I HATE STEVE SCHALCHLIN

17 June 2002

I don't really hate Steve, but today he posted the url to a game called Text Twist. It's the kind of game I love and I've been totally addicted to it whenever I sit down at the computer. It's going to make getting anything productive done very difficult.

Just what I need: another computer addiction!

Today is Father's Day and I'm afraid Father wasn't treated too kindly here in this house. I didn't even get him a card, and because I was busy writing the review for Sweeney Todd (gave it 3½ stars), I didn't even cook his breakfast  (at least I made the coffee..).

I felt good about the review. For once, I didn't do any on-line checking of anything. Just wrote it cold and I don't think it sounded too bad.

When the review was finished and e-mailed to my editor, I had to put together a salad to bring to a barbecue this afternoon, and that entailed a trip to the store buy ingredients. While I was gone, Walt fixed his own breakfast.

It was kind of fun going off to the supermarket today. I didn't have a lot to buy, so instead of using gas, I just hooked my bag to the back of the bike and rode to the store instead of driving. When I got my groceries, I had them put in the canvas bag instead of wasting a paper or plastic bag. I've lived in Davis for 30 years, and I'm finally acting like an environmentally conscious Davisite.

I was making my usual broccoli salad to take to the barbecue.  In deference to Walt's and Marta's dislike of onions, I made two batches--one with onions and one without.

The barbecue was held at the home of Marta's step sister Lindsay and her husband Brad (and 17 month old Isabella). The dinner was in honor of all the dads--Marta's, Ned's, Brad's, and Brad himself, since he has a 17 month old and a baby expected in January.

The thing about getting together with a bunch of people who don't know each other well is that when you have a baby around, everybody focuses on the baby.  The same is true of a puppy--I remember when we were hosting a group of foreign students and they would all meet at our house while waiting for their families to pick them up. Everybody was nervous and somewhat uncomfortable and so instead of trying to make small talk, they would all spend time tossing a ball for the dog--we once spent an hour doing nothing but playing keep-away with the dog!

Isabella is the perfect child to be the center of attention. She's a very easy going, adorable little girl. I remember when we first met her, about this time last year. We were all having dinner at a very noisy restaurant to celebrate the birthday of about five people. We must have sat at the time for easily 2 hours. Isabella sat in her high chair just looking around. She never let a sound out of her, which for a baby less than a year old was pretty incredible.

Now she's mobile, which just makes her more fun. She spent a lot of time handing out invisible things to everybody (we never did figure out what they were supposed to be). Ned got her giggling a lot as he chased her around the house on all fours, and then her Dad started pulling her around on a big piece of paper. Lots of laughter and not a single tear (well, except for the time when her aunt lifted her overhead and banged her head into the chandelier in the dining room!)