bad news by phone

for diane and randy

Our babysitters shot this video while Danza and I were in Louisville. He still loves that jumper!

Rosalind Everett Lloyd

Rosa arrived on Tuesday, August 25th at about 9:30. I forget her length, but she weighed in at 6lbs 14ozs. We all were able to get to Cincinnati on Wednesday for a visit and she is gorgeous! I didn't remember how small newborns are...itty bitty.

Mom and baby are doing well and we're so excited to have her in the clan!

Louisville without Harrison!

Diane and Randy graciously agreed to babysit Harrison overnight a week ago so that Danza and I could have an overnight away. We wanted to get an overnight trip without Harrison under our belts before he turned one and time was getting short.

We headed to Louisville...

...and stayed at the Marriott downtown.

We drank beer...

...served in Bloomington's own Upland pint glasses (bonus).

We pretended like we weren't parents.

Danza wore pretty earrings.

We were picked up by our friends Amy and Andre and headed to a fancy steakhouse for dinner.

We told stories. "...and then the giant bear gouged my eyeballs with his giant claws."

It was wonderful having a night away from the critter, but we were anxious on Sunday to get home to relieve Bubbe and Papaw Randy and get a dose of Harrison.

The King and his crown

Danza made this crown for Harrison. Absolutely killer.



"I can gnaw my way through!"

Dix River fishing

Last weekend I went down to the Dix River in Kentucky to fish with my friend Dre. Although I've been fishing the Dix for over 10 years, we always use about the same tactics when chasing after trout. After reading some articles about using great big flies and sinking line when targeting the bigger fish, we decided to dedicate the weekend to this fancy new strategy. And it worked. We didn't catch as many fish, but I did land the biggest rainbow I've probably ever caught (just over 20 inches).

Also, I hope the picture "collage" is easy enough when viewing the pictures. I started using Picasa for Mac and it just makes the process of blogging with photos easier, but it only lets me put up 4 pics per post unless I put them in a collage. Speak up if you think it sucks.

Yard flowers

While trying to put the sneak on the hummingbirds and get some pictures of them at our feeder, I took some pictures of flowers in the yard. Too bad Sage has been eating them whenever she gets the chance.

Arsenal lockbox

I've been needing a way to lock the guns up before Harrison finds interest in them. I've shopped for months for a gun safe but in the end, a true gun safe (I'm talking fire/water proof, 800 pounds and over $1,000) just seemed too expensive, too hard to get moved into the basement, and just not a good allocation of Harrison's college fund. Maybe some day I'll put one in the garage, but for the time being I bought a big gun cabinet for just over $150 that will keep everything safely behind lock and key. It makes for a nice addition to the "man level" basement.

The Fair!!!

I'm just going to let the pictures do the talking. We had fun, although we should not have been as excited about the corn dogs.

To the trout of Pentwater, Michigan

Mom and Dad purchased a "summer house" in Pentwater, Michigan. I know that you trout live all around this area. You are on my radar. I have a boat, waders, and lots of tasty flies that will fool you most every time. You cannot hide from me.

Pentwater is about a 7 hour drive from Bloomington, almost halfway up the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. Although I have not been there, mom claims the house sits in the "most desireable" part of town...3 blocks from the beach, and within easy walking distance from all the downtown shops and restaurants. There are lakes and rivers all around, in addition to big Lake Michigan. The Pere Marquette river is just 10 miles up the road and is the 2nd most famous fly fishing river in Michigan (the Au Sable takes the top prize).

Mom and Dad bought the place furnished, so it is ready to go and Danza, Harrison and I, along with PL, are hoping to spend a few days up there in early September. Can't wait to check it out!

Mom is very "geeked" to show it off and to have a summer destination complete with beach and activities for the grandkids. The town of Pentwater has 10,000 summer residents and about 1,000 full-timers.

The house is actually an 1860's cottage with a large addition put on it, plus a 1/3 acre yard and a detached garage that sits on an alley behind. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths (I think), with a full remodel completed within the past several years. I'm told the kitchen is ridiculous.

Looking forward to getting away, watching Harrison eat beach sand, and catching giant lake fish and beautiful wild trout!