Frahms in Florida

Belle's Soccer Team Advances

2012-01-31T19:24:00.001-05:00

The coaches and players of the Wizards soccer team have fun together during team pictures.

The Wizards won 3-2 tonight in the first round of post-season tournament play. It was a hard-fought battle that had the on-lookers tense until the very end. Belle was still on the injured list, recovering from a nasty ankle sprain (x-rays ruled out a break). They play again on Thursday evening, in the quarter-finals. Go WIZARDS!

Happy Day Between Birthdays, Dad

2012-01-23T14:23:00.001-05:00

In my family we often celebrated my father's birthday (Jan 22nd) and mine (Jan 24th) on the day in-between, the 23rd. For me, especially as a young boy, it meant that we had a special connection. I always had a tendency to identify with my dad, and the co-celebration only made it stronger. Over the years our mutual acknowledgement of birthdays became more and more lax, and we often would exchange birthday cards weeks or months late.

This is the first birthday since he has left us. I miss calling and talking with him about kids, psychology, politics, the weather, home repairs, etc. I miss that we would say "happy birthday!" to each other in a couple of weeks from now, when our schedules allowed that we connect.

Happy birthday, Dad. I miss you.

Frisbee Fun

2012-01-07T15:08:00.000-05:00

An empty church gymnasium makes a great frisbee playground...

And an even better helicopter flying space!

Belle did a fabulous job of flying the aircraft. I stink at it.

They Just Will Not Sit Still!

2012-01-06T14:17:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered...

2012-01-04T13:44:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what it looks like under the water in your own kitchen sink? I have...

Christmas Pajamas

2012-01-03T12:01:00.000-05:00

New pajamas are a holiday tradition in our family.

This year the pajamas were not only new, they were quite different.

Courtney gets the credit, as she was the one that begged Santa for "Froggy footy" pajamas.

Pre-Holiday Beach Fun

2011-12-26T16:09:00.000-05:00

In November, before we got all busy with the Christmas holiday season, we went to the beach with some friends and thought about how nice it is to live in the Tropical South Florida, where we can enjoy the outdoors weather all year round.

Although we didn't actually kite-board, it was fun to watch some other guy do it all the way down the shoreline and clear outta sight.

And even though the beach was pretty crowded elsewhere, we found a nice "secluded" spot where few others had ventured. In the picture above you can see Mike, Craig, Belle, Sarah, Audrey, with Linda and Myra in back.

Belle is always a good sport and willing subject for the camera. She spent time in the water but got moved around pretty good by the strong winds and relatively high waves.

The "boys" played some catch with Craig's football -- until it landed in the ocean and got all wet and sandy.

Body-surfing is such a cool idea, and fun to watch when it works. It is also next to impossible to make it happen, apparently, or we are all just inept. Craig is by far the best swimmer in our group and even he couldn't really catch-a-wave.

It was great fun to see how wild Craig looked when we readied to leave. He is normally quite debonair in appearance.

Holiday Meals with Friends

2011-12-24T16:32:00.000-05:00

We sure have enjoyed having friends and family join us for the holidays. The pictures do not capture our the joy of our experiences, but maybe these images can be humble reminders of the fun we had together...

Out of Sequence...

2011-12-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

I Mostly Do Not Like Spiders

2011-12-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

I mostly do not like spiders, especially when they are close to me. But I admire this one spider that has chosen to share residence with us. I marvel at his web structure (in spite of being partly anchored to a free-swinging pull-chain on our light) and applaud his location choice as it is largely sheltered from harsh weather (being inside our screened porch) and positioned perfectly to capture invading insects that are drawn to our light.

And what is more, I think that she is really very beautiful, when you look closely. This is not what I pictured when I read Charlotte's Web as a youngster -- this is even better!

Ruth Ann Visited in November

2011-11-30T15:53:00.000-05:00

Ruth Ann and Audrey spent some time looking at houses...

Belle practiced playing the piano at church...

and then the party began.

Camping with friends and bugs

2011-11-29T10:02:00.000-05:00

Over the Thanksgiving weekend we had the great pleasure of camping with good friends. We went to the Big Cypress Preserve and were happy to see lovely campsites that were both free of occupants and free of charge. There was plenty of room to run and play frisbee, etc. There was plenty of firewood for a campfire. There were nearly-new picnic tables on concrete slabs. There were even concrete structure outhouses (no running water). There was also something else that didn't concern us much, until the next day...

Bugs! We didn't realize how much the bugs were biting until the next day when the evidence became painfully clear. Poor Audrey suffered from hundreds of bug bites that left her swollen and miserable for the entire week to follow. She is strong, but the itchiness really got to her. This is one ordeal she would hate to repeat.

I am thankful for.....

2011-11-23T20:45:00.001-05:00

My Dad

More Halloween, after the fact...

2011-11-15T18:28:00.001-05:00

If Belle's Dorothy costume looks familiar, maybe it is because you have seen her older sister Courtney wearing it...

Belle Wins Second Place in Math Competition

2011-11-09T19:17:00.001-05:00

It turns out that her 2nd place finish does not represent her real score. Belle actually never finished lower than first place in the three rounds of the competition. She had maximum raw scores, but the competition converts raw scores to scaled scores and ties are awarded less than outright wins. Way to go, Belle-Belle!

Faces of Halloween

2011-11-05T12:47:00.002-04:00

We had a great couple of parties with church people over the Halloween weekend. The pictures above are just a few of the faces that we saw. Can you tell that they are arranged in the shape of a pumpkin?

2011-10-28T16:55:00.002-04:00

The other day I found a pair of sunglasses that my friend had lost at our house. I sent him a text with a picture of myself wearing his sunglasses, and teasingly thanked him for my new shades. He came and got them back without much delay. I wondered to myself if I liked my own sunglasses enough that I would go outta my way to retrieve them...

I went to pick up back-splash tile and somehow misplaced my sunglasses during that trip. No big thing, but I was sure that I had them and now I cannot find them... Belle and I mentally traced the steps of our morning together, from the basketball pictures earlier to the drive across town to the tile warehouse...

