tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35163390889815289212024-03-12T18:46:09.113-07:00TTFN CaliforniaThe very improbable misadventures of Wuggie Norple, Exploding Poptart, Papercup Mixmaster, Dog and Plant as they make their way East to a new life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-17607858858133331922008-02-23T09:06:00.000-08:002008-02-23T09:51:18.653-08:00Post Script<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R8BWCJLKuBI/AAAAAAAAAMg/ymoL96-0okA/s1600-h/Thompkins+County+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R8BWCJLKuBI/AAAAAAAAAMg/ymoL96-0okA/s400/Thompkins+County+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170226967043815442" border="0" /></a><br />It turns out that "TTFN California" is a story with a beginning and an end. This story has reached its end, and it is time for a new story to be told. If you are visiting this website for the first time, I recommend that you start all the way back at the <a href="http://ttfncalifornia.blogspot.com/2007/06/getting-started.html">beginning </a>in June 2007 with our reason-defying cross-country trip. If you want to hear more musings from Exploding Poptart, she'd love to have you visit <a href="http://carrotsnginger.blogspot.com/">Carrots and Ginger</a>. Fans of Wuggie Norple can visit <a href="http://wuggienorple.blogspot.com/">Wuggie Norple Stories</a>. <br /><br />What a long strange trip it's been.<br /><br />Thanks for coming with us.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-62259333922538895322008-02-23T08:53:00.000-08:002008-02-23T09:06:16.738-08:00Complete<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R8BR5ZLKuAI/AAAAAAAAAMY/eHJzXg4VPw4/s1600-h/playroom+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R8BR5ZLKuAI/AAAAAAAAAMY/eHJzXg4VPw4/s320/playroom+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170222418673448962" border="0" /></a><br />Remember the <a href="http://ttfncalifornia.blogspot.com/2007/10/hitting-wall.html">wall of boxes</a>? They have finally become a playroom. When Papercup Mixmaster predicted, back in September, that we would never get everything unpacked before the New Year, Exploding Poptart thought he could not possible be right. But it was only through a huge post-holiday push that we got the boxes unpacked in time for our January visitors, and playroom was liberated. I suppose our move is complete now that we have no more boxes, save those tubs stacked on the mud-porch filled with Exploding Poptart's high school memorabilia, Papercup Mixmaster's band archives, Wuggy Norple's preschool art projects, off season clothes and things waiting for summer to be inflated. The only possible conclusion is that our move is complete. There is nothing left but to grow our roots through the slow daily living of our new lives here in this house, this new home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-28071123966308114092008-02-22T19:37:00.000-08:002008-02-22T19:55:57.630-08:00Moods of the Snow<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R7-ZQ5LKt9I/AAAAAAAAAL8/wLrlAKx6VOY/s1600-h/Justin+Visits+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R7-ZQ5LKt9I/AAAAAAAAAL8/wLrlAKx6VOY/s320/Justin+Visits+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170019412749236178" border="0" /></a><br />Sometimes the snow feels peaceful, but sometimes it creates a feeling of chaos. I (Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Poptart</span>) mentioned this to my boss the other day, and wondered aloud about it. She postulated that the storm that we were watching out the window that made everything feel so chaotic had that quality because the snowflakes were so little. It's hard to see or focus your mind with all those little bits zipping around. It's the big snowflakes, the light fluffy ones that bring peace and a sense of wonder with them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-82797984630295981892008-01-25T07:52:00.000-08:002008-02-22T19:58:24.143-08:00Hero's Journey<div>It starts before dawn. Waking up in the dark is the hardest part. We are loath to turn on the lights because they burn the sleepy eyes. Together we support each other as we stumble down the stairs. Then comes the time for provisioning (cheese and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">crackers</span>, a yogurt, and fruit in the Eagles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Kidsclub</span> Lunch bag) and getting into our gear (boots and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">snow pants</span> for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wugy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Norple</span> and double pants for Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Poptart, c</span>oats, hats and gloves all around). Now we are ready to open the door and face the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">cold</span>. The clock is ticking. Will the bus be early today? We lumber in our bulky gear down the steps, sometimes still zipping a zipper or pulling on gloves. The most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">treacherous</span> part of our journey is the "stink berry part." <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R7-Y-ZLKt8I/AAAAAAAAAL0/3M9q9GEdP8E/s1600-h/Ginko+Berries.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R7-Y-ZLKt8I/AAAAAAAAAL0/3M9q9GEdP8E/s320/Ginko+Berries.