Some Words Mean Different Things To Different People

My mother and I used to wish each other a Hairy Fishnuts on Christmas morning, so I wanted to extend that same greeting to all of you. With a little help from Google (and Berkeley Breathed), I have found the true meaning of Hairy Fishnuts. Enjoy:
Oh! And Hairy Fishnuts to you and your family; and, if you don't quite swing that way, Happy Harmonica!

(Click on the image of the comic strip if you can't read it. It comes up a bit bigger. If you still can't get it, ask someone to bring you your glasses.)

Ho, Ho, Herniated Disc, Holmes!

A wonderful family donated an old Ricoh copier to Rosehill Montessori School on the condition that we find someone to drive out to Lindenhurst to pick up this 300lb+ monstrosity and transport it back to the school.

So, I researched the model number and could not find a downloadable user manual online, nor could I find any information about the specific model, but I did find a web forum dated 2001 that stated that Ricoh stopped including this model in service plans in 1998; however, you can take the classroom teacher out of the classroom... I could not pass up the price; on Wednesday, I convinced another father in need of volunteer hours to accompany me on the long journey to Bumblefudge, IL armed only with our wits and a heavy-duty dolly hand cart - a dangerous combination.

We were very mindful of our backs in lifting it up the stairs and into the van. It was when we got to school and had to jockey the copier into position in order to lift it out that I got hurt. We were still being very careful of how we were moving it, each guy reminding the other to keep a foot planted for leverage as we push, I leaned over a bit too much to get a better grip on the back of the machine and pulled... and then something that seemed like a pop (but it just may have been the sudden onset of pain), and the flash of white lightening starting from my lower back and shooting down my legs and up into my brain, and I said, "I don't think this is going to happen today." Betty, the director, took me to Edward hospital, where the only thing they could do was give me some pain meds and muscle relaxers and send me home.

So, I'm off work until just after Christmas. I can't walk for the first 30 minutes of my day, and the twins love that because that is when they are their most mischievous.

I'm recovering slowly but, thankfully, surely. Karen has made me another appointment with Dr. Matt, the chiropractor who helped me through a similar, though not as intense, problem about a year and a half ago.

I should still be able to make Christmas Eve and day and the traveling that goes with those days. I am looking very forward to seeing all the cousins on the Ridges side of the family for Christmas eve and the nieces and nephews on the Ephraim side. When you see me, pat me on the back and tell me you're glad to see me.

Jingle Bells

Good-bye, Frankie.

On Sunday, we had to say goodbye to our beloved pet, Frankie. Jacob got him when he was 4, when Aidan was born. Click this link to find out a little more about the saga behind Frankie's needing to find a new home.