We took a break and went to lunch. I have always wanted to eat at IKEA just for the novelty of eating at a restaurant in a furniture store. Belle being a more willing companion than my other family members, I was able to talk her into the low-grade adventure. She quite enjoyed her babyback ribs, and I liked the meatballs well enough. But there was no escaping the reality that we were have lunch in a furniture warehouse. As much as I applaud the idea of the little cafe there, I will not be returning just for the food and probably will not eat there when shopping for furniture.

I just could not let go of the idea that I had lost my sunglasses. I had previously lost the same sunglasses on Disney's Space Mountain, and I hated the feeling of not having them. Fortunately they are easy to obtain and not very expensive, but I did not like the idea of having to spend money for them yet again, thrice. Belle and I went back to the tile store, looked all around, high and low, up and down, under and over, in and out, but had no luck. As we drove away in resignation I happened to look down between my seat and the center console and saw the mystery's answer. The red arrow in the picture below would have been helpful in my search for them.

Pretty or ugly? You decide...

2011-10-18T21:14:00.000-04:00

I spotted this "toad stool" on a fallen tree in Kathy's back yard during my visit this summer. I was interested in the shape and the juxtaposition of the multiple nails. I wondered to myself "Is this a thing of beauty, or is it ugly?"

I held the camera in my out-stretched hand and shot the three of us right in the face...wondering to myself if we would look good, bad, or ugly...it turned out that we did look good, bad, and ugly, but not necessarily in that order -- I'll let you decide which label goes on what face.

The time goes by so quickly...

2011-10-16T19:31:00.001-04:00

Courtney as a ten year old basketball player -- one of my favorite players of all time.

It is a little bit like being there...

2011-10-14T09:26:00.002-04:00

It is great fun to see our little grandson, and to witness his growth from week-to-week, month-to-month. It is also a blessing to be able to see the smiles on the faces of our son and daughter-in-law. Sometimes it is hard to remember the days when we recorded on video-tape and sent movies of family to each other. Or further back, when the written word provided the only descriptions of each others' lives. We live in a blessed time of the world.

Raven haired beauty

2011-10-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

Did I Happen to Mention...

2011-10-11T23:51:00.003-04:00

While visiting my family in Iowa this past August, I stumbled upon the antique shop of the American Pickers television show. It turns out that there are no antiques for sale at the shop, only over-priced trinkets and souvenirs. What a disappointment. However, I found a real treasure in spending free time with my sister Kathy as we drove and talked about nothing in particular. Not that she's an antique, but she sure is valuable.

Can you guess the reason for the party?

2011-10-09T02:38:00.003-04:00

Click the picture above to see more from the party.

Belle scores!

2011-10-04T09:01:00.000-04:00

Belle was chosen to shoot free-throws when the other team was given a technical foul. She missed the first but made the second shot, getting her first score of the season. Way to go, Belle!

"I-ing" Courtney Eyeing Us

2011-10-03T15:32:00.002-04:00

The I-Pad is a great device in many ways, and especially for using Skype to talk with Courtney at BYU. She is doing well -- happy, healthy, making friends, and doing her homework.

She has even experienced success as a fantasy football coach. She explained that her fantasy instructions to the BYU football team resulted in their most recent last-minute come-from-behind victory. Way to go, Coach Courtney!

A candid pose...

2011-09-28T20:36:00.002-04:00

I do not know if I failed to explain myself clearly and coherently, or failed to orient her to the whole "we're going to take a picture, now" process, or if she just did not care to play along. Whatever the reason, I just could not get Rosa Mae to pose for a picture with the rest of us while my camera was busy taking pictures every few seconds on the auto-timer. Fortunately, I enjoy candid pictures more than posed ones, so I think these turned out just fine. You gotta' love Courtney's and Audrey's apparent laughter as the shoot progressed.

An Unlikely Curse

2011-09-25T16:02:00.000-04:00

A temple bus provides riders the opportunity to rest in comfort for the four hour drive...

until the bus breaks down. A broken down bus has to stop by the side of the busy highway, and one guy crawls underneath to diagnose and fix the problem...

while the rest of us help by staying out of the way, watching from a short distance...

and then eventually another bus comes to take pick us up.

It took some doing, but we finally found the cause of the break-down -- it came to light that Heather has never ridden a temple bus without it breaking down. Not only is she dangerous with soup-cans (notice her finger in the picture below), but she is also deadly to large buses. But it is okay, we love her anyway.

Dr Wrongway...

2011-09-23T15:55:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I pushed a heavily laden cart out of the grocery store and wandered the parking lot for several disoriented minutes before eventually locating my truck. It reminded me of something that I can laugh about, now...

The Sunday morning traffic from Provo to Salt Lake is pretty thin at 5am, so we made good time traveling from our hotel to the airport where I would drop Audrey to catch her flight. My travel across country and back to our home in Florida, by way of my family's home in Iowa, began in earnest at around 6am as I crossed through SLC and entered the canyon. What a pleasant morning it was, with great weather, nearly no traffic, and happy memories of our daughter Courtney settling in to school at BYU. I made very good time and after an hour eventually stopped for gas.

Feeling a little tired, I took the time to stretch and walk around a little bit. I added 20lbs of fresh ice to the cooler so that my soda would stay cold, and also because I just wanted to do something a little bit physical after sitting for so long this early in the morning. The ice filled the cooler more than I had expected. With the lid open, I had to pull the cooler forward and balance it on the front corner of the backseat to keep the ice from tumbling out. I was leaving the lid open because I wanted to fill my Bubba-Mug (52 oz insulated mug, just perfect for car travel) with fresh ice and a few diet cokes. The mug was in the front of the truck, so I would have to walk around the open back door and reach across the front seat to grab it, and reverse my path back to the ice chest. It was a simple move which would be easily executed, but I had my eye on the cooler. I was afraid that maybe it would tip over because of the precarious perch.

