Cindy’s Blog

I came across the Egypt project report Garrison wrote in 6th grade on mummification. Its so cute I had to share! I believe this may be one of the best homework assignments he’s done. At least its the most engaging. He actually went through the steps to mummify a stuffed bear and a cornish game hen while photographing and describing the entire process.

We still have the mummies, as you can see. Menwi, the hen, is usually kept in a sealed plastic bag, but she was let out for this photo shoot. Read the report for yourself. Mummification of a Stuffed Bear and a Cornish Game Hen

Here’s what’s happened in no particular order. Pics later.

• Garrison’s car was totaled by someone running a red light and swiping across the front of his car.
• At least three new pumpkins have formed among the Jack O’Lantern blob.
• The rabbits are now contained in their enclosures/hutches.
• We hand fed two orphaned pigeons for two days.
• The rabbits ate eight out of nine brandywine tomato plants.
• The Jazz Jubilee is over. G’s last performance with Sax by Popular Demand is now over too.
• The traveling drop stitch sweater is finished.
• The willow tree in our backyard is gone.

Here’s another view of the daffodils, this time taken with better lighting.

The tiny little green things in the foreground are calla lillies that are just starting to come up again after having been killed off in the last frost. Between the calla lillies and daffodils is an area where sugar pumpkins will grow in a few months. I plan to fill in all the bare areas with pumpkins.

Here’s a shot of our house, showing how we tight-pack our cars to fit into the small length of street in front.

Does it ever look tiny. But, like Dr. Who’s space capsule, it looks much bigger inside.

When it’s either a hematoma or a muscle tear. When I heard that the doctor said this I thought he had to be wrong. But after realizing that he must do a hundred hernia operations/year, I’ve concluded that he must know what he’s talking about.

The doctor’s suggestion was to not lift such heavy weights but that’s not an option. But now that my son of iron breathes while he works out it’s not a problem anymore.

Here’s what’s happened:

1) Garrison has a hernia now from all the heavy weight lifting. We don’t see the surgeon until the end of the month. He can still play the saxophone (quietly) and can lift weights if he breathes while he lifts.

2) The stupid rabbits have started fighting again. I thought that Fred had lost his eye, but it’s open again and looks o.k. The little pea brains. At one point Ed was in the bunny palace and was running from one spot to another inside it. Each time he would stop, Fred ran to that spot and they touched mouths through the cage wire. ?! Kissing? Biting?

Later Fred went elsewhere and Lucy entered the palace with Ed. I imagined Fred thinking “I lost an eye for you, girl and this is the thanks I get? You hang out with the loser?”

… leg press 300 pounds. Currently I’m at 260. Entirely doable. New Years resolution suggestion by Garrison.

Garrison received an acceptance letter from Humboldt State today. It’s his safety school but it’s still nice. It arrived in a thin envelope. Oddly, Humboldt sent a big envelope to thank him for applying (he’s holding it up in the photo a few posts ago).

On October 8 Garrison’s applications to Chico State, Sonoma State and Humboldt were submitted where he’s applying as a pre-Nursing major. All immediately sent acknowledgement emails. Humboldt quickly sent a thick envelope.

Garrison opened it while practicing his reaction when thick envelopes arrive later.


Garrison thought that it was an acceptance letter since it contained an application for housing. I enlightened him about the college application process, telling him that when an acceptance letter arrives it will be unambiguous.

Two days later a thick envelope arrived from Chico. This time the camera stayed in it’s bag as G opened it. He began reading “Congratulations! On behalf of the California State University, Chico it is a pleasure to inform you of your admission for the fall 2007.”

“Good job faking Garrison. That’s exactly what acceptance letters sound like.” I told him. I was sure he was faking, mimicking the examples I gave him a few days before.

“That’s what it says.”

And so it does. We’re so happy! The letter is dated October 12.

What better way to celebrate than to carve pumpkins. Here’s our inspiration.

This comes from Ray’s pumpkin carving tutorial. Here’s my attempt. It looks shocked and confused. The mouth is the result of a complete mistake. You can’t give your pumpkin a good expression when the mouth is bungled.

And here’s Garrison’s. Look at those gorgeous teeth.

Did we miss our calling as sculptors?

Wonderful Garrison turned 17 today! Can you believe it? Happy birthday, Son.

1. grocery shopping
2. picked up son from sleepover
3. washed sink full of dishes
4. fed son
5. removed cat hair from car seats
6. hunted down black socks for son
7. ferryed son to and from gig
8. unclogged bathroom drain with bare hands, not without the loss of blood
9. fed cats
10. fed bunnies
11. took compostables out to compost pile; washed and relined compost bucket
12. took out trash
13. took out recyclables
14. washed kitchen counters
15. wrote check for son’s PSAT
16. scrubbled cats