.

OUT, DAMNED SPOT!

2010-09-21T23:43:00.001-04:00

A short research project from this evening into the nature of the evil which stalks our household. In order to defeat your enemy, you must first understand the nature of the beast.

It has layers

2010-09-14T08:24:00.001-04:00

Talking with the kids this morning, about cake.

Ana Tobin: cake is better than cupcakes.

Daddy: why?

Edison: Cake has layers. Like the Earth.

At Weedon Island today...

2010-09-06T23:06:00.001-04:00

Eli thought this sign meant "No Spies Allowed"
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Eli saw this sign and thought it meant "No Spies Allowed"

Hook them while the are young.

2010-09-03T19:34:00.001-04:00

Download now or watch on posterous

VIDEO0052.3gp (1239 KB)

Eli versus the electric guitar. Eli wins.
(Warning: Eli likes it LOUD)

Daddy Takes a Nap

2010-08-26T23:20:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday after a trip to the park and to the grocery store, Daddy was wiped out from all of the fun, and Mommy was working in the shop, so I laid down for a few minutes and let the inmates run the asylum for a while. They're at an age now where they usually don't get into much mischief under minimal supervision -- other than making a mess, which they would do anyway.

They played nicely for a while - the normal stuff, LEGO, coloring with crayons, shooting NERF darts, spreading cereal on the floor. But then my spider-sense began to tingle and draw me out of sleep to the sound of:

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST" (Giggle)

"SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST" (Giggle giggle)

An aerosol can.

Nothing fun comes out of an aerosol can.

Not fun for me anyway.

So I jumped up and went into the kitchen and walked into a noxious cloud of bug repellent, and to the sight of Eli spraying it onto his tongue. And his older siblings laughing hysterically.

It is at this point, my dear readers, that daddy almost completely loses his marbles.

In my imagination it went something like this:

NO, Son, no, that's dangerous. Insect repellent is poison, and should never, ever go in your mouth. And kids, don't laugh when your brother does something that's clearly dangerous, stop him and alert the closest parent.

In reality it went something like:

AAAAUGH! WHAT THE... ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!?!?

(stunned silence)

BUG SPRAY? IN YOUR FACE?

(more stunned silence)

I LAY DOWN FOR 20 MINUTES AND YOU'RE EATING BUG SPRAY? ELI, GO WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH THE ENTIRE PINELLAS COUNTY WATERSHED. THE REST OF YOU GO TO YOUR ROOM AND STAY THERE UNTIL THERE IS PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

Which turned out to be about two hours later, when the cloud had dissipated, and my blood pressure had returned to normal. I'm not proud, but that's how it happened. They did all get lectures on poisoning, and its appropriate role in comedy (which is to say, none at all if you aren't a cartoon character).

The moral of the story is that if you have children and want to have a nap, make sure to hide the insect repellent because your children are patiently waiting for the first moment you lower your guard, so they can eat it.

Epilogue:
Eli was fine, other than a little waterlogged, otherwise this wouldn't be funny. No kids were harmed in the making of this episode... unless Eli springs another head 5 years down the line or something.

GET THEE TO SCHOOL, YOUNGLINGS

2010-08-25T23:04:00.001-04:00

Back to school is always sort of bittersweet for me. Glad the kids' education is continuing, but sad, in a way, to know that they AREN'T out at the beach, or Weedon Island, or some other suitable haunt for a kid to get their hands dirty and make messes and mistakes and their own fun. It's school. Time to learn how to sit still in a line and listen and behave.

(sigh).

Anyway, here's a photo from this morning of the kids dressed for their first day back to school. Ironically, Eli was actually the *most excited* to go, but made a sourpuss for the camera. All 3 kids at one school... this year and next year might be the ONLY time this will happen.

Children were FORCED TO RIDE THEIR BIKES.

2010-08-25T23:03:00.001-04:00

Stumbled across this while Flickr mining this morning. Sounds like field trips in Portland during the 74 gas crisis were EXTRA FUN.

Episode #3310, in which Dad Finally Loses his Marbles

2010-08-01T20:08:00.005-04:00

Tonight, after stopping reading because I was SO VERY DROWSY AND IT IS TIME FOR YOU HEATHENS TO GO TO BED, I remembered that Lesley and I had agreed that we were going to re-institute LIGHTS OUT time tomorrow night so that everyone gets a good night sleep and we're really in the swing of things when school starts. My exhausted and addled brain thought that we had this whole thing sewn up tight, so what the heck, I can give Edison and Ana Tobin their 24 hour tomorrow-night-we-start-lights-out-again fair warning...

As a result, I told the kids that we were going to... "begin having lights out tomorrow night, so lights will go out at 9PM tomorrow night. Yes, I know that you don't like that, but don't worry, though, tonight we're not going to have any angry yellow mango syrup."

No, really. I did. I meant to say "We're not going to have lights out", but for some reason, "angry yellow mango syrup" came out. The kids, of course, thought this was hysterically funny and will probably still be laughing about it some time next year.

I remember envisioning pancakes, with sliced mango, garnished with a mint sprig.

Eli saves The Hobbit

2010-07-30T20:30:00.002-04:00

Eli and I have been reading "The Hobbit" - at the part where the dwarves are held captive by the Wood Elf King, I asked him how Bilbo was going to get them out of this mess. He had 2 plans:
Plan A: Sneak up behind the king, and bonk him on the head with a broom handle. Then he would be "all dizzy" and he wouldn't notice them leaving. He also suggested getting on a chair, to get high enough.
When confronted with the possibility that the king's soldiers wouldn't let them escape, he went to Plan B: climb up on a table and walk across "the top of the ceiling" (i.e. the attic) and sneak out that way.