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5170019094921656258" border="0" /></a>The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ginkgo</span> tree a block away drops berries all winter, and if you step on one it smells like puke. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Norple</span> is beside himself when this happens. He <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">groans</span> holds his breath. (One day we walked out in the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">street</span> to avoid the stinky part of our journey, but it turns out the berries are there too! And then we are scuffling slowly in snow boots down a busy street hopping on one foot so as not to explode any stink berries. We did not repeat that detour.) But now we are almost to the corner. And once we come to the corner we know we are safe. We rush to look- are there still children at the bus stop, or have we missed our bus? Because even if the bus is already there, we know our kindly driver will stop for us here at the corner. On good days our friends are also finishing their journeys, and we can walk together with enough time at our stop for Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Poptart</span> to help <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Wugy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Norple</span> into his back pack, and share a giant hug. Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Poptart</span> waits faithfully until the bus finally drives away, waving the whole time. The ending of our hero's journey.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-81334394390331305542008-01-16T05:32:00.000-08:002008-01-16T05:38:28.504-08:00We love snowThe flakes falling from the sky as Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Poptart</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Norple</span> walked to the bus stop were like something off the set of a network Christmas Special. Giant fake-looking things that somehow make the world quiet. They were so big you could see the number of points <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">against</span> a dark coat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-52808988127526971182008-01-06T17:36:00.001-08:002008-01-06T17:40:29.319-08:00Wildcard WeekendWell, Wlidcard Weekend is now over. It was hard to watch 3 NFC East teams play, and know that the Eagles were not among them.<br /><br />Papercup Mixmaster made our own magic-marker color-coded playoff chart, and we have recorded our picks for next week. We struggled when we got to match up between the Dallas Cowboys and the NY Giants. Wuggy Norple and Exploding Poptart decided to add a slot for "We would like for a Katamari to roll through the stadium and pick up both teams."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-37239328251827534112008-01-06T17:34:00.000-08:002008-01-06T17:36:04.290-08:00Box 22We just unpacked a box labeled only "MB 22"<br />It contained 20 hangers and a mini photo album from Papercup Mixmaster's wedding to Exploding Poptart.<br />What were we thinking?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-19845741221105647842007-12-28T18:08:00.000-08:002007-12-28T18:12:24.578-08:00Happy Holidays<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R3WtAq0cJAI/AAAAAAAAAK8/YzFQzYcNLL0/s1600-h/christmas+still+life.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R3WtAq0cJAI/AAAAAAAAAK8/YzFQzYcNLL0/s400/christmas+still+life.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149211975973872642" border="0" /></a><br />In this season of long nights, may your home be warm, and may you find a good book, a great album, or a new lego project to fill them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-83063994962676801392007-12-23T18:15:00.000-08:002007-12-28T18:22:30.110-08:00Pink Yink Ink Drink<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R3WvXq0cJCI/AAAAAAAAALM/myjmPg7KRvg/s1600-h/Holiday+001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R3WvXq0cJCI/AAAAAAAAALM/myjmPg7KRvg/s320/Holiday+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149214570134119458" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Green-Eggs-Cookbook-Georgeanne-Brennan/dp/0679884408">Pink Yink Ink Drink</a>. Today Wuggy Norple and Exploding Poptart discovered that you can make it with:<br />Blackberrries<br />Strawberries<br />Milk<br />Honey<br /><br />It makes your face pink.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-21353619803911284712007-12-06T19:22:00.001-08:002007-12-06T19:29:32.338-08:00Winter Fat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R1i9Ua-TQwI/AAAAAAAAAK0/JP0tdrzI5TA/s1600-h/Winter+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R1i9Ua-TQwI/AAAAAAAAAK0/JP0tdrzI5TA/s320/Winter+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141067133179085570" border="0" /></a><br />Well, we've watched those squirrels getting fatter and fatter all fall. Now they are so fat and the trees so bare we finally pulled the car over during an errand to catch them on film, and they were so engaged with their meal, they posed beautifully so we could share them with you. They are so much fatter than the squirrels Exploding Poptart used to watch out the window at the church back in California. Even the Squirrels take winter more seriously here.