Today, George turns 36 years old. I turn 36 weeks pregnant. For his birthday present, I wrote and illustrated a 36-page children's book called The Little Worst. It goes like this.
14 December 2012
36/36: The Little Worst
121412. What very pretty numbers.
Today, George turns 36 years old. I turn 36 weeks pregnant. For his birthday present, I wrote and illustrated a 36-page children's book called The Little Worst. It goes like this.
Today, George turns 36 years old. I turn 36 weeks pregnant. For his birthday present, I wrote and illustrated a 36-page children's book called The Little Worst. It goes like this.
13 December 2012
12 December 2012
Breech
George and I went into our 34 week appointment on November 29th to learn our baby was breech. I hadn't the faintest idea there was anything to worry about, due to a total lack of discomfort. Having a breech baby at 34 weeks is no big a deal (especially since they tend to turn by week 36), but nevertheless, I was mildly distressed. Immediately, I texted my friend Lauren and asked for a copy of her hypnobirthing breech meditation. I listened to it the next day.
November 30th was the evening George and I had a date to see the Austin Symphony Orchestra perform Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The ASO and Ballet Austin are doing The Rite of Spring this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composition; Indeed, it is wonderful, famous, and historically significant. I've written a previous blog post mentioning it, and due to the timing, my youtube of Fantasia has gotten over 100,000 hits so far. Among the mysterious melodies and jarring harmonies are terribly exciting rhythms. The baby went nuts.
I don't know if it was the hypnobirthing (relax your uterine muscles) or the Stravinsky (dance of death sacrificing a virgin), but I have not felt the full-body baby movements like that since. Today we went into our 36 week appointment. Our baby is in a perfect position.
November 30th was the evening George and I had a date to see the Austin Symphony Orchestra perform Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. The ASO and Ballet Austin are doing The Rite of Spring this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the composition; Indeed, it is wonderful, famous, and historically significant. I've written a previous blog post mentioning it, and due to the timing, my youtube of Fantasia has gotten over 100,000 hits so far. Among the mysterious melodies and jarring harmonies are terribly exciting rhythms. The baby went nuts.
I don't know if it was the hypnobirthing (relax your uterine muscles) or the Stravinsky (dance of death sacrificing a virgin), but I have not felt the full-body baby movements like that since. Today we went into our 36 week appointment. Our baby is in a perfect position.
Drawing by Leonardo DaVinci, 1511
https://www.artfinder.com/work/studies-of-the-foetus-in-the-womb-and-the-external-genitalia-leo/
02 November 2012
28 October 2012
Nephews III
Our favorite little guys (nephews II) came for a visit from Oct 16-19 while their folks took a well earned vacation to Costa Rica. Aiden and Andrew turn two on Nov 1st. This video is a sequel to the post nephews, but it's nearly 9 minutes in length and includes too much footage of banana eating.
I just love watching them eat bananas.
27 October 2012
20/20
24 Aug 12
I'm considered to be 20 weeks and 0 days pregnant, and predicted to have another 20 weeks and 0 days to go. The due date is an awful stream of numbers, 01/11/13, the Chinese zodiac is the water dragon, and the sex will remain unknown throughout the pregnancy. Much to my relief, I'm convinced that water dragons are the best, and therefore refuse to arrive on unacceptable due dates.
I've been meaning to take pictures of my rapidly expanding body with the idea that some day I will return to a normal shape. The trouble with this plan is that asking someone to take pictures of your fat body is not very fun. But here we are at the halfway point, and the neatness of the numbers 20/20 alone has inspired me to begin documenting. If you would rather not watch my belly grow, then get off my blog and look at all those ultrasounds and ugly baby pictures on facebook. These are my memoirs, and I shall do as I wish.
31 Aug 12 (21)
The bugger was about 10 ounces and the length of standard pair of hair cutting shears (7") this week.
(All estimates based on information from http://www.whattoexpect.com/.)
07 Sep 12 (22)
Heavy Pants got up to a pound, and grew to the length of a Sierra Nevada bottle (7.5").
14 Sep 12 (23)
Paperback (8") managed to put on .2 pounds. Mama put that on times ten.
21 Sep 12 (24)
The kickboxer competed in the 1.5 lbs weight class and grew to the width of printer paper (8.5").
28 Sep 12 (25)
Little pancake grew to the length of Mama's foot (9"), but needed more syrup to reach two pounds.
(My dad says my feet are like pancakes.)
05 Oct 12 (26)
Flapjack short stack made it to two full pounds.
