Eric created the set by himself and then called me over to take the shot. I applied some filters to the photo so we could add a gritty look. A little cheesy, yes, but a lot of fun.
A macro lens is still in order, but that will have to wait.
I woke up this morning with a swollen thingy. A quick Google search gave the swollen thingy a name – uvula. It’s that part that hangs from the back of your throat. Mine looked like an angry worm, elongated and red. So much for the 20 minutes I spent trying to clear the imaginary phlegm from my throat.
The Barrington clinic admitted me pretty quickly, probably due to my gagging. Test results confirmed a strep throat. I got a shot of Prednisone, in the butt, to keep the swelling down. “Suzy” the nurse was quite apologetic over the whole episode. The shot wasn’t bad, but it felt like someone hit me with a baseball bat.
Anyhow, here’s the public service announcement part: If you wake up with what seems like phlegm stuck in your throat, check for a swollen thingy before attempting to cough up a body part.
If only they could concentrate like this in school. If only I could concentrate like this at work. If only…. <uh, where was I?>
Yesterday was a blah day. Cabin fever was thick in the air. And then I dropped a bombshell (as far as Eric was concerned). I announced that I was going to Walmart to purchase my very own BeyBlade. A wild-eyed Eric suddenly came to life, and so we were off to Walmart. I am now an official BeyBlader, and a very capable one at that.
For the uninitiated, a BeyBlade is a spinning top, usually made of metal and plastic. It will go through a windshield if thrown properly. But I digress. These things are simply the heavier, more metallic forebears of the “Battling Tops” of yesteryear. My point here? You don’t need exercise to remove the years – you need a toy.
Video highlights of the battle
Spencer’s new BeyBlade
Spencer vs. Eric
We came. We saw. We left (without ever getting out of the car). Today was no day for sledding. I hope this kid gets his tube back…from across the street.
I woke up yesterday morning wanting to take some photos. The sky was bleak and gray, so I knew whatever I found would be turned into black and white photos. The pros call black and white “split tone.” Spencer will continue to call them black and white. Spencer will also stop referring to himself in the third person. So after a half hour of driving around aimlessly, I came up with the photos below. They have substance, nostalgia, grandeur, and…..I’ll try again tomorrow.
For what it’s worth, Donna remembers seeing this quarry tower from her window seat in French class, so many (many) years ago. Nostalgia.
I love my dog.
It was referred to as Nemo. It brought snow and took away power. Our year-old snow blower handled the snow (I need to finish up tomorrow), but going without power was something new to us. The power went yesterday at 9pm and was restored today at 6pm. We had it pretty easy, because our gas fireplace continued to work, keeping us warm, while many Rhode Islanders couldn’t heat their homes without power. Anyhow, snow forts and snow blowers ruled the day. And unlike the blizzard of 2007, this one didn’t involve a nine-hour commute home which, coincidentally, was the topic of my very first blog post.
My brother, Martin, came over today for a visit. He had with him some old photos from his days as a paratrooper at Fort Bragg. It was pretty cool to go through his old pics and saved articles. Eric seemed fascinated by the conversation as his uncle and I swapped stories about our time in the army. Martin graduated from jump school in 1977, and I did the same in 1984. Our oldest brother, Keith, was the first to do so in 1976.
The photo below (scanned from a polaroid) is of Martin (right) after completing a jump into Eglin Air force Base in Florida. 2,500 paratroopers had their “knees in the breeze” that day.
Long Days and Nights 