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-80673954345033571332007-12-01T14:16:00.001-08:002007-12-01T14:20:00.753-08:00Snow PieWe woke this morning to big fluffy flakes of snow. By the time we were dressed, the ground was a proverbial blanket of white. We busted the tags off snow-boots and waterproof gloves and made the first footprints on our street.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R1Hd1K-TQvI/AAAAAAAAAKs/KgKJWtKFZls/s1600-R/Winter+025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R1Hd1K-TQvI/AAAAAAAAAKs/joqt_lj-UJY/s200/Winter+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139132555354915570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Wuggy Norple asked that we post his first snow-pie of the season.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-52943891094211785802007-11-29T19:43:00.001-08:002007-11-29T19:55:43.453-08:00Wedding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0-JLXxV4xI/AAAAAAAAAKk/vVt9QyPBDqM/s1600-R/MillerWestWedding+715.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0-JLXxV4xI/AAAAAAAAAKk/9PkJrwEB4R4/s200/MillerWestWedding+715.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5138476528305562386" border="0" /></a><br />Finally the wedding was on. The great wedding of LouJones and Guy.<br />Papercup Mixmaster got to be one of the best men<br />Exploding Poptart got to perform the ceremony<br />And Wuggy Norple was the best flower thrower ever. [Gosh he looked sharp in his orange tie]<br /><br />The cold afternoon in the Marin Headlands melted into a warm yellow glow that felt like the world's longest hug. What an auspicious beginning. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Guy-Jones. We love you.<br /><br />Our little band of travelers could not stay to close the party down, as we love to do. We had to catch an early morning flight back to the great white north. (mostly fog so far, the snow didn't stick). After being surrounded by people we love for 10 days, it was sad to leave. But as Wuggy Norple said in his thanksgiving toast "I'm thankful to spend time with friends, and to enjoy them for as long as I can before we go back."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-17382615100124382412007-11-22T11:11:00.000-08:002007-11-29T19:42:57.966-08:00Sunny Thanksgiving<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0XenXxV4wI/AAAAAAAAAKc/qV1_i5Lg3hQ/s1600-h/Pumpkin+Pie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0XenXxV4wI/AAAAAAAAAKc/qV1_i5Lg3hQ/s200/Pumpkin+Pie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135755718063153922" border="0" /></a><br />For years we have celebrated Thanksgiving with Papa Saxophone and the boys. It feels sad not to be pulling giblets out of a turkey with them on a cold and damp Seattle morning, but we sure have enjoyed chopping and mixing with King Me and Mlle. here in California, where the sun streams down into their hillside home. Yesterday (after a sweet and too-short visit with Happy Potterer and Another-Other-Mother and my GuideDaughter Mookie) we spent the day making too many pies: <a href="http://wannabepiechef.blogspot.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-is-on.html">Apple Walnut, Pecan and Pumpkin</a>. ("That's half a pie per person!" said Papercup Mixmaster. I didn't tell him there were actually 2 pumpkin pies...)<br /><br />Wuggy Norple made Cranberry sauce this morning, and is now the timekeeper for our thanksgiving schedule:<br />"It's 10:02- I think we are a LITTLE bit behind schedule for the Cranberry Sauce."<br /><br />Sweet smells from the kitchen, football on the TV, and good friends all around. It's a Happy, Sunny Thanksgiving.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-12760999963427183522007-11-20T23:49:00.000-08:002007-11-21T00:13:21.619-08:00Finding the Scone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0PnKHxV4vI/AAAAAAAAAKU/3yMlYFDNjAM/s1600-h/Home.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/R0PnKHxV4vI/AAAAAAAAAKU/3yMlYFDNjAM/s200/Home.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5135202161203208946" border="0" /></a><br />Here we are in California to witness the wedding of Lou Jones and Guy. We drove through snow (real one-inch-deep, draping the ground and rooftops, scenic-postcard snow) as we left Ithaca last Friday, and arrived Saturday to a beautiful, Sunny, California afternoon. When Mlle. met us at the airport, she was decked in flipflops and shorts.<br /><br />I hope there will be time later to tell the story of the Bachelor party and our other adventures, but now I just want to say that after our slumber party at Drama Mama's we (expectant and filled with trepidation) went to the neighborhood Starbucks in hopes that they would have Wuggy Norple's favorite baked-good and symbol of life-as-it-should be: the mini vanilla scone. And there they were, sending their sweet sweet love to us from the pastry case. We ordered 3 and a Kid's milk filled with glee. Once again we were eating vanilla scones with Drama Mama and Princess Punk. Wuggy Norple is very happy to be back.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-71220986390774617852007-11-09T17:02:00.000-08:002007-11-09T17:06:20.500-08:00Woog is born!