He thought the barrel plan worked out pretty well, too.

13 years ago today...

2010-07-19T00:01:00.006-04:00

Lesley in Boulder
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

(This isn't my favorite picture I've ever taken of you, but it IS about 3 weeks after the wedding. My sentimental favorite is still the one I took in the rondette in summer of 1994 while you were laying on the sofa still trying to wake up and looking all adorable and sleepy-eyed, and I know you don't like that one.)

13 years ago today, I did smartest thing I've ever done and I married that girl.

You, beautiful lady, are the very best. Thank you so much for being such a marvelous friend, girlfriend, and mommy for our children. Thanks for walking with me while we take this crazy adventure through the world. You are the magnetic north of my daydreams - they meander around elsewhere, lost in music or fish or food or children or brains or space and time but somehow they end up pointing back at you. I love you now more than ever.

Edison Tinnaro, 9 years old

2010-07-06T00:31:00.002-04:00

Edison orders Breakfast
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Wow, dude, you're 9. 9! Nine!
Nine years old for me remains the magic number - not yet subject to the ravages of tweenhood, no longer encumbered with the restrictions of little boy-hood, nine was a land of imagination and possibility, of fantasy and unfolding the amazing inner workings of reality. I hope that for you, Edison, nine and beyond are a continuation of your amazing journey of magic and wonder. Edison is energized and fascinated by the workings of the world around him. A sweet and inquisitive, energetic and intense boy. We treasure you, wild thing, and it's an honor and a privilege to be your parent, and to have you as one of my companions while I learn what it means to be a dad.

Bob Seger's Voice Reminds me of Small Aircraft

2010-07-05T00:35:00.000-04:00

I heard Bob Seger singing "Against the Wind" somewhere the other day, and was momentarily transported back to the USF swimming pool as a kid, when Ann used to take Chance and Heather and Meg and I down there to swim in the summertime. The smell of chlorine and cement that never really gets dry, floating on my back, watching the small planes coming in for a landing at Albert Whitted Airport. Summertime.

It was a nice little flashback.

Happy 5th Birthday, Eli

2010-07-04T09:54:00.002-04:00

Eli, waiting to leave
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus
I probably say the same thing every birthday: "I can't believe he/she is already X years old".

But every time it's true. Thank you, Eli, for being such a sweet and special boy. Puppy lover, beach fish, comedian, reader of books and master snuggler. And now, soon to be kindergartener. You're awesome. Keep up the awesome work. We love you beyond words.

Longboat Key, 2010

2010-06-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

The grand and much anticipated LBK beach week has come and gone, again, and much fun was had by all. It's everything we wished for, only... too short. But that's part of the deal. The main theme of this week was that it was very low-key. Some highlights, then, from the best week of the year:

The kids, more independent than ever, spent a great many hours building sand castles, chasing sea life, collecting coquinas, liberating my bait, and digging an enormous foxhole that was big enough for them to hide from me. Which caused me more than one "OH GOD WHERE IS ELI?" panic.
Edison probably still has snorkel and mask marks on his face, as he wore that more often than not and loved checking out the fish, worms, crabs, and starfish he found on the bottom.
All of the kids are the color of chestnuts.
I refused to take off my sunglasses, so I look like a raccoon. But, I suppose that's normal.
We had a few good sing-alongs with the guitar and my borrowed Uke (thanks, Mike).
Rum was a theme for me, as I was reaquainted with my old pal Captain Morgan, with whom I had not spoken for many years. He's been well. He says Hi.
Ana Tobin hosted a nail painting party where all of the ladies - and Eli -- got a fresh coat on their nails.
Caught a couple of Rays games and World Cup matches, and a lot of LEGO Star Wars on the Wii in the hot afternoons.
Nick and Dad I had an "argument" about what constitutes "UNBELIEVEABLY awful" pitching. They were right, of course, but I had to go after it anyway. Either way, the Rays still lost.
The food, oh, yes, we ate well, as always, but didn't have the bang up year fishing like last year, so we had to have fried tilapia instead of trout and Spanish macks. I know, a rough life. The hush puppies and onion rings were to die for. The fish was, too.
I caught a few ladyfish and whiting, and one (precious) snook. The snook were there but just NOT INTERESTED and not in the great numbers they were last year. Bait was thin and rare. I took a few good "snook walks", just keeping them company as they cruised through the surf down the beach, showing them how pretty all of my lures are.
The water was, as usual, UNBELIEVABLY clear and blue and green.
The tarpon were in and thick and close, and not for me. The fellas on the boats just across the sand bar were keeping them jumping for our entertainment. One monster on the line came in so close to shore we all had to get out of the water. It was a beautiful sight. One school came within 15 feet of the shoreline, popping their heads and tails out of the water. THAT was even more beautiful. The Premos lent us their tarpon rig, but the tackle clearly doesn't make the fisherman.
A big manatee came down the beach and stopped for a while to chew on the rope for the bait bucket, and then said "pah! I hate polyester rope!" and swam away.
There were a lot of flying glowing bugs at night that everyone called "click beetles" but to me, they were fireflies.
Card games were played and victories collected.
Trash was talked.
And good times were spent with people who I never see enough of, and one week just doesn't cut it.
We celebrated Marie and Heather's birthdays, and Sonya made Heather a great book of photos from her past.
I discovered that macro photos of drip castles are intricate, cool, and almost unavoidably luridly phallic.
We discovered that there really ISN'T a LEGO store in Sarasota. DOH!
I had bananas and Nutella for breakfast, and discovered that calorie and fat wise, Nutella is essentially butter. But I would not eat a buttered banana for breakfast.

