Company Holiday Party

My wife and I finally got a chance to get out of the house for a couple of hours without the kids. They stayed home with Granny and Papa while we went to the company holiday party.

Louis Ventre a Terre

Rest in peace old friend.

Ribbit!

Posie Pictures

Here is a photo. It's what I have been doing mostly when I can get out.

Maddie and Daddy

This is a better picture of me. That other pic from the sleep test has been up long enough. I do in fact have sleep apnea, and the new little CPAP machine is working wonders for my sleep as well as my wife's sleep. She says that I no longer snore. Not enough kayaking going on, but lots of other worthwhile times spent with my kids.

Sleep testing doesn't actually involve sleeping.

(really ugly photo of author deleted)

I may be the poster child for sleep apnea. What a miserable night.

My wife complains that I snore very loudly.

My cardiologist wants to know if it is causing me problems with my heart.

All those little electrodes stuck on my head created little hot spots that started hurting about 4:00am. The CPAP (a little nose mask that provides pressurized air to keep my airway open) started squeezing my head to the point that it felt like it was in a vise. at 5:00am they had enough info that we could stop the test, and I could go home. I was glad to get outta there.

I hate hospitals.

WMCKA

Just got back and settled in from the West Michigan Coastal Kayaker's Association Symposium. Here is a link to a few of my photos. Above is Derrick, describing how big......something was. Getting late, gotta go, enjoy the photos, I plan to add some in the days to come.

First Time Out

This season anyway. Last night was perfect paddling weather. I paddled on the little lakes near the house for about an hour and a half. Drifted a lot too, just listening to the geese. Almost had the lake to myself, just a little fishing boat way off to the southwest. Found a tick while I was paddling. The big brown kind, some call em dog ticks or wood ticks, anyway not the little deer ones with lime disease. He hadn't dug in yet, so I flicked him out into the water, fish food I hope. I hate the things, every time I find one, they give me the creepy crawlies for the next day or two. Speaking of itches. Silbs has a good post today. Every time I read about rolling, I get the itch. It always sounds so simple when you read about rolling. Then when you try it, you seem to forget everything that you were thinking was going to work. I have plans to clean up my extended paddle sweep roll at the WMCKA symposium over Memorial weekend. Lots of great talent and knowledge there to draw upon. May have to see if my roll still works this month before I go. It was dependable but ugly the last time I rolled, and it has been awhile. There's that itch again.

Symposium Time

I made it onto the front page of The West Michigan Coastal Kayaker Association's web page. This is a picture that was taken at the 2006 symposium. I'm the good looking guy in the middle with the blue ball cap and sun glasses. That's Simon Osborne on the right.

I just got the OK from my wife yesterday to go again this year. She was scheduled to work on Sunday night to Monday, but was over-staffed. I don't know how many times I will get to go in the next few years with the little ones under foot, so I am going to make the best of this year. The kids program at this symposium is one of the best, but only for kids between 7 and 12 years of age, so it will be at least six years before Maddie is ready, and seven before Claire is ready. I say under foot with tongue in cheek, I do love my kids and really enjoy spending time with them.

Here is a photo of Maddie and myself on the bike tonight. Finally got the seat, and a helmet that fits, and then some warm temps, so that we could try it out. Now all we need is a small kayak and a short paddle.

Falling Waters Trail

I got outside on the Big Bad Kona Hoss today for a few hours. I rode a total of nine miles along a new Rails-to-trails project called the Falling Waters Trail in Jackson County, Michigan. Yippie! the snow is melting, the air is warmer, the days are longer....I made it through another long Michigan winter. It's not kayaking, but it was good to get out of the house.

No GORP for you!

There is only one real way to find out if a kid is allergic to peanuts. Just make sure you have benadryl on hand and several hours available to spend at the local ER. Ah... the joys and terror of being a parent.

The sample next to the "N" (for nuts) is a positive for peanut allergy.

Finally Home

This is Claire just before we loaded-up to go home. She sure is a lot cuter without all of the wires and tubes.

Ready for her first car ride. It's good to have everybody home together.