I stared at it, thinking that maybe I saw it move, slightly, out of the corner of my eye. I gave it my undistracted attention for nearly a full minute and sensed no movement at all -- no little sway, not even the tiniest of wiggles was detected. I backed up and moved around the out-stretched rear door and retrieved my mug and was well on my way back to the open treasure-chest of frozen refreshment and "Slap!" went the the cooler and its contents on the parking lot just outside my truck. The ice cubes scurried in all directions like mice, and I was the cat.

To add to my own personal embarrassment at that moment, I happened to look up and notice a number of professional drivers that witnessed my ineptitude. I was at one of those truck stops frequented by the really big trucks, driven by men who lived on the road. Every few minutes a public address system belted out the announcement that showers were, at that time, available for use by the professional truck drivers. Clearly the "civilian" truck drivers were NOT invited to shower there, so I already felt a little "less-than." But now, after throwing 20lbs of fresh ice and 20 diet coke cans onto the parking lot, I felt truly inferior.

"Who really cares," I said to myself as I drove away. The cans had not burst, the ice was replenished (out $2.16 for the wasted ice), and my pride had survived larger assaults than this. Hours back on-the-road would put it all behind me. I would likely never see that truck-stop or those people ever again, anyway.

I was pretty surprised by the excellent progress that I made after the break. The road had been a little winding and slightly uphill earlier, but had now leveled off and even seemed to be dropping. Somehow I had gotten over the mountain pass with such great ease that I had barely noticed it -- in fact, I had not noticed it at all. In fact, it was not until I saw a sign that read Salt Lake City 34 that I realized that I had been driving the wrong direction -- for 60 miles.

Yep, I was nearly back where I had started from that morning. Not a damn thing to do about it, either, except to turn right around and retrace my path. I imagined the truckers and cashier all standing at the edge of the parking lot as I drove past, again, pointing and laughing at me for my second blunder so early in the morning. But they were not there. My mistake went unnoticed except by me.

It is a given, in my life, that when I leave the grocery store I will instinctively walk in the wrong direction, initially. It used to frustrate and embarrass me, but now I consider it a special talent. Anyone in my company can know the true path by just taking their bearing on MY path and going the OPPOSITE way.

Belle loves to play basketball

2011-09-21T17:07:00.001-04:00

We love to watch her play basketball almost as much as she loves to play it.

I looked at him looking at me...

2011-09-15T03:12:00.000-04:00

He was liking my tree, and I was liking his green-ness. But after a few minutes of staring at each other it became awkward. When it became apparent that he was not going to leave, I stammered a clumsy excuse and drove away to mingle with others that were more "my kind."

Our Favorite Utah Restaurant

2011-08-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

They take your picture and put it on the wall if you eat a 24" sandwich within 30 minutes. We did not do that.

Two Deers and a Dear

2011-08-27T20:13:00.000-04:00

Courtney has some classes in the Maeser building, so we took a walk to see what we could see.

We were quite pleasantly surprised to see a couple of deer grazing near another building on campus.

We were joined by a "dear" of a different sort, as a friend from our own BYU days walked with us. She was delivering her own son that very day. It was great fun to do some catching up with her.

Where's Courtney?

2011-08-25T22:23:00.000-04:00

Can you find Courtney in the crowd at this freshman orientation meeting? Here's a hint - she's wearing black.

A sunny day in Happy Valley...

2011-08-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

Audrey and Courtney walking outside of Heritage Halls...

The Eagle Has Landed...

2011-08-24T01:34:00.000-04:00

We got here on Tuesday at 7pm local time.

BYU Bound

2011-08-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Courtney and I depart this morning for the 2600 mile drive to Provo. Updates to follow....

A Last Supper...

2011-08-19T19:50:00.000-04:00

Before taking Courtney to BYU, we had one last dinner together at our family's favorite pizza-place, Jacaranda Pizza.

An Island, not a Peninsula

2011-08-16T21:18:00.000-04:00

It doesn't quite touch the wall, so the island in our renovated kitchen is truly an island, not a peninsula.

Red Shoes on a Sunday?!

2011-08-15T17:49:00.000-04:00

Can you tell who is who in the pictures below?

It used top be easy to tell Belle, Audrey, and Courtney apart from each other, but they have all kinda grown to the same size.

It Might Rain Today

2011-08-03T17:28:00.001-04:00

I expected it to rain for several days, now, but have been disappointed every day until today when I was effectively trapped in the parking lot of my office building, waiting for the downpour to ease up or for a parking space to be vacated on the other side of the small river that had formed due to drainage overflow. I eventually got a better parking space and donned my ever-ready rain coat and made it inside. I love heavy rainfalls. We can sure use the water here in South Florida.

Water Basketball -- A Friendly Game Between Friends

2011-07-04T12:57:00.001-04:00

Shirts against...

skins.

Basketball rules

apply...

sort of.

On the other hand...

when the boys get together...

sometimes they play a little rough.

Swimming On July Fourth

2011-07-04T12:36:00.001-04:00

The Kids Visit

2011-06-29T13:05:00.010-04:00

Atticus loves to smile...

and swing...

and climb...

and get wet...

and cuddle.

A cleaning service (not really a cleaning service) that I would NOT recommend to anyone!

2011-04-22T13:48:00.001-04:00

Yesterday a cleaning service came to our home. Today I thought I would share my impressions of their work. The "good" is that they were very proactive (we did not have to call and remind them to show up), they were kinda' polite (they worked hard to avoid confrontation), and what they cleaned, they cleaned very well -- leaving no trace behind.

But they were a really VERY BAD cleaning service in other ways. Their work seemed quite rushed (I'm certain that they spent less than two minutes in our house), they were non-communicative (they entered and left without saying hello or goodbye), and they were thieves (they took a 42" plasma tv, and filled a pillow case with two laptops, Belle's Nintendo DSI XL game, Audrey's jewelery boxes, and some coin banks).

All in all, we have decided not to use them again. In fact, we have taken new measures to ensure that they do not return.