So that was that, and I'm ready to go again. Next week? I suppose we have to wait a little longer...

In the meantime, there's always the photos.

The Beach

2010-06-25T18:20:00.002-04:00

This morning, as I am gathering my things and heading for the door:

Lesley: OK kids, get your bathing suits on, let's go to the BEACH!
Edison: (whining, sklathing on the sofa) I don't waaaaaannaaaaa go to the beeeeeeach.

Ouch. I mean, I like my job, but... I'll trade with you, kid!

Nerds

2010-06-21T23:35:00.002-04:00

Ana Tobin was singing this song she made up as I was leaving for work this morning:

"When you're a nerd you can do what you want
When you're a nerd you don't have to be cool..."

Go get 'em, baby.

The Happy Meal Zombies

2010-06-10T20:57:00.004-04:00

Edison was introduced yesterday evening to our blog -- it hadn't really occurred to me to tell him about it. But after reading a few posts, he asked why I hadn't written about this… so, for Edison…

After going to the beach a few weeks ago, on the way home for a late lunch, daddy was hungry (which means cranky) and the kids were silly. We were stopped at the Corey Causeway Bridge waiting for the bridge to close. We were right behind the car on the rail, so I was captivated watching the bridge open (those things still fascinate me) when I heard from the back of the van, a ghastly chant…

"Haaaaaaappy Meeeeeeeeeeeal. HAAAAAAPY MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!"

It only took one iteration, and then all three kids were chanting, slowly, like zombies,

"HAAAAAAPY MEEEEEEEEEEAL. HAAAAAAAAAAAAPY MEEEEEEEEEEEAL."

Crack Daddy up when he's cranky, kids, and yeah, you won a Happy Meal.

UPDATE: I found video footage of this gruesome event...

Spoooooooooky (in which we discover that Dad needs to lay off of the Science Fiction and Fantasy novels)

2010-06-09T20:15:00.005-04:00

I was in bed reading Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief last night, and in the part where Percy and his companions descend into the Underworld, surrounded by the spirits of the dead. Spooky, in a kid-lit sort of way. Lesley was falling asleep watching TV in the living room -- or so I thought -- until I heard her voice, singing.

Now, it's not out of character for Lesley to sing when the kids are around, but singing by yourself while watching TV is something we might expect from ME, it's not generally something SHE does. At first I didn't think much of it, but after a few moments, it gave me the creeps. So I got up, and went out to the living room.

She wasn't there. No big deal, but I was curious, so I went looking. Not in the bathroom. Not in Ana Tobin's room. Not in Edison's room. Not in the back bathroom.

"Lesley?"

Not in Eli's room. Not in the kitchen. Must be out in the shop. But the back door, which is pretty much the only one we use, was locked. From the inside. This was a little creepy before, and it was starting to get a lot creepy.

"Lesley? Where are you?"

I went to check out front, to see if she was in my office, or checking the mail in the middle of the night. Office empty, front door bolted.

"Ummm... Lesley? Where are you? Are you in here?"

Sometimes we end up accidentally chasing each other around "the circuit", the path through the dining room, bedrooms, back porch, kitchen, and then back into the dining room. But she would have HEARD ME.

Now, I'm not saying I panicked, because I didn't. But I was definitely full-on creeped out at this point. I did not start looking for faerie rings or ghost circles, but for a moment I wondered where the man with the thistle-down hair might be.

OK, through the circuit again, but slower this time -- Not in the bathroom, not in Ana Tobin's Room, not in Edison's room, not in the back bathroom, and then there she was, in the dark, laying down with Eli.

She had been singing to Eli, who got up for a drink, and went back to bed with him. I completely missed her on the first pass. And I am totally a sucker.

Daddy REALLY needs to ease up on the fantasy literature.

Sweet Summer

2010-06-09T20:06:00.003-04:00

Today was the last day of school for Edison and Ana Tobin, and yesterday was the last day of school for Eli.

I can hardly believe it. Edison is now... a 4th grader. Ana Tobin, a 2nd grader. Eli, a Kindergardener, and it occurs to me that we are rapidly running out of little kids. If you were to ask Eli, however, he'd tell you that there aren't any little kids in THIS house.

True to the spirit of summer, I have big plans for a few nifty projects, because I don't want to lose our momentum on homework, and I think summer presents an opportunity to show kids that learning isn't always textbook-based or onerous. Learning can come in the form of new, interesting projects. So some of the ideas that we have kicked around are:

Writing, storyboarding, and making a movie
Model rocketry
Ana Tobin wants to make a fashion magazine, Edison a comic book
working on our 2d art skills with perspective
and I have an evil plan to start teaching the kids how programming works

Best of luck to us.

HAPPY SUMMER, EVERYONE.

Since I'm here, and I haven't done one in a while, let's have a...

