matching tracksuits

fun in threes, sometimes fours

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Happy Birthday, Papa

Saturday 18 April 2009 | 0 Comments

Friday was Papa's birthday: he's doing 50 again. He thought about going up to 51, but I talked him out of it. "Fifty is such a nice, round number," I argued. "Fifty-one has very little going for it. It's not even a prime number."

When Papa has a birthday, there's only one kind of cake we can buy with a clear conscience: cheese cake. The Girl liked it too, but seemed to enjoy the act of shoving it into her mouth more than actually eating it.

Papa didn't want to laugh -- thought it might encourage her to continue -- but he couldn't keep the laughter in forever. In the meantime, he looked a little goofy.

Afterward, it was time to play. Papa had some trouble throwing the exercise ball up the stairs, much to the Girl's delight. It's always fascinating to me how something so insignificant, repeated ad nauseum, can give her so much joy.

Bubbles followed, and L followed the bubbles.

Inside, L showed her acrobatic nature while Papa showed his, well, Papa nature.

Catch!

Friday 17 April 2009 | 1 Comment

Catching

Coordination is developing.

Throwing

Strength is improving.

Tree Trunk

Thursday 16 April 2009 | 3 Comments

Spring Evening

Wednesday 15 April 2009 | 0 Comments

The trees in the backyard are slowly filling out; the sun came out today after two days' rain. The only option was to get out in the warmth.

Swinging is always the start. Swinging sets the stage for everything else. It often bookends activities in the summer: it's that popular with the Girl.

Afterward a walk -- such a change from last spring's walks.

Baby came with us; turtle had to stay in the mailbox.

Lonely, I'm sure.

Warsaw Village Band

Tuesday 14 April 2009 | 0 Comments

The Warsaw Village Band ("Kapela ze wsi Warszawa" in Polish) is a folk-ish band from Warsaw, Poland. Their music is more popular outside Poland, though, particularly with dance club DJs. Recently, the band released an album of remixed versions.

This is the opening track: "W Boru Kalinka."

This is one of the CDs recently-married Kuba and Maja gave us last summer during our homecoming visit.

Kuba on His Street

The band has released a new album; a copy is on its way. Unfortunately, the package (which includes several CDs and a few DVDs) has been "on the way" for quite some time -- I suspect it's been "lost" in transit.

Easter Party

Monday 13 April 2009 | 0 Comments

Yesterday was Easter: it was time for a party. What's a better way to celebrate anything than to be with family and friends?

Naturally, there's a lot of preparation before hand. My job (other than smoking the tenderloin): deviled eggs. I'll admit: it was the first time I'd made them, and I was an utter disaster when it came to peeling eggs.

Still, they turned out well.

K made at least a million sauces to go with the multitude of different eggs, meats, and veggies.

First to arrive were Nana and Papa -- always a good and helpful thing. It keeps L busy and out from underfoot.

By the time all the guests arrived, there was a tremendous amount of food. After every such party, I reaffirm my conviction that there should be a simple rule with parties: when you leave, take with you what remains of what you brought.

It wasn't as if there weren't enough people to eat it all. Guests in the kitchen;

guests out on the deck.

After all the food and libation, it's a shame we all have to go to work tomorrow: things were cut entirely too short.

Happy Easter

Sunday 12 April 2009 | 1 Comment

Easter 2009
Three exposures (1/8, 1/30, and 1/2), f/4.5, 120mm

Blessing the Baskets

Saturday 11 April 2009 | 1 Comment

On Holy Saturday (called "Great [as in, big, important] Saturday"), Poles (and others in Eastern Europe) head to the village or neighborhood church to have baskets filled with food blessed.

Usually, the contents are some of the main ingredients of the Easter morning breakfast: eggs, sausage, etc.

In the States, we've always sought out churches that have this tradition. And it's almost exclusively Poles who attend.

Today was no different. We were different, though: K and L both put on their finest Polish Highlander outfits for the service.

She kept wanting to go dance on the manhole cover.

Before long, our friends had arrived, which meant the Girl's friends had arrived: everyone was thrilled.

DSC_4833

A group picture followed, with everyone seeming to forget that we were using digital cameras: "Here, take one with mine!" "Get one with mine next!"

Before leaving, one of L's friends had some words of wisdom to share. We're not quite sure what he said, but it must not have been pleasant: the Girl was fussy and whiny for much of the afternoon.

She wasn't the only one getting advice.

On returning home, K took the basket out for some pictures,

and I, with a cigar, Guinness, and Drive By Truckers in my ears while smoking meat in our barrel/smoker, felt positively conflicted.

Looking for a Spiritual Home

Saturday 11 April 2009 | 12 Comments

Obama is looking for a church in Washington. If he were Catholic or Eastern Orthodox, it might be a little easier. As it is, every church in town is vying for presidential membership.

But this is not a Jones-move-to-Knoxville type of search. There's more at stake here: the irony is that what's at stake is political, not religious.

Mr. Obama’s search for a church home has touched off a frenzied competition among ministers of various colors and creeds who are wooing the first family. The president, in turn, has sent emissaries to observe worship services, interview congregants and scrutinize pastors. (His aides even searched YouTube to vet one local minister.) [...]

Apparently, Obama is eager to avoid another Wright, and I suppose he's wise to do so. No one wants to be explaining the racial comments of his pastor while trying to pass an enormous budget, working to get banks lending, or deciding which CEO to fire next -- all the traditional jobs of a president.

There are many things to consider: the racial and economic demographics of the church are among the most important, according to some.

But the president’s spiritual quest has also revived the awkward questions that often simmer in a city where blacks and whites, rich and poor still live in largely separate worlds: Will the nation’s first black president join a predominantly black church or a predominantly white one? Will he pray in a wealthy community or in a neighborhood that is less prosperous?

“He is anxious to bridge those divides,” said Terry Lynch, director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations here. “But it’s a difficult process. Wherever he goes to church is going to be a public issue.”

Maybe being a non-believer is the best option. It wouldn't have nearly the political baggage.

Oh, on second thought...

Via Washington Churches Eye a Prize, the Obamas - NYTimes.com.

Foreigners in Poland

Friday 10 April 2009 | 0 Comments

There are not many expats living in Poland. It's not a country that welcomes huddled masses and such. Immigration, comparatively speaking, is virtually nil. Still, there are a few; I even know a handful of them.

When I left, foreigners were all the rage. There was a Polish-speaking German actor who was very popular, playing a character on one of the popular soap operas, M Jak Milosc ("L for Love"). There was also a television talk show with an alternating crew of non-Polish Europeans who lived in Poland. An English fellow and our German friend were standards, and the rest came and went. They sat around, speaking Polish to each other, basically their countries to Poland.

Poles are fascinated, it seems to me, with foreigners. There are so few of them that they're truly alien. (Couldn't resist.) When I lived there, most often I heard from Poles I'd just met questions about how I view Poland. Everyone was thrilled to learn what an "outsider" saw.

Here's an interesting clip -- mostly in English -- that recently appeared on TV. It deals with, not surprisingly, how foreigners view Poles and Poland.

Via Polandian