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzUD93G6jII/AAAAAAAAAJs/GNXxwi3lCBA/s1600-h/Woog+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzUD93G6jII/AAAAAAAAAJs/GNXxwi3lCBA/s400/Woog+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131011711758404738" border="0" /></a><br />Today, November 9, at 11:01 am, Woog was born. Son of K-nob and King Waffel, brother of Boog. He was a wopping 9 lbs 9 oz. As you can see he is very beautiful. We are told that when Boog first saw Woog in his mother's arms, it blew her mind. She stood in the doorway open mouthed processing for 2 whole minutes, says King Waffel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-17339917995520335992007-11-09T05:51:00.000-08:002007-11-09T17:07:20.272-08:00Waiting very excited...Right at this very moment K-nob is being prepped for a surgery according to plan, and we all anxiously await the birth of the newest member of our family. While we are starting our ordinary day of work and school, a whole new life is ready to begin. Wow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-19569442957843011862007-11-07T05:56:00.000-08:002007-12-05T05:56:30.928-08:00Snow!Real, live snowflakes falling from the sky (without actually piling up on the ground or anything) witnesed in the Ithaca sky and on our windshield on this day, Wednesday November 7. Our first New York snow!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-82371401392220555142007-11-03T20:35:00.000-07:002007-11-14T18:29:12.078-08:00Halloween<div>[pumpkin design by Wuggy Norple]<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/Rzp9-RHQCBI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/fOfG3RnhaoM/s1600-h/Halloween+214.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132553234041276434" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/Rzp9-RHQCBI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/fOfG3RnhaoM/s200/Halloween+214.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>This was one of the all time great Halloweens. We made a pilgrimage down Philadelphia way to attend the Eagle's Kids Club Halloween party at the Linc, where Eagles cheerleaders gave away candy to costumed Eagles Fans, and let us try on Eagles gear as a band of devilish musicians roved the Linc playing "Fly Eagles Fly". <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzqBWhHQCCI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/lH_XQgxeGwA/s1600-h/Halloween+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132556949187987490" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzqBWhHQCCI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/lH_XQgxeGwA/s200/Halloween+032.jpg" border="0" /></a>Most importantly Uncle Clutch, Aunt Sunny D, Cousin Tiny Hings and Cousin Smiley Walker met us at the stadium to tour the Eagle's locker room and run out the very tunnel our favorite players run through before each home game. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzrmXhHQCDI/AAAAAAAAAKE/uq1fvTSewHQ/s1600-h/Halloween+006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132668017042262066" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzrmXhHQCDI/AAAAAAAAAKE/uq1fvTSewHQ/s200/Halloween+006.jpg" border="0" /></a>It was worth the rainy gloomy drive down route 81.<br /><br />When we arrived at Godmama Q's place she had left Halloween treat bags on our pillows, and made us the most delicious chili and corn bread to chase the chill away. We even got to see our old friend MadDog, and his beautiful new home in Philadelphia. We miss our California friends, but we take comfort in the fact that that even in our brand new home we have old friends nearby.<br /></div><div> </div><br />The weekend closed with another pilgrimage- this time to watch the Eagles' Sunday game on local TV at Uncle Clutch's childhood home. (Boy, his mom and dad sure know how to make you feel welcome!) After all those years of watching Eagles' games with Clutch and Sunny D, it was a kind of reunion, and chance for Wuggy Norple to spend the afternoon playing tackle football with Adventure Gramma and Tiny Hings (the ball was invisible I believe- but the tackles were real).<br /><div> </div><br /><div>All that, and we haven't even gotten to Halloween itself. Wuggy Norple dressed up in his Jango Fett jumpsuit, and we walked through our neighborhood on a beautiful fall evening, replete with crisp autumn air and traditional fall foliage. We got all the way to his Arts Camp Friend's house where we stopped to rest, and then headed home (Wuggy Norple is the rare child who is satisfied with one bucket of candy). Exploding Pop Tart sat in the big wicker chair on the front porch with a giant bowl of candy and talked across the porch rail with our next-door neighbor (Dallas Cowboys fan though he is). Because the surrounding area is so rural, some folks come by vanload to our neighborhood to trick or treat. It was the friendliest neighborhood we've ever trick-or-treated in. </div><div> </div><br /><div>Afterwards Wuggy Norple had invited some neighbor friends, along with the Boog and her family over to play "Pass the pumpkin" and eat halloween cupcakes. It was so nice to drink wine and cider with our new neighbors and read Halloween books with the children. Exploding Poptart and Papercup Mixmaster were delighted. (Wuggy Norple says- "It wasn't what I expected." It never is, Wuggy.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzuuMnxV4uI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Q9IZ93EgXZ4/s1600-h/Alien+Pumpkin.