TINNARO.COM MINDSHARE REPORT

Edison

Longboat Key
Lego - particularly Power Miners and Atlantis.
Bone
Mouse Guard
Aquatic creatures, particularly squid, Black African Knife fish, and anything in his aquarium
Drawing comic books
Star Wars

Ana Tobin

Longboat Key
Her new bathing suit
Singing
Ponies
Dancing
Faeries

Eli

Puppies
Puppies
Puppies
Puppies
Bunnies
Backugan
Puppies

Secret Weapon

2010-05-31T19:07:00.002-04:00

While playing cards this afternoon...

Ana Tobin: (Grinning) I have a secret weapon.
Daddy: You don't have any extra cards, do you? Because that would be cheating.
Ana Tobin: No.... I have... THIS. (Produces a small, red matrushka doll)
Daddy: Um, how's that going to help you play cards?
Ana Tobin: I can't tell you.
Daddy: Why?
Edison and Ana Tobin: (together) Because it's a secret weapon.

Duh.

Sandwich Innovations

2010-05-23T11:06:00.002-04:00

Eli's lunch today - Blackberry Jam and Fresh Blueberries on Whole wheat, with the crusts cut off.
Ana Tobin's lunch- a triple-decker peanut butter and honey sandwich.
Love that the kids are creative with food. They even eat it!

The Circle of Life

2010-05-02T12:31:00.003-04:00

Dropped Lesley off at her show this morning, and then took the kids to meet Nick at Pass-a-Grille for some fishtastic action an wave splashery. It was an excellent time - breezy and sunny. didn't catch much, but the kids had fun. I had hooked a small (8"-9") whiting at one point, and had Eli reel it in. The kids all enjoyed the close-up, and then I unhooked it and tossed it back into the water... where a pelican I had not noticed had set up shop, waiting. That bird had my number and a good breakfast, too, when to the kids' horror the fish was immediately snapped up by the pelican and gobbled down.

Funny how when WE are going to eat the fish the kids don't seem to mind as much. But they were NOT happy with that pelican!

infinity, and beyond

2010-04-23T21:02:00.002-04:00

Apropos of nothing, at bedtime tonight Ana Tobin mentions to me, "I think infinity isn't a number, it's a whole series of numbers."

They weren't talking about this at school, this was just what she was thinking about. According to Ana Tobin, " I was thinking about infinity in terms of, like, pictures, not the numbers."

Yeah, kid, you're awesome.

Happy Birthday, Lesley!

2010-04-08T19:24:00.002-04:00

Happy birthday to my favorite pal, co-conspirator, confidante, and bedmate. It's one of the great pleasures of my life to watch you grow, honing your skills, expanding your mind, and just... being you. I love you. Let's have a ton more of these birthdays!

Springtime has arrived!

2010-03-21T00:03:00.003-04:00

All of the sudden springtime is here, so it's time to turn off Mythbusters and GET TO THE PARK!

Our walk around Crescent Lake turned into a nature epic, with sightings of:

a zillion nesting carp
a nest of brand new fuzzy ducklings
a plecostomus (and a number of dead ones)
lotsa ducks and ibis
a tyrranosaurus rex
an awesome hidey-spot in the reeds for scoping out wildlife
a six-year-old girl reading to herself
and only one turtle

Ana Tobin was thrilled, too, when she got some pigeons to eat bread right out of her hand.

You can see all the pictures if you like.

Like a Fish

2010-03-18T22:46:00.002-04:00

Eli is in a very full bathtub...

Eli: I can swim like a fish, daddy, can you swim like a fish?

Me: No, I swim pretty well, but I can't swim quite like a fish. I'm not sure you can, either. I can't breathe underwater like they can! I don't have gills, do you have gills?

Eli: No. But I can breathe under water.

Me: You can? I don't think so. Can you show me?

Eli submerges himself, face down, in the tub, and blows copious bubbles, emerges.

Eli: See?

Me: (Laughing) OK, you CAN breathe under water! Just don't try breathing IN.

Eli 1, Dad's Wet Blanket of Realism, 0.

Roadside picnic

2010-02-20T00:35:00.001-05:00

Roadside picnic
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

I was starving when the kids and I went to the grocery store on Sunday, so we bought a sandwich and some chips to eat. Rather than eat in the parking lot, we stopped by the road next to an empty lot for an impromptu picnic. The kids noticed that we got a lot of stares from passing drivers. I can't remember which one of the kids remarked that it WAS a weird place for a picnic, but that made it a little bit more fun. So true!

Jedi Mind Trick

2010-01-31T22:03:00.009-05:00

The saga of Eli's obsession with puppies continues. Snuggled in Daddy's lap by the fire and accompanied by a stuffed puppy and a stuffed rabbit named "Slingshot", Eli works his magic...

Eli: Daddy, I want to get a REAL puppy.

Daddy: Maybe someday. Eli, it's probably going to be a long time before we get a dog, and it might not be a puppy, it might be a grown-up dog.

Eli: O.K. We'll get a real puppy tomorrow, then.

The Three Muskateers? No, wait...

2010-01-31T22:03:00.008-05:00

Frequently we eat breakfast in the kitchen, with me playing the short-order cook for the kids. Eggs in a basket! Bagel! Oatmeal! Cinnamon Toast! It's a role I relish, and -- unless I wake up cranky, (i.e. find the living room carpet filled with cheerios, or the kitchen windows coated with peanut butter, or find the contents of a box of cereal in Eli's bed, or just plain wake up cranky), it's frequently the best quality time I get with the kids in the day. They line up at the three-seater breakfast bar and eat and goof off (because everything they do is insert verb here and goof off). Lesley and I usually stand and eat, pack lunch, infuse ourselves with coffee, and generally try to move the chaos in a schoolward direction.