12 Oct 12 (27)
We're now into the third trimester, where length is measured from head to toe instead of head to rump.
MacBook Pro (15") doubled in weight this last month.
19 Oct 12 (28)
The little meathead could fit between wall studs (16") and weighed 10 quarter pounders.
26 Oct 12 (29)
Baby giraffe matched my height in August of '82 (17"), but weighed in short of 3 pounds.
(This means it's time to put on some serious weight. Babies have a responsibility to be cute if they expect to be cared for.)
13 Oct 12 (27) Bonus
08 October 2012
Folks in Austin
My parents came to visit for the last time before they become grandparents. It was their first chance to see the house, hear our piano since the restoration, and meet the in-laws. Taking advantage of our temporary freedom, George and I created a busy schedule including trips to Fredericksburg, Dripping Springs, Blanco, Houston, Lockhart, and San Marcos. Mom went crazy taking pictures, so I didn't take any; she sent me a few for this entry. We all had a great time, and I'm not just saying that for the memoirs.
Mom and Dad arrived on Thursday afternoon, Oct 4th, and we went hiking at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Fredericksburg. The Enchanted Rock is a pink, granite exfoliation dome that covers 640 acres and rises 425 feet. We started with the Summit Trail Hike, which heads to the peak in just .6 miles. I was clearly the slowest moving of the four of us. After a tiring but beautiful afternoon, we had generous portions of chili cheese fries, burgers, and beers at Hopdoddy on South Congress. There was enough booze to get my parents flirting.
Friday morning, we were off to the Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs. The swimming hole, which is tucked under a 50 foot waterfall and cave, was off limits due to bacteria from a recent rain. We hiked around the rest of the area, catching sight of a black water moccasin snake, two large angry bucks, and a crawfish in the Pedernales River. From there, we picked up pastries at a bakery called Rolling in Thyme and Dough, stopped for lunch at the Redbud Cafe, and met Betty Mallard for a visit at the Mollberg Piano Restoration Shop in Blanco. Bernard Mollberg and O.A. Watson were there, and we were treated to a lengthy visit and tour of the garden, pump house, cistern, shop, and house. Bernard Mollberg, as always, was exceptionally hospitable and charming. Betty Mallard and I played a couple of duets on a pretty Steinway Model "A" at the end of our visit. Back at home in Austin, we had crock pot brisket wraps with guacamole, and went out for dessert at Gourdough's donut trailer. George and I had heard from several friends that these were massive and amazing donuts, but we should have scoped it out first. What they had to offer was nothing special to us, and it couldn't have been for my parents, who come from the land of the Shopper's Food apple fritter. These donuts are not worth getting sick over; the Shopper's Food apple fritter is. We went to an entertaining production of "The Taming of the Shrew" by Ballet Austin, and slept like babies that night.
Sunday was our Austin day. We picked up breakfast from Taco Deli before attending church, where Dad sang a duet with my friend Malinda in lieu of the choral anthem. Mom ordered Vietnamese food for us at the Chinatown Center, and we topped it off with durian ice cream. It was time to visit a very empty Barton Springs; it was the first swim on the trip, and somehow, the weather dropped down into the 50s for the first afternoon since last year. I was very proud of Mom for getting in the cold water, and we celebrated with hot coffees before our 2.5 hour Hypnobirthing class. I couldn't believe Dad wanted to sit in for it, but he didn't seem too bored or uncomfortable. Afterwards, we saw "Frankenweenie" at the Alamo Drafthouse, and none of us liked it.
Monday was our last morning together. Again, it was in the 50s, and again, we jumped into cold water. This time, we were in the beautiful San Marcos River. The car heater felt great, and by the time we got home, we were toasty. Mom finished packing and had me cut her hair. George had to go back to work, so the three of us enjoyed a large eggplant pizza from Homeslice without him before the airport. It all happened so fast, but I'm glad they'll be back soon with my siblings to see the baby.
Mom and Dad arrived on Thursday afternoon, Oct 4th, and we went hiking at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area in Fredericksburg. The Enchanted Rock is a pink, granite exfoliation dome that covers 640 acres and rises 425 feet. We started with the Summit Trail Hike, which heads to the peak in just .6 miles. I was clearly the slowest moving of the four of us. After a tiring but beautiful afternoon, we had generous portions of chili cheese fries, burgers, and beers at Hopdoddy on South Congress. There was enough booze to get my parents flirting.