Our property management and the police informed us that there were two other burglaries in our neighborhood within the past two weeks. Our homeowners' insurance policy has a small deductible, and we will easily replace our laptops and tv. Audrey's jewelry, mostly, had more sentimental meaning than actual pawn value -- it will not be hard to know what gifts to buy for her for the next several years. I have shown Belle how to set and use the house alarm system (not activated yesterday afternoon when the event took place) and how to lock and unlock the deadbolt -- that helped to restore her own sense of safety and well-being in her "safe-haven" home.

I'm angry and sad to know that there are some people that are so rude and unhappy enough that they spend their time and energy in such hurtful activities. And then I remember that they, too, are God's handiwork and we're all just doing the best we can to "get by" in this life.

[PS To clarify, there was no cleaning service -- that was a sarcastic metaphor on my part]

Atticus with his Father, and my Dad's Laughter

2011-04-20T13:52:00.000-04:00

I found this on my Father's computer and was happy to see a record of his visit with my son and his family. I was also so pleased to hear the sound of my father's laughter -- it warmed my heart a little bit.

Hello from South Florida

2011-03-27T16:03:00.001-04:00

Hello from South Florida, where the March temperatures make for some good swimming.

We enjoy the water so much that we store some in the sky.

Happy Birthday Courtney

2011-03-17T16:56:00.000-04:00

Courtney is celebrating her birthday in New York City with friends from school while she attends a journalism seminar. We miss seeing her on her birthday, but this is the beginning of the end of our life together, cuz she is 18 and is going off to BYU next fall. Happy Birthday, Courtney....we love you!

Belle Wins Another Award

2011-03-08T11:19:00.001-05:00

Belle was feeling good and looking good when she won yet another honor roll award for getting straight A's in school. Way to go, Belle!

Dad's Funeral

2011-02-19T12:24:00.004-05:00

Go Gentle, by Steve Frahm for his Dad.

Just go gentle, there is no need to fight.

Old age has but few dividends to pay,

So go peaceful, calm, having earned the right.

It's normal to panic at endless night,

When body and treatment fail, but I say

Just go gentle, there is no need to fight.

Some men, wrecked with regret, lament how might

They have filled the blanks of their now past day.

So go peaceful, calm, having earned the right.

Other men, deeds crammed, trivial and trite,

In the end strive for meaning. But you may

Just go gentle, there is no need to fight.

Man's body can stay past when he is quite

Gone; life-support gives but empty delay.

So go peaceful, calm, having earned the right.

Father, friend, Dad, in impossible plight --

I love you. With joy, you're sent on your way.

Just go gentle, there is no need to fight.

So go peaceful, calm, having earned the right

Dr. Paul Hans Frahm, 79, of Davenport, IA, passed away Saturday, February 12, 2011, at Trinity Medical Center in Rock Island, IL. Services in celebration of his life will be held at 1 PM Saturday, February 19th at the First Christian Church, 510 E. 15th St., Davenport. Visitation will take place 5-8 PM Friday at Weerts Funeral Home, Kimberly at Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport. Family will also greet friends from noon until the time of service at the church on Saturday. A nursery will be provided. Burial will take place at Oakdale Memorial Gardens, Davenport. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, his family asks that memorials be made to the First Christian Church, Davenport, IA.

Paul was born in 1932 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the first of 11 children born to Hans and Agnes Frahm. He married Cleova Clark in 1951. He later married Ella Cowan Taylor on June 2, 1967. Paul graduated from Washington High School, Sioux Falls, SD in 1949. He attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls and graduated from Drake University with a B.A. degree in 1953, a B.D. degree in 1956, and an M.A. degree in 1963. He earned a PhD in Psychology from the University of Iowa in 1966.

Paul's desire to serve God and others led him to be ordained in Christian ministry in the Disciples of Christ Church in 1953. He pastored churches in Pattonsburg, MO, and Elkhart, IA, prior to being called to the First Christian Church in Mankato, MN, where he served a growing congregation from 1956 through the dedication of a new church building in 1962. While earning his M.A. degree at Drake University, Paul shepherded the Bladensburg Christian Church near Ottumwa, IA. He filled roles as interim pastor of Cedar Memorial Christian Church in Davenport from April - August of 1970 and of Moline Christian Church in 1996. He also served as Minister of Membership at the Moline Christian Church from 1997-2002. Paul has been a member of the First Christian Church in Davenport, IA, for 44 years, was a member of the board of directors of Disciples Uniting in the Quad Cities and was one of the founders of Morningstar Community.

In addition to being a pastor, Paul began his career as a clinical psychologist at the Scott County Mental Health Center in 1966. He was chief psychologist at the Vera French Community Mental Health Center, retiring from there in 1986 after 20 years of service. He joined the Psychology Associates in private practice, retiring in 1998.

Paul had a wide variety of interests and hobbies. He was an avid and successful hunter, winning Iowa trophies for turkey hunting in 1986, 1989, and 1991. He looked forward to annual goose hunting trips to Manitoba, Canada, as well as traditional Thanksgiving pheasant hunts with family and close friends. He enjoyed bow hunting for deer. Paul trained and worked with his own dogs throughout his life. Splatter, Muffin, Brie, Crickett, Lance, and Freckles were not only good hunters, but beloved pets and companions as well.

Paul relished working with his hands. He repaired, remodeled, and renovated homes, loved working in his yard and gardens, maintained his own cars, and, until the last few months, was his own barber.

Paul adored his wife, Ella, and cared for her in endless ways. He was proud of his family and dearly loved each of his seven sisters, three brothers, four children, three stepchildren and each of their spouses. He had a special bond with hunting partner and brother-in-law, Paul Lamont. He doted on his ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. He helped friends and family stay connected through email, Facebook, and genealogy research that led to the discovery of new relatives both here and abroad. He visited Norway on several occasions and took his mother to see her ancestral home and stand on the path her father walked as he left his home for a new life in America.

Paul valued his family and each of his friendships. He served God faithfully all his life and has left a lasting imprint on the hearts, minds, and souls of many. He will be greatly missed by those who are left behind.