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RzuuMnxV4uI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Q9IZ93EgXZ4/s200/Alien+Pumpkin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5132887732176413410" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />[pumpkin design by K-Nob]<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-2691042382817557512007-11-01T05:48:00.000-07:002007-11-01T05:51:09.893-07:00Thoughts from Wuggy NorpleOn our cold early morning walk to the bus stop:<br />"We can't be late for the bus, it's still dark outside."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-80017956399284966882007-10-29T05:40:00.000-07:002007-10-29T05:55:06.027-07:00Fear Winter?Driving down through the hills of the southern tier of New York and the northern tier of Pennsylvania, the rolling tree-covered hills had changed from mostly green to mostly orange/yellow/brown. In the light of the setting sun it looked almost like the yellow hills of California in July. What I'm told is an <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">unseasonably</span> warm fall has finally caught up to itself, and there is a real chill, especially at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Norple's</span> bus stop before the sun makes its full appearance. The squirrels are very, very fat.<br /><br />Everyone has talked so much about the winter; we look forward to it with some trepidation. Will we still be able to head south for the weekend to visit our mid-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Atlantic</span> family and friends? How will Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Poptart</span> run when it gets much colder? When will we get our first $400 heating bill? <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Everyone</span> jokes about how hard February and March are; what does that really mean? Will <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Norple</span> really throw snowballs at our backs when we're not looking? Will we really be able to make snow angels in the backyard? Is it premature to buy cross-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">country</span> skis?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-7465922062923958422007-10-23T20:01:00.000-07:002007-10-23T20:18:21.114-07:00Hitting the Wall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/Rx64k6Ll2CI/AAAAAAAAAJk/JZxv2IkB7Es/s1600-h/Boxes+%282%29.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/Rx64k6Ll2CI/AAAAAAAAAJk/JZxv2IkB7Es/s320/Boxes+%282%29.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5124736370226878498" border="0" /></a><br />Here it is. The wall. Like in a marathon, when you hit mile 20 and just can't seem to run another step (or so I hear). Except ours is much more concrete, and gives the house that unsettled look, though we tried to hide it behind the rocking horse.<br /><br />The unpacking has slowed to a crawl. All the easy stuff is unpacked. All the bookcases and drawers are full. And yet there are still so very many boxes remaining. I keep telling myself "do not fear your stuff; it all fit somewhere in the old place, and this place is no smaller."<br /><br />It's easy to unpack a box of books into a bookcase. The problem comes when the box (marked "kitchen" probably) holds 20 copies of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Papercup</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mixmaster's</span> last Album, a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">waffle</span> iron, and all those 1" high rubber alien guys we used to keep on a windowsill. Now that we no longer have a garage, it all has to actually go someplace. <br /><br />The wall emerged when we decided to corral them all into one place, so that now there are many "box free" rooms in the house. I've started to approach the boxes from a mining point of view. Somewhere behind the layer of "books that are going to go in that bookcase we ordered which the furniture store says will surely be here in 6-8 weeks" there is real ore. That cookbook that has my potato soup recipe. My favorite pencils. We mined pretty much all of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Norple's</span> toys early on, but occasionally we hit a new vein, and voila! A great set of castle-building blocks to surprise and delight.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Probably</span> if I have a banana and dump a cup of water over my head I can push <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">trough</span> this.<br /><br />-E.P.TUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-49350345458419552612007-10-16T18:48:00.000-07:002007-10-16T18:54:21.026-07:00I love New York in Fall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVrFKLl2AI/AAAAAAAAAJU/pnq9zhxBCNs/s1600-h/corn+clouds.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVrFKLl2AI/AAAAAAAAAJU/pnq9zhxBCNs/s320/corn+clouds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122117887580297218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVq3qLl1_I/AAAAAAAAAJM/GVBkKhW2oy8/s1600-h/Fall+Farm.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVq3qLl1_I/AAAAAAAAAJM/GVBkKhW2oy8/s320/Fall+Farm.