Friday morning, we were off to the Hamilton Pool Preserve in Dripping Springs. The swimming hole, which is tucked under a 50 foot waterfall and cave, was off limits due to bacteria from a recent rain. We hiked around the rest of the area, catching sight of a black water moccasin snake, two large angry bucks, and a crawfish in the Pedernales River. From there, we picked up pastries at a bakery called Rolling in Thyme and Dough, stopped for lunch at the Redbud Cafe, and met Betty Mallard for a visit at the Mollberg Piano Restoration Shop in Blanco. Bernard Mollberg and O.A. Watson were there, and we were treated to a lengthy visit and tour of the garden, pump house, cistern, shop, and house. Bernard Mollberg, as always, was exceptionally hospitable and charming. Betty Mallard and I played a couple of duets on a pretty Steinway Model "A" at the end of our visit. Back at home in Austin, we had crock pot brisket wraps with guacamole, and went out for dessert at Gourdough's donut trailer. George and I had heard from several friends that these were massive and amazing donuts, but we should have scoped it out first. What they had to offer was nothing special to us, and it couldn't have been for my parents, who come from the land of the Shopper's Food apple fritter. These donuts are not worth getting sick over; the Shopper's Food apple fritter is. We went to an entertaining production of "The Taming of the Shrew" by Ballet Austin, and slept like babies that night.
We were in the car Saturday morning by 7 to visit the in-laws in Houston, where we spent the morning with my father-in-law, Buddy, and his wife Beverly. Next, we met my mother-in-law Linda for lunch at The Hobbit Cafe. I had an unforgettable seared tuna steak sandwich, with my generous cut "as raw as possible." Pregnant ladies aren't supposed to do that, but some of us only have so much self control. Mom stayed at the cafe and met up with 3 high school friends from Vietnam that she hadn't seen since 1975! The rest of us went shopping at The Village next to Rice University for a couple hours, before abducting Mom from the reunion to meet up with my brother-in-law Warren, his wife Christie, and our favorite nephews. A couple of hours down the road, we arrived at Black's Barbecue in Lockhart, and saw "Who's on First" at the Gaslight Baker Theater. My friend Celeste and her boyfriend Bill made up half the cast, and the play was great. Celeste seemed a little worried about the production, but it was funny, memorable, and one of the highlights of the day.
Sunday was our Austin day. We picked up breakfast from Taco Deli before attending church, where Dad sang a duet with my friend Malinda in lieu of the choral anthem. Mom ordered Vietnamese food for us at the Chinatown Center, and we topped it off with durian ice cream. It was time to visit a very empty Barton Springs; it was the first swim on the trip, and somehow, the weather dropped down into the 50s for the first afternoon since last year. I was very proud of Mom for getting in the cold water, and we celebrated with hot coffees before our 2.5 hour Hypnobirthing class. I couldn't believe Dad wanted to sit in for it, but he didn't seem too bored or uncomfortable. Afterwards, we saw "Frankenweenie" at the Alamo Drafthouse, and none of us liked it.
Monday was our last morning together. Again, it was in the 50s, and again, we jumped into cold water. This time, we were in the beautiful San Marcos River. The car heater felt great, and by the time we got home, we were toasty. Mom finished packing and had me cut her hair. George had to go back to work, so the three of us enjoyed a large eggplant pizza from Homeslice without him before the airport. It all happened so fast, but I'm glad they'll be back soon with my siblings to see the baby.
23 September 2012
177448 Epilogue
Thursday, 23 Aug 12
My return to the shop has been fun. It's good to see Osious, who's back after a month in Spain and France. Jack has been helping me learn something about chess, and brought a chessboard to the shop on both days. Celeste and I are deciding on a piano duet to play on The Volkert together. As a result, my lunch breaks have become rather lengthy, but you only live once.
Thursday, 30 Aug 12
Among several tasks this week, I sanded underlevers. The bottom underlever has a sanded curve, and the top one with the corner is brand new. There were some complications with The Volkert concerning the sostenuto (middle pedal), so Jack had to come in on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Thursday, 06 Sep 12
Celeste brought in a marvelous carrot cake on Monday, and I was asked to test drive The Volkert in order to ensure customer satisfaction. After I explained that some of the registers felt slower or heavier than others, Bernard removed lead in order to modify the drop weight and lift weight of certain keys by my visit on Thursday. The leads shown below were partially drilled out ever so neatly.
Over the weekend, the new rug arrived. On Monday, I brought the third and final payment to the shop, and Jack refined the dampers a final time. The Volkert will be coming home on Saturday!