His survivors include his wife, Ella; daughter Kathleen Frahm, Bettendorf, IA; stepdaughters Pat (Lou) Felix, Payson, AZ; Julie McEwan, Plymouth, MN; and Scotty (Gary) Spohr, Indianapolis, IN; sons, David Frahm, Colorado Springs, CO; Steven (Audrey) Frahm, Plantation, FL; and Tim Frahm, Davenport, IA; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by sisters Carol Masters, Middletown, IN; Joan (Russell) Allen, Newport Beach, CA; Janet (John) Bowermaster-Davis, San Diego, CA; Linda (Paul) Lamont, Ankeny, IA; and brother Mark (Vesta) Frahm, Ottumwa, IA. Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Hans Frahm in 1978 and Agnes Frahm in 1997; sisters Jeanne Sneve, Norway; Judith Pieritz, VA, Barbara (George) Monasky, PA; and brothers, Dr. James Frahm, Des Moines, IA; and Dr. John (Sue) Frahm, Iron Mountain, MI.

Good Bye, Dad

2011-02-12T19:30:00.003-05:00

Belle's Soccer Season Ends

2011-02-08T20:05:00.004-05:00

Belle's team played into double overtime, but eventually the whistle blew and the other team cheered and our team was sad. They played valiantly and I was so very proud of them, and especially Belle. Good job, Belle!

Generations

2011-02-03T00:31:00.006-05:00

Is this Steve at age one..... or Walker at age one..... or is this us Atticus at age one? Can you tell who is who?

Talent Show

2011-01-28T23:00:00.000-05:00

Courtney, Diego, and Sabrina told some jokes, played some music, and offered some social satire at the South Plantation talent show tonight. Though the judges did not award them a prize, the crowd cast its vote loud and clear with raucous laughter and applause. Great job, kids!

"Pooped" at the Potomac

2011-01-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

Rather than show you a more traditional views of Mount Vernon, I thought I would share the post-tour fatigue that set in down by the banks of the Potomac River on G Washington's property. He was obviously quite proud of his estate, and it is arguably a very attractive place. While the older three women just can't get enough face-time with each another, Belle was grateful for a little rest after trudging through the house and around the grounds.

Birthdays, Past and Future

2011-01-19T23:23:00.001-05:00

For as far back as I can remember I have felt a special connection with my father because our birthdays are just two days apart. As our birthdays approach once again, I look back with fondness at the 45 years that have passed since the image above.

Happy birthday, Dad. It has been great to sit next to you all these years.

Yyyiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!!!

2011-01-18T10:22:00.002-05:00

This laceration did not require stitches and the pain was not all that terrible. Nonetheless I almost passed-out immediately after sustaining the wound and it started to bleed, nearly performed the classic vomit-and-faint combination in the doctor's office when she washed it clean, and continue to make myself light-headed and queasy-in-the-stomach when I change the gauze bandage. Just thought I would share the joy.

Another Hand Injury Remembered

2011-01-18T02:48:00.001-05:00

Yep, it was in 2002 when I did this to myself. Weirdly, it looks much worse than it actually was. The skin had peeled up and off my finger, but went right back down into place and grew back with no lasting deleterious effects.

Oh, HOW did it happen? Well, I jumped and reached for something overhead and around a metal corner -- as I came down from the jump (probably 16 or 17 inches of vertical jump, as I recall sarcastically) my wedding ring caught the edge of the metal and remained there, pulling skin off in the process.

I worked with a hand doctor at the time, and he suggested that nothing really needed to be done for the finger. I was still in shock (he was seeing me just minutes after this injury occurred) and his nurse insisted that he treat it as a serious injury so he relented and ordered x-rays. Nothing was broken and the only treatment was to wrap the wound and keep it clean and dry.

Retro Where's Waldo

2011-01-16T15:36:00.000-05:00

Though the image is of a time long past, I think I can correctly identify 5 of the 11 persons. Can you find me in the crowd? Can you name everyone, or even anyone, in the picture?

The automobile is Dad's VW, of course. Uncle John is standing tallest, Linda and Kathy the only two girls, left and right. Dave with tongue out, thumbs in ears, finger antlers, and Minnesota sweatshirt. I am sitting on hood, with the help of......a cousin? Mark with cheesy smile behind Kathy? Other four are also cousins?

Contrast

2011-01-14T13:19:00.000-05:00

The light within a person is sometimes obscured by the light that surrounds them.

Scale

2011-01-13T10:59:00.003-05:00

What is BIG? Distant-sky jetliner; pedestrian-eclipsing danger-mobiles; lampposts; nature trees; monolithic monumental spire; all made small by fuzzy cotton cloud-blanket. And yet, a pebble in my shoe just will not be ignored.

Tickets are free for the Washington Monument, but they are mandatory and limited in quantity. By the time we arrived the daily allocation was spent. We enjoyed the exterior view, and several of the many Smithsonian Museums.

Bystanders Smiled As I Shot Her While She Was Shooting Me!

2011-01-11T15:41:00.001-05:00

She got me, but not without me getting her, too!

Two Beauties, Three Generations

2011-01-11T14:14:00.001-05:00

A Visit to Iowa in the Winter

2011-01-10T16:05:00.003-05:00

Weirdly, this unremarkable image of everyday life rouses memories/thoughts of some of my most favorite things.

Snow on rooftops and parking lots circumferenced by window-high banks of pressed-power. So many memories of the cold, the snow, the production that it is just to leave shelter during the winter, and the coziness of any car when the weather forbids. A simpler time with simpler struggles.
Leafless trees reveal true shapes when shade is unneeded and unwanted, and sturdy trunks are protection from the inevitable fast-ball projectiles given as an offering of genuine friendships.
Street sign convergence: Jersey Ridge road was a fascination to me in my youth as I imagined long-dead ghost-cows walking along the street just yards from my front yard; Belle is the name of my youngest daughter -- often told that she is my very favorite youngest-daughter ever!
Culver's Butterburgers & Frozen Custard -- the kitchen away from home when I visit my parents' in Iowa.