And on occasion, just sit back and marvel at the kids. A few days ago while watching them discuss Harry Potter while eating breakfast, Lesley remarked how it seems strange that a few years ago it was "Edison and Ana Tobin" as sort of a package deal, and then Eli, "the baby" -- but now they're all pretty much inseparable. They get along and play great together, all get wrapped up in the same fantasies and frequently in the same trouble. They make up songs together. Often they can be found working out some crazy scheme, for example, Edison's quest to build a pond in the yard. They "ran away from home" together to the neighbor's back yard. Sure, they'll rat each other out sometimes, but sometimes they present a united front against the common enemy - us. I replied "They're Aramis, Porthos, and... wait, no they're not. They're Yakko, Wakko, and Dot."

God help us.

DALMATION POX!

2010-01-16T13:09:00.001-05:00

DALMATION POX!
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Eli has contracted a terrible case of the Dalmation Pox -- commonly transmitted by black markers, symptoms include black spots and repeated barking.

POTTERMANIA!

2010-01-06T23:48:00.001-05:00

The Daily Prophet
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Harry Potter mania is (still) sweeping through the household. Frustrated with the current editors, Edison made a special issue of the Daily Prophet announcing the return of Voldemort. Still waking up most days to calls of "EXPELIARMUS", or a spell they modified for their own purposes... "STUPIDIFY!"

So Long, 2009

2010-01-01T20:33:00.004-05:00

Wow, I TOTALLY BLEW OFF writing about the holidays. Not that they weren't successful -- they were -- Thanksgiving was a BLAST, and so was Christmas, but work for Lesley and I has been very busy, and most of the family took turns feeling crummy - it was frequently my turn. I didn't even get to send the Christmas Cards, which I usually enjoy. As such, I have been "Cranky Dad" and that's never any fun for any of us -- the kids, well, they have to deal with me, and I get to deal with the guilt of knowing that a) I'm not much fun to be around, b) I'm not being a great example, and c) I'm missing out on having fun and enjoying THEIR childhoods.

I don't think it's JUST me, though. Eli, in particular, is hell on wheels these days. Smiley? You bet. Cute as a button. Cuddly like YOU WISH baby bears were. Creative, and very, very funny. And also completely rebellious and generally destructive. Ever see "Lilo & Stitch"? So it ain't just me, but all the same, I need to get my perspective adjusted.

So as we mark this occasion, New Year's Day, the arbitrarily selected moment in which we start counting the Earth's next lap around it's celestial jogging track, I want to try to remember to enjoy the kids as much as I can, and by so doing, understand where they're coming from, and help them along. In the bathroom tonight, I saw that someone had stuck a sticker to the bottom of the tub, a little cartoon fish with the words "SUPER" underneath it. And that reminded me that those little things that the kids find marvellous now -- a stuffed dog can be your best friend -- the song on right now is the best song ever -- a rubber squid can be the most awesome present ever -- a sheet of stickers is full of exciting possibilities -- that's not all going to last forever. Edison and Eli will be men, Ana Tobin a woman. I want to cherish the victories and exciting discoveries of their childhoods -- the enthusiasm and the wonder -- and be a part of it. But I don't mean to demean the people that they will become, either, because they will be children for a few short years and spend the rest of their lives as adults, and I'm looking forward to getting to know THOSE people, too. But now is when we get the chance to play and get dirty and clean again, we have to time to explore, and learn, and have bedtime stories. Now is when we build the foundation of our relationship that will, if we do this right, last us all a lifetime.

So there it is, my New Year's Resolution -- to try to be the best Father and Husband I can be -- Man enough to be a good example for the kids, to lead and guide them, and Kid enough to get down in the dirt with them and get muddy. That's pretty much what I've always wanted to be anyway.

OK, on with other housekeeping- I wanted to make a general list about 2009. So, I did.

2009: A List about a Year

Lesley's father Bill Stuart passed away this year, and we miss him
Our dear friends the Heck family up and took off for Pennsylvania - a good move for them, but we miss them
I set a record low for number of posts this year, since I started this blog -- I didn't post at all in July or December. I have to rectify that in 2010.
Eli started Pre-K, 5 days a week
I got a new Bike in January (after having the old ones stolen in October 08)
Ana Tobin lost some teeth, and got a cool retro 80's assymetrical haircut
Lesley's business has really been taking off -- every aspect of it, from the work itself to the sales, just seems to keep getting better and better
I went to see Mofro play 3 different times
We went to the beach. A great many times.
We did NOT get to buy a flying car. What kind of 2009 is this, anyway? Can I at least have a Mr. Fusion?
I had the best week of fishing of my life at Longboat Key. And I fished A LOT this year.
Edison went through obsessions with Star Wars the Clone Wars, The Future is Wild, Dinosaurs, aquatic prehistoric reptiles (read: THEY'RE NOT DINOSAURS, DAD!!).
The kids are all currently nuts for Harry Potter. I wake up almost every morning with them in the living room shouting "EXPELLIARMUS!!" I'm Dad, and I approve of this obsession.
Carl Hiassen's "Hoot" -- first the book and then the movie -- spread through the house like an epidemic this year.
So did a number of colds. So it goes, so it goes.
Eli remains obsessed with anything PUPPY. Today he "invented" a new (imaginary) Wii game called 'Puppies UNLEASHED' in which you spend the entire game chasing puppies... without leashes.
We got a YMCA membership and so the kids did soccer, Lesley has been working out, and I have a nice dangly thing on my keychain
Eli got stitches, and a scar on his eyebrow that will probably last him a lifetime
I had strep throat 3 times and each one of them sucked
Ana Tobin got RID of her training wheels and now she rides fast, like the wind!
We did not win the lottery. We did not buy tickets, either.
The entire family listened to Vampire Weekend a lot, although most of us didn't know it
Ana Tobin's obsession with music is starting to pay off with guitar practising... on occasion...
Edison is in love with his new aquarium, and his two frogs, Sara and Jimmy
I didn't leave Florida in 2009 at all... but who needs it? We have it all, right here.