I satinized keys for a 9-foot Baldwin, plugged bridge pin holes, and cleaned up my own casters on Thursday. Those casters had buildup from one year in the shop in addition to all the wear in Washington, but 3 paper towels and a generous amount of windex have them looking as good as new.
Saturday, 22 Sep 12
The Volkert arrived in our home, Castle Greyskull, at 6 pm. She fits right in.
Restoring the piano has been an incredible process, and I'm so grateful. My mom deserves my utmost gratitude, because she offered me a loan and encouraged me to quit my teaching job to do something I would enjoy more. The project clearly would never have been possible without her. I'd also like to thank my sweet George, who dealt with the Blanco dust all over his car, welcomed me home with terrific dinners, wiped the black lacquer from my arms and face, reminded me to stay hydrated, and willingly took care of us as I lost a paycheck. I'd like to thank my dad. Although he wasn't the strongest supporter from the beginning, I think he eventually became my biggest fan, and acted more interested than anybody else when I jabbered on. I'd like to thank his parents for giving me the piano, which I've named after my grandmother. Of course, The Volkert might be sitting in a junk yard somewhere, had I never run into the most excellent piano shop. A thousand thanks to Bernard, Jack, Osious, Celeste, and Nathan for being so competent and welcoming. I've learned a lot from them, but more importantly, they are wonderful people.
My return to the shop has been fun. It's good to see Osious, who's back after a month in Spain and France. Jack has been helping me learn something about chess, and brought a chessboard to the shop on both days. Celeste and I are deciding on a piano duet to play on The Volkert together. As a result, my lunch breaks have become rather lengthy, but you only live once.
Thursday, 30 Aug 12
Among several tasks this week, I sanded underlevers. The bottom underlever has a sanded curve, and the top one with the corner is brand new. There were some complications with The Volkert concerning the sostenuto (middle pedal), so Jack had to come in on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
Thursday, 06 Sep 12
Celeste brought in a marvelous carrot cake on Monday, and I was asked to test drive The Volkert in order to ensure customer satisfaction. After I explained that some of the registers felt slower or heavier than others, Bernard removed lead in order to modify the drop weight and lift weight of certain keys by my visit on Thursday. The leads shown below were partially drilled out ever so neatly.
Thursday, 13 Sep 12
The Volkert is almost done. I played it on Monday and Thursday, and it truly is a lovely instrument. I took home Grandma's casters at the end of the week.
On Wednesday, the rug George and I ordered to go under the piano came, and it was the WRONG shade of grey. After a panic attack and a phone call to overstock.com, we got it packed up with a return label and ordered a different rug immediately. Close one.
Here's a picture of backchecks just because backchecks are nice.
Thursday, 20 Sep 12The Volkert is almost done. I played it on Monday and Thursday, and it truly is a lovely instrument. I took home Grandma's casters at the end of the week.
On Wednesday, the rug George and I ordered to go under the piano came, and it was the WRONG shade of grey. After a panic attack and a phone call to overstock.com, we got it packed up with a return label and ordered a different rug immediately. Close one.
Here's a picture of backchecks just because backchecks are nice.
Over the weekend, the new rug arrived. On Monday, I brought the third and final payment to the shop, and Jack refined the dampers a final time. The Volkert will be coming home on Saturday!
I satinized keys for a 9-foot Baldwin, plugged bridge pin holes, and cleaned up my own casters on Thursday. Those casters had buildup from one year in the shop in addition to all the wear in Washington, but 3 paper towels and a generous amount of windex have them looking as good as new.
Saturday, 22 Sep 12
The Volkert arrived in our home, Castle Greyskull, at 6 pm. She fits right in.
Restoring the piano has been an incredible process, and I'm so grateful. My mom deserves my utmost gratitude, because she offered me a loan and encouraged me to quit my teaching job to do something I would enjoy more. The project clearly would never have been possible without her. I'd also like to thank my sweet George, who dealt with the Blanco dust all over his car, welcomed me home with terrific dinners, wiped the black lacquer from my arms and face, reminded me to stay hydrated, and willingly took care of us as I lost a paycheck. I'd like to thank my dad. Although he wasn't the strongest supporter from the beginning, I think he eventually became my biggest fan, and acted more interested than anybody else when I jabbered on. I'd like to thank his parents for giving me the piano, which I've named after my grandmother. Of course, The Volkert might be sitting in a junk yard somewhere, had I never run into the most excellent piano shop. A thousand thanks to Bernard, Jack, Osious, Celeste, and Nathan for being so competent and welcoming. I've learned a lot from them, but more importantly, they are wonderful people.
END
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