Belle's Basketball (delayed post)

2011-01-06T17:01:00.001-05:00

Belle's basketball team was so fast that it sometimes was on both ends of the court at the SAME time!

Hair

2010-12-03T16:21:00.000-05:00

Parade

2010-12-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

It is not often that Broward Blvd is so empty that you can comfortably sit in the middle of the street, but that is where Courtney and Belle found themselves one Saturday morning while we waited for the Plantation Holiday Parade to begin. We have a very mixed population in our community, so we do not only say Merry Christmas but also Happy Holidays to be more inclusive.

Weather Matters, Whether Weather Matters or Not

2010-12-01T14:01:00.000-05:00

I just could not help myself.

It's December 1st and my iGoogle homepage reminds me, daily, of the weather conditions in the cities around the nation where my parents, my in-laws, and my children reside. Oh, and it also tells me what the weather conditions are, here in paradise.

So I just could not help but to point out that while my family is enjoying the cold, with freezing rain and slushy snow, I am about to be able to turn off my air conditioner at night and enjoy some outside air for a change. I MIGHT even pull out a sweatshirt to wear when I go to Belle's soccer game on Saturday.

We're in Florida. Come and visit, the weather is fine!

One Week Since the Onset of His Stroke

2010-11-11T00:47:00.001-05:00

Dad's ventilator was removed this morning (they don't let me watch that) and it was nice to see his face without the tube partly obscuring it. We had nice long 'talks' (he writes on white paper on a clipboard that I hold for him and I verbalize what he is trying to say) before they removed the breathing tube. After that he was mostly too busy being fussed over by nurses and Drs as they paid very close attention to him. It was about 90 minutes later that it became very apparent that he was not going to be able to breathe without the ventilator. It is not that he couldn't inhale, but apparently he's not exhaling well enough because he got too much Co2 built up in his blood (75%). So they intubated him again. By that time his his heart was just pounding away at a steady >102 beats per minute. I could feel every pulse in his hand as I held it, and he was constantly squeezing mine (mimicking a heart beat). Even as he continued to squeeze my hand in rapid spurts, he also became more and more detached and distant, sliding away into a stupor. Hard to watch.

Later, after he was intubated and oxygenated again, he was back to 'full-functioning.' He had been discussing with the Dr the prospect of having a tracheotomy. He told me that she was very convincing, although she denied having pushed him in either direction. However, what I thought might be a fight turned out to be an easy decision -- Dad eagerly accepted the 'trache.' In fact, when given the choice of today or after some rest, he wrote "ASAP!"

So tonight he is resting much more comfortably, the O2 tube attached at his neck rather than to his mouth. Coming off of the sedative was a little scary as his heart acted kinda' naughty, but things quickly improved and he eventually seemed good-to-go. He even wrote the following sentence that brought relief to us all:

"I feel the finger of God in my mouth. Soothing." For those of us standing around him, sensing his pain, seeing his tormented face, and reading his dark thoughts, his declaration was a tender mercy.

Tonight I am sleeping in the hospital. I could drive to Davenport, but why waste time on the road. I could stay in a hotel, but they are boring and bleak. Tonight I am staying in the hospital with Dad for no other reason than because I can, and so why not.

Optimism Is Warranted, Say The Experts

2010-11-07T00:19:00.000-04:00

Dad underwent surgery to remove dead portions of his cerebellum and to relieve pressure that was apparently causing brain-stem compression. We waited nearly 6 hours to hear from the surgeon that he was optimistic about Dad's chances for recovery. To put this into perspective, Dad's condition had been declining over the past few days and we feared that his death was imminent. We are now feeling that he has dodged THAT bullet. His death does not seem imminent.

What we do not know, yet, is how much he will be affected. Damage to the cerebellum largely impacts motor functioning, like balance and fine motor movement. I found what seems to be a pretty good explanation of cerebellum problems, complete with MRI images, at a website called Dizziness-and-Balance.com.

A Cold Day In Iowa

2010-11-06T11:15:00.000-04:00

I just arrived in Davenport, where I had come to see my father. Unfortunately for me, he must have known I was coming because he departed to Iowa City while I was en route! That is dark humor, because he flew there in a helicopter, having had a turn-for-the-worse during the night. He has been in a hospital for the past few days following an apparent stroke. I'm about to drive to Iowa City now to see him. More later.

A Visit From An Old Friend

2010-10-28T17:54:00.000-04:00

It was great fun to recall some long forgotten memories when Tim Grebner and his son Max came to visit this past week. Tim hasn't changed much, but apparently I have shrunk cuz he never seemed taller than me in my memories of him! Max is a great young man and a perfect house-guest. His parents have reason to be very proud of him.

Piano Playing by Belle and Audrey

2010-10-22T14:57:00.000-04:00

Coolest Thing Since Sliced Bread?

2010-10-18T23:28:00.000-04:00

I don't know what to say about this. I just think it is such a great solution to a pervasive problem. How is it that I have not seen a quiet-closing toilet seat before my fiftieth year of life?

LDS Church's Official Position On Gays = Respect For All

2010-10-12T17:44:00.007-04:00

I love the great way that the church leaders express love and respect for even those people with whom they disagree about core human values, beliefs, and behaviors. I so appreciate that they are not silent on this and other issues, because whether we like it or not the top leadership sets the tone that gets a little bit distorted all the way down the line to the rank and file membership. The more clear the leaders are, and the more often they express themselves, the less distortion filters down. Great job, LDS Church, for this latest press release. I have cut and copied it here in its entirety. I apologize for copyright infringements, etc.

Church Responds to HRC Petition

Oct 12 2010 — Salt Lake City

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement through a spokesman following the delivery of a petition by the Human Rights Campaign:

My name is Michael Otterson. I am here representing the leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to address the matter of the petition presented today by the Human Rights Campaign.