Except maybe some snow...

Love to all , and we wish you the very best in 2009,
Gabriel and all of Team Tinnaro

Yield to Cats

2009-11-29T12:56:00.001-05:00

Yield to Cats
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

The kids made a 'yield to cats' sign for the alley. They were concerned about the traffic.

Ana Tobin

2009-11-29T09:55:00.001-05:00

Ana Tobin
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Ana Tobin practicing her guitar. Be still my beating heart!

Ghost Puppy goes for a ride

2009-11-06T21:18:00.002-05:00

Ghost Puppy goes for a ride
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus
Eli wanted Ghost Puppy to ride along to school the other day. He has his own seat on Lesley's bike rack.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T14:03:00.001-05:00

Halloween 2009
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Close Commander Rex, The Fire Puppy, and The Fire Witch hope you had a very Happy Halloween!

The Bat

2009-10-18T17:35:00.001-04:00

Eli made a paper bat at school this week (bat, as in the flying mammal), and has been treating him as his pet bat. Today, the bat got a name -- "Flappy Kissy".

Whay a great name for a pet bat.

CLEAN UP THIS MESS!

2009-10-06T18:54:00.002-04:00

Daddy: Ana Tobin you have glitter ALL OVER YOUR FLOOR. Why do you have glitter ALL OVER YOUR FLOOR?

Ana Tobin: It's not glitter, daddy. It's Boy Repellent.

(Daddy sweeps up glitter and secretly stores it for later use)

It has fuzzy skin, too.

2009-09-28T21:09:00.000-04:00

Driving home from fishing yesterday, I took a bite from a delicious peach we had picked out from the Farmer's Market, and offered a bite to Eli, who is usually game for any sort of sweet fruit. He was up for it, so I passed it back to him and waited a moment for his review. He said it was tasty, but when we were stopped at the light on Tierra Verde, so I looked back saw him looking down at the peach with a look of unmistakable horror.

"Eli, what's wrong?" I asked.

Aghast, he explained: "Daddy... it's got... a brain!"

I'm glad we were at a stoplight.

After explaining that it was a seed that only looks like a brain and not an actual brain, he seemed satisfied, and proceeded to eat most of the outside off of the peach. But he didn't eat the part near that brain. We need to eat more peaches.

Let's go Fishing!

2009-09-27T23:13:00.001-04:00

Let's go Fishing!
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

The kids insisted that I take them fishing this morning, practically dragging me out of bed. Who am I to argue? Ana Tobin took some pictures with my phone during the event... such as this one!

The Snook Experience

2009-09-27T00:08:00.005-04:00

I have said it many times before, and I'll say it again -- I am a devoted, but sort of pathetic angler. I love to fish -- I pretty much find a way to go fishing most weekends, and although I don't get skunked most weekends, I count any fish I bring to the boat. So sometimes "not skunked" means I caught a pinfish. Like I said, kind of pathetic. A few good sized reds here and there, a few trout, a big run on Spanish Mackerel at Longboat Key this year, like golf, a good shot here and there keeps one coming back for more. That, and the aesthetics of the whole experience. Standing in the gulf, staring at the stars, or sitting in the canoe enjoying another majestic sunrise over the bay -- what I have come to think of as the "aurora tropicalis" -- it's an opportunity to soak up some of Florida's natural beauty. And occasionally wrestle in a decent fish.

Which is what tonight was about. Last weekend I hit gold, caught a 22" snook in a spot that a buddy turned me on to, fought a few more, and I was elated. Went back the next night and caught a good-sized trout for the next day's lunch. So after a long day today, I grabbed the tackle and headed for the beach, alone, but looking for some solace and maybe a little adrenaline. My whole fishing resume had, up to that point, 2 snook on it. I've been reading about snook for a long time, and about fishing in general, and I've learned a great deal, but none of that has made a Mark Sosin out of me. I had high hopes, but low expectations.

When I arrived, the electric light that drives the party showed snook in the water -- I counted 10. Hanging out under the light isn't really a great sign -- if they were HUNGRY, conventional wisdom has it they'd be hanging out in the shadows nearby, ready to ambush fish and shrimp that float into the light. Still, it's thrilling just to SEE them. I was ready, with my trusty DOA Glow shrimp lure that worked so well last weekend. Wade out, cast, retrieve, repeat. Change the retrieve. Fan out the cast in various directions. The huge snook I was looking at were about as interested in my lure as they would be in a copy of the Wall Street Journal.
So I headed back to the van for the cast net, ready to catch some bait and see if they're interested in the real thing. 140,000 throws later I had 9 scrawny pieces of bait, almost not enough to justify changing the tackle, but I walked back to the hole and swapped it out. Hook bait, toss to the edge of the light, repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Blam!