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122117655652063218" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVqn6Ll1-I/AAAAAAAAAJE/Y0UhCKGjFbc/s1600-h/pumpkins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVqn6Ll1-I/AAAAAAAAAJE/Y0UhCKGjFbc/s320/pumpkins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122117385069123554" border="0" /></a><br />Wow, it's already as cold and wet as winter ever got Silicon Valley, but it sure is beautiful.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-51722398237843390962007-10-15T05:48:00.000-07:002007-10-16T18:36:34.646-07:00Quick UpdatesThis updated is dedicated to Adventure <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Gramma</span> who checks our blog every day even when we let weeks go by without updating.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Papercup</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mixmaster</span> has finally gotten the organ out from under piles of boxes, and is within days of being able to make music in the new house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVme6Ll19I/AAAAAAAAAI8/kBpZ1bmnq3o/s1600-h/Lego+Robot.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVme6Ll19I/AAAAAAAAAI8/kBpZ1bmnq3o/s320/Lego+Robot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122112832403789778" border="0" /></a><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wuggy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Norple</span> just found a vintage <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Lego</span> motor in the family <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Lego</span> archives, and is now building <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Lego</span> robots to go in his <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Lego</span> universe.<br /><br />Exploding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">poptart</span> is happy at her new job- the people are great, and though there is always more work to do than time to do it, she gets to drive all around the county inspecting homes and taking in the beautiful landscape listening to <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Feist</span> </a>and <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll">Old Crow Medicine Show</a>, and is always glad to be useful.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-63826037540231472722007-10-05T06:18:00.000-07:002007-10-16T19:04:04.124-07:00These shoes<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVroaLl2BI/AAAAAAAAAJc/TUx0ahRUx-I/s1600-h/shoes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DueFONeNAuk/RxVroaLl2BI/AAAAAAAAAJc/TUx0ahRUx-I/s320/shoes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5122118493170685970" border="0" /></a><br /><div>These are the shoes Exploding Poptart wore to see <a href="http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fbfrxqy5ldae">Michael Franti </a>and Spearhead last week. They are the same shoes she used to wear to the Cyber Ball. It felt good to carry so many memories on the walk around the corner to the show.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lostdogcafe.net/">This </a>is the restaurant where Exploding Poptart and Papercup Mixmaster had dinner before the show. And, incidentally where Michael Franti had dinner before the show.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://www.bluekingbrown.com/">This </a>is the band that opened for Michael Franti. They rock.<br /></div><br />The show was joyful and engaging. His music makes so much more sense in a live context. Suddenly we understand why so very many of his songs have lyrics about making noise, putting your hands up, and how, truth be told "I like my bass loudy, loudy, LOUDER. Poptart and Mixmaster agree, Franti knows how to keep a crowd engaged. It was a great night. A shout out to K-nob and Boog for having a sleepover with Wuggy Norple so we could throw our hands in the air.<br /></div><br /><div> </div><br /><div><a href="http://www.bluekingbrown.com/">This </a>is the band that opened for Michael Franti. They are from Australia and we love them. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3516339088981528921.post-40761582582157252002007-09-19T18:04:00.000-07:002007-09-19T18:20:40.055-07:00Things we left behindWuggy Norple recently was saddened by the realization that some things he loved and counted on in California just don't exist in Ithaca. Some of you know the depth of his love of the KFC Mashed Potato Bowl. He was crushed to find that there is no KFC in Ithaca at all. He was so disappointed that after a recent hair-cut-trauma when I offered to take him out to any restaurant he chose, he decided he'd rather go without if he couldn't have his beloved Mashed Potato Bowl. The blow was compounded later that same week when his worst fears were confirmed; the Ithaca Starbucks does not serve mini vanilla scone. Really, why even leave the house.<br /><br />When surveyed, Exploding Poptart admitted that while she loves her new yoga studio, she still pines for Willow Glen Yoga, especially when a morning of Vinyassa is followed by a Carrot Ginger Muffin. Papercup Mixmaster misses hanging out in the studio in the old garage. (The studio is currently in a dozen or so boxes piled on the electric organ in the upstairs hallway.)<br /><br />Moistly, we all miss our California friends very much.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4