While we disagree with the Human Rights Campaign on many fundamentals, we also share some common ground. This past week we have all witnessed tragic deaths across the country as a result of bullying or intimidation of gay young men. We join our voice with others in unreserved condemnation of acts of cruelty or attempts to belittle or mock any group or individual that is different – whether those differences arise from race, religion, mental challenges, social status, sexual orientation or for any other reason. Such actions simply have no place in our society.

This Church has felt the bitter sting of persecution and marginalization early in our history, when we were too few in numbers to adequately protect ourselves and when society’s leaders often seemed disinclined to help. Our parents, young adults, teens and children should therefore, of all people, be especially sensitive to the vulnerable in society and be willing to speak out against bullying or intimidation whenever it occurs, including unkindness toward those who are attracted to others of the same sex. This is particularly so in our own Latter-day Saint congregations. Each Latter-day Saint family and individual should carefully consider whether their attitudes and actions toward others properly reflect Jesus Christ’s second great commandment - to love one another.

As a church, our doctrinal position is clear: any sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong, and we define marriage as between a man and a woman. However, that should never, ever be used as justification for unkindness. Jesus Christ, whom we follow, was clear in His condemnation of sexual immorality, but never cruel. His interest was always to lift the individual, never to tear down.

Further, while the Church is strongly on the record as opposing same-sex marriage, it has openly supported other rights for gays and lesbians such as protections in housing or employment.

The Church’s doctrine is based on love. We believe that our purpose in life is to learn, grow and develop, and that God’s unreserved love enables each of us to reach our potential. None of us is limited by our feelings or inclinations. Ultimately, we are free to act for ourselves.

The Church recognizes that those of its members who are attracted to others of the same sex experience deep emotional, social and physical feelings. The Church distinguishes between feelings or inclinations on the one hand and behavior on the other. It’s not a sin to have feelings, only in yielding to temptation.

There is no question that this is difficult, but Church leaders and members are available to help lift, support and encourage fellow members who wish to follow Church doctrine. Their struggle is our struggle. Those in the Church who are attracted to someone of the same sex but stay faithful to the Church’s teachings can be happy during this life and perform meaningful service in the Church. They can enjoy full fellowship with other Church members, including attending and serving in temples, and ultimately receive all the blessings afforded to those who live the commandments of God.

Obviously, some will disagree with us. We hope that any disagreement will be based on a full understanding of our position and not on distortion or selective interpretation. The Church will continue to speak out to ensure its position is accurately understood.

God’s universal fatherhood and love charges each of us with an innate and reverent acknowledgment of our shared human dignity. We are to love one another. We are to treat each other with respect as brothers and sisters and fellow children of God, no matter how much we may differ from one another.

We hope and firmly believe that within this community, and in others, kindness, persuasion and goodwill can prevail.

Mmmmmmmmmmm Good!

2010-10-08T14:56:00.001-04:00

Audrey and her Presidency were back at it again when they hosted the church ladies for the Relief Society General broadcast. They provided Raspberry Brownies (by Christie), Fruit Kabobs (by Audrey), Cream Puffs (by Suzanna), and Trifles (not pictured, by Linda).

Trifles (not pictured) were a layered dessert where you add the ingredients yourself in a tall glass to form something like an ice cream parafet. The brownies, fruit kabobs, and even the cream puffs were all handmade. The women really put in the time to make their desserts special for the event, and it shows.

It Is Fun To Create

2010-10-06T11:42:00.001-04:00

My daughter-in-law introduced me to the sweetness of red and yellow bell peppers and I love cooking with them now. I stuffed this one with hamburger mixed with mushrooms, onions, Taboule, mozzarella cheese, and topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

The dish below is chunks of pork loin with yellow pepper, onion, and pineapple with a Tuscan sun-dried tomato sauce. Is it lunch time, yet?

Courtney Goes to Homecoming

2010-10-02T18:51:00.000-04:00

Can you tell which picture is of Courtney in her Homecoming dress, and which is of her dressed for Senior Nerd Day?

Either way, she has the prettiest blue eyes that you would ever want to see.

Courtney reported having a great time at the dance, in spite of fighting off a head-cold. Audrey and I felt proud of her and comforted in the knowledge that she is just so reliable and trustworthy so that we didn't have to worry quite as hard as we feel like. Thanks for being such a good girl, Courtney. We love you to death!

Audrey Plays Hostess for the Stake Again

2010-09-20T16:29:00.009-04:00

The Ft Lauderdale Stake had an annual Marriage Enrichment evening, and as the Stake Relief Society President, Audrey played hostess. Each of the wards brought their assigned food items (the Davie Ward had the most compliments for their tasty wraps!) and Audrey and her presidency, Christie and Linda, arranged and served and made sure that everything ran just right.

There was an estimated 130 adults in attendance, and I overheard many good comments about the presentations. Adam Barnes (above, white shirt) is the director of the LDS Family Services clinic in Orlando and was good enough to give the keynote presentation.

The Weston Ward provided nursery services, and they did a fantastic job. Watching 51 young children for 4 hours is not an easy task!

In the end, the gym and kitchen were cleaned and left in a better condition than they were found.

Following Belle's Basketball

2010-09-17T16:58:00.003-04:00

If you wanna keep up with Belle's basketball season, follow this link to her team's blogsite. You can also find the link in the left hand column under Family Blogs: Belle's Hurricane Basketball.

What the HECK?!

2010-09-17T15:24:00.002-04:00

It is a little white thing, about the size of a sesame seed, and as hard as a rock. It is not smooth, but seems to have been formed by adding one irregular layer upon another, leaving some strangely rough edges like you might see in some geological formation. The really weird thing is that that hard little white thing came out of my lower eyelid, where it had been growing steadily and annoyingly for several weeks. When it finally became too much of an irritation to handle comfortably, I returned to my efforts to remove it manually and found that it just kinda dislodged and rolled right out. What a weird relief that was to "cast out the beam out of mine own eye," so to speak.