At this moment, I discover that a large snook hits like you hooked a jetski. It pulled out a ton of line, rod bent, drag singing, and me laughing like a maniac. After what must have been 5 minutes of give-and-take, I finally got the fish within 20' and saw exactly how big it really was. REALLY BIG. From that distance its eye reflected light like a cat. I hate to admit it, but that thing scared me. I was alone, in the water, mostly in the dark, with a sea monster. But letting it go before I touched it didn't even cross my mind. Finally when I brought her in she was about 30 inches long, and built like a prize fighter. Silver, with a gorgeous black line down the side like a seam in a stocking. I was in awe of it, the entire experience. Me and the Kraken, standing in the ocean, with the half-moon looking down on us from above, waves crashing on the rocks. I reached down to pull out the hook, and pulled up on the rod to make ends meet, and with one headshake the line holding the hook snapped, she was free and swam off casually, perturbed, but none the worse for wear. No, I didn't get to pick her up. But I didn't care.

I was awestruck, heart pounding, hands shaking, I could barely tie on a new hook.

I caught another smaller snook (22"-23") tonight, too, and the thrill is the same. Something about being out there, something about the thrill of your plan working, something about the sound of the drag, wondering if it's going to shake off or break off, and getting to be that close to those beautiful creatures is just thrilling. That dopamine burst you get when everything goes right.

I know better than to think this means I'm no longer a sorta pathetic angler. It's going to take a few more years of practice, learning, practice, patience, and a whole lot more days where I get skunked before I become someone who you might want to take you fishing. I might never get that good. But tonight... tonight I was good at it.

Battle Flag

2009-09-15T19:14:00.001-04:00

Battle Flag
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Eli's war wounds- he lost a disagreement with the edge of the kitchen cabinet this afternoon. Four stitches later, we're on the mend. Thanks, Dr. Johnson!

Ana Tobin addresses the sunset.

2009-09-07T18:27:00.002-04:00

Ana Tobin addresses the sunset.
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Meditation

Back to School

2009-08-25T08:07:00.001-04:00

Back to School
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Good luck on your first day back to school today, kids!

Baby Shark and Lulu

2009-08-20T09:38:00.004-04:00

So as I was on my way to work this morning, the kids were savoring the waning days of summer by digging the deepest hole they could possibly dig. I asked, in the manner that I have been taught that adults are supposed to, "are you digging a hole to China?"

The kids, however, had another plan. They were digging a hole so that Baby Shark and Lulu could visit their underground home. Baby Shark and Lulu are air sharks, you see, and were born orphans and sent away from their underground city...

Ana Tobin was filling me in on the whole Baby Shark and Lulu origin myth - and clearly, she's been listening to what we've been telling her about Joseph Campbell's ideas about hero myths.

Good luck, Baby Shark and Lulu.

Anolis sagrei sagrei

2009-08-18T09:04:00.001-04:00

Anolis sagrei sagrei
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Edison and I caught this big Cuban brown anole this morning - he was photographed and released.

The Wonder Stuff

2009-08-17T19:30:00.004-04:00

q: What is that miracle substance that can transform a plate of (delicious) stir fried beef and vegetables into a culinary miracle that Edison will enthusiastically eat every last bite of?

a: That's right, Kraft Cheddar Flavored EZ-Cheese from a can.

I had NO IDEA that it paired well with nuoc mam.

The Runaways

2009-08-15T12:04:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, the kids were done with Mommy. After a forced closet clean-out, Lesley overheard the plan: the kids were planning to run away from home - to Crescent Lake Park. Since they're not yet run-away-to-the-park-without-parents age, Lesley slipped outside and locked the gate while the kids were still planning.

So it was a few minutes later when Lesley looked out back and saw that Edison and Ana Tobin had managed to scale the fence somehow but were stuck in a conundrum -- Eli couldn't get out, and they weren't about to leave a man behind.

The solution was at hand, though. Evil Mommy unlocked the gate so Edison and Ana Tobin could get back in, and the kids were permitted to run away from home in Miss Jeanette's yard. The kids made a number of supplies, but managed to successfully run away from home for an hour or so. Job well done!

The worst thing in the world

2009-08-11T23:50:00.003-04:00

Ana Tobin, after being sent to bed early the other night, filled me in on one of life's secrets:

"Dad, do you know what the worst thing in the world is"
"No, dear, what is it?"
"PARENTS"

I found this tremendously amusing, but tried not to show it. We're worse than swine flu!

Blog Neglect

2009-08-11T23:36:00.003-04:00

I have been guilty of Blog Neglect - I missed both of the boys birthdays, and the entirety of the month of July. In truth, i've been distracted by all of the fun over on Facebook, and the other vagaries of daily living, but I'm determined to keep up this chronicle, dear readers.

Edison is now 8 - wow. He is a full-blown boy, with full-blown boyishness upon him. I'm very proud of him, and kind of amazed how fast our little first grader, going into second grade, turned into our big third grader. HE is, of course, his own Edison: a sensitive, if somewhat intransigent boy with a great imagination and a passion for LEGOS, Star Wars, and the natural world.

Eli is now 4, and is a sweet and impetuous 4 year old, at that. His speech is still a little garbled but the ideas come out fully formed. His main passion is puppies. Did I mention that the list of "people" that he wanted to invite to his birthday party was a list of dogs? Seriously! He was offended at the notion that people should come too. He also loves whatever it is that his older siblings are doing. Out little tribe plays together and gets along remarkably well, and I cherish that.

Ana Tobin is as fiery and sweet as ever. She has a passion for creation, loving to draw and dance and has a deep desire to make music, and I'll do good by her desire to rock out. She and I definitely have that in common. She's no little kid anymore either, and despite her nervousness about the FCAT (in third grade, for goodness sake) I think we've got her excited about the return to school. She is so very social, I think it won't take long for her to get back into the swing of things.

With the show season in its summer ebb, Lesley has been busy in the workshop but not too busy, a little slowed down by the daily rigors of kids on summer vacation and tendonitis in her hammering arm. Her marvelous work and her following, however, continue to grow.

Me? Work's been busy, and fishing hasn't been hot, but monday night music has been awesome and parenting is still fun and frustrating as ever. Still love the job. Still loving life. Still waiting for the regular season of the NFL to start!

0808091612a.jpg

2009-08-08T18:39:00.001-04:00

0808091612a.jpg
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Eli drives himself up the wall!

Bilingual Signage

2009-06-23T20:18:00.001-04:00

Bilingual Signage
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Edison wrote a sign for his door in english - also with a translation in Huttese. Maybe this is so I will be able to understand it...

Longboat Key 2009 Comes to a Close

2009-06-21T12:20:00.008-04:00

Well folks, it's been real, and it's been fun, and it's been really, really fun, and now we're already looking forward to next year. As Edison put it so eloquently this morning, "I enjoy relaxing at home, but I sure do miss Longboat Key". We had an awesome week.

Some of the things we saw and did this week...

Edison met a baby sandpiper up close on the beach.
We saw a great number of tarpon rolling on the beach -- including a few (huge ones) that were leaping in the air as they were being caughtby anglers right off the beach. I was enthralled.
Eli took two naps the entire time we were there. He did not break anything. This was cool. We are still calling him "El Diablo" though.
Ana Tobin reeled in a ladyfish the size of her arm.
Several manatees came in close to the beach to see what we were doing. We are apparently boring to manatees.
We got to see a screech owl close up, as he was hanging out in a palm tree by the cabin.
We also got a close up of several dolphins, including a mother/baby pair that looked like they were having breathing lessons. That baby dolphin was so small, it had to be newly born.
Nick and I had unprecendented success with the fishing, due in part to the plentiful and thick bait near the shore, and the "Magic Bait Catcher" (AKA a cast net we bought on Monday). Those whitebait are, as Nick dubbed them, "the candy of the sea". We caught plentiful Spanish Mackerel and Trout, with whiting, ladyfish, jacks, a snook, and a few sharks making an appearance. We had a blast.
Children do not appear to tire of looking at bait fish.
Michael, Nat, and Sada came down to visit for a day -- Nat is obsessed with fishing, and he cheers and hoots and hollers when it's finally time to fish. I feel the same way, but I'm not as loud about it.
Lesley and Ana Tobin got a little "girl time"when they went out to breakfast at the Cortez Cafe.
Lesley discovered Stephanie Plum and read a total of 160,000 Stephanie Plum novels over the course of the week and laughed a great deal.
I read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, which turned out to be a perfect and appropriate choice. Loved it.
We went to Mote Marine Aquarium with Mom and Dad and Grandma again this year, and that place is ALWAYS cool. I learned that our "whitebait" are pilchards, among other cool things.
I discovered that Mount Gay rum is very nice, and the reason that I didn't care for rum was Bacardi and Meyer's.
I learned that Guthrie is becoming an accomplished guitarist and is the world's best rapper. But I schooled him when it came time to freestyle.
If there's anything funnier than me beatboxing and rapping on the beach at 1:30 in the morning, let me know what it is.
Guthrie, Sadie, Francis and Chantal all spent a LOT of time playing with the kids in the water, and everyone appeared to have a grand old time. In addition to the additional supervision, this was the first year that we didn't have to sit on top of the kids the whole time - they're becoming quite independent.
Katherine and Marie didn't get to stay very long, but when they were there we were glad to have them.
Once again, this week gives us all time to come together and just share some time and space, refill the tank for another year of real life, and stoke some great memories.

So that's it for another year -- thanks to everyone who made it, because you make it what it is. I could go down there for a week by myself and it wouldn't be nearly the same. Love you guys. Let's do it again soon!

Now, for the pictures...

Our Flickr Photo Set of LBK pictures and a few videos

Our Flick Slideshow of LBK Pictures and a few videos

Hello beautiful.

2009-06-16T10:30:00.001-04:00

Hello beautiful.
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Snook at Mote Marine

Today's fun: Mote Marine!

2009-06-16T10:15:00.001-04:00

Today's fun: Mote Marine!
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

I love this place!

Kid Magnet

2009-06-15T10:04:00.001-04:00

Kid Magnet
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

White Bait + Bubbler = Totally Irrisistable to 4-year-olds.

Good Morning!

2009-06-15T08:12:00.001-04:00

Good Morning!
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

The best Monday morning of the year.

Not a bad day at all...

2009-06-14T22:49:00.001-04:00

Not a bad day at all...
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Gabriel's LBK Trout!

Fishing Sunday

2009-06-14T14:50:00.001-04:00

Fishing Sunday
Originally uploaded by gabeuscorpus

Annie and Nick show off with Ann's ladyfish.

This afternoon and evening we

2009-06-13T20:59:00.001-04:00

This afternoon and evening we saw anglers wrestling HUGE tarpon, and a pair of sharks feeding just off the beach. Wow! That's just.... awesome.