Belle's Basketball Pictures

2010-09-14T16:04:00.005-04:00

Belle has been playing basketball, and I have a new camera. Consequently I have too many pictures to load onto my little blogspot. I opened a smugmug page, and you can view many photos of Belle and her teammates there. Here is a small taste of the 131 images that are at the smugmug link.

South Florida Weather

2010-09-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

The sky is dark gray,
water obscures windows;
forbidding outside,
dry and cool inside --
I love thundershowers.

Great Form

2010-09-03T15:00:00.003-04:00

Belle has great form when shooting a basketball. She has just started playing in the Plantation city league this year, and has only had two practices, and she is learning fast.

Audrey has great form, too, but that has nothing to do with basketball -- she just has great form!

Crispy or Creamy?

2010-09-02T15:18:00.003-04:00

Courtney is a vegetarian and prefers her chicken casserole without chicken, so I substituted greenbeans for the chicken, and cream of celery soup for the cream of chicken soup. She also likes her chicken (greenbean) casserole crispy/crunchy, so I layer the cheese on top, cook it longer, and leave it uncovered. Audrey and Belle like chicken in their chicken casserole, and they prefer it to be cremier. I mix the cheese throughout their dish and cook it with a cover on it and remove it earlier than Courtney's. Sometimes I feel so clever!

Spinach Salads

2010-09-01T16:14:00.003-04:00

I love to cook and create dishes. I am doing the low-carb-diet, lately, and so have enjoyed making spinach salads with various sauces and meats. The one with fried pasta and cheese on it was for Courtney, who is NOT on a low-carb-diet, but rather a low-meat-diet. She decided, not too long ago, to eat a vegetarian diet henceforth.

Belle's Fourth Grade

2010-08-31T17:21:00.000-04:00

Belle's teacher is Miss Albero, this year, and they seem to be getting along just fine.

Not Much....You?

2010-08-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

What did I do on Saturday?
06:45am - 07:00am Courtney to the temple bus
07:30am - 08:30am 2 miles on the stairmaster, pump some iron, swim some laps, hot tub, at the gym
08:30am - 09:00am pick up stamps from the post office
09:00am - 09:30am remove 5 pounds of Audrey's hair from deep inside a drain-pipe to unclog bathroom sink
09:30am - 10:00am wash Audrey's van
10:00am - 11:00am cut down tree branch that over-hung Aud's van and interfered with egress
11:00am - 12:00pm haul tree branch to city recycling center
12:00pm - 01:00pm go to lunch with Audrey and Belle
01:00pm - 02:00pm register Belle for soccer
02:00pm - 06:00pm compile and mail billing, study for psychopharmacology
06:30pm - 10:30pm pick up church friend and join others to help move a church woman
10:30pm - 11:00pm shower, hydrate after sweating 8 pounds of water
11:15pm - 12:00am pick up church friends from airport and drive them home

Visited by Lani and Mauricio and sons

2010-08-26T13:44:00.004-04:00

It was great fun to be visited by Lani and Mauricio and their three sons, Mauricio, Michael, and Alexander. While they were here with us, they explored a nearby park that has recently been refurbished with a new water-play area and playground equipment. But it was the time we spent together, talking and playing and just sharing time that was the real source of joy for all us.

Are Wii Fit? Yes Wii Are!

2010-08-20T13:06:00.003-04:00

Audrey has great fun working out with the Wii Fit games. As you can see on the television screen, she is perfect in yet another area of her life! Wii Fit has turned out to be a very family-fun type of video game. The games are fun and the activities are great for bringing family member together, making it a great choice for this type of electronic entertainment.

As you can see from Belle's face, it is often as much fun to watch someone play Wii Fitness as it is to play it yourself.

Out My Office Window

2010-08-19T20:54:00.002-04:00

I was looking out my office window the other day,
thinking that the clouds were particularly pretty
because of the light and shadows and interesting formations.

I thought, "I should take a picture,
just for fun,"
when I noticed a smudge out there in the clouds.

I wondered if that smudge was a distant airplane,
and where those on-board were traveling off to.
What great adventure awaited them?

But when I changed my focus,
I came to realize
that the smudge was an
altogether different kind
of adventurer.

"Rest your wings, little bug.
It looks like a storm is about to kick up."

Three Pretty Faces

2010-08-04T15:11:00.002-04:00

I love these three mouths and six eyes. I love how their smiles are laughter, warmth, and kindness. I love how Belle's green and brown matches Audrey's, and how Courtney's gray and blue are like mine. I love how their freckles, sometimes more, sometimes less, abound.

The General Relief Society President Visits the South Florida

2010-08-02T14:28:00.004-04:00

Sister Beck is the General Relief Society President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She and her very amiable husband visited the Fort Lauderdale Stake on Sunday, August 1st. As the Stake Relief Society President, it was Audrey's great pleasure to accompany her to the Hollywood Ward, where her presence was welcomed with much enthusiasm.

All official church business aside, Audrey and I found Brother and Sister Beck to be very friendly and affable and look forward to any future contact with them.

Atticus Standing Above the Water

2010-07-26T18:44:00.002-04:00

Atticus stands above the water, with a little help from his father, sometime before the end of June.

One For All, and All For One... or the Four Stooges?

2010-07-20T22:40:00.007-04:00

It had been six years since the four of us siblings were all together. I really really enjoyed seeing Dave and Kath and Tim last week when I visited Dad and Ella in Iowa. We all laughed hard several times during out time together, telling stories, sharing memories, looking at old pictures, and celebrating Tim's birthday. Dad has some real photographic treasures, and he was kind enough to share them with us. I had never before seen the pictures of us as little children. My, how we have changed.

Oh, boy, did I love that little red bike. It was a girl's bike (Kathy rode it before me) and the tires were solid rubber, but I remember the first time riding it without assistance -- no training wheels and no adult running alongside -- and it was glorious.

I distinctly remember a time when my always tentative balance was jeopardized by a quick turn of the handlebars. In that very instant I felt an epic (for my young age) moment of decision. I could succumb to the inevitable and "bail out" to avoid the pain and embarrassment of a crash, or I could try something new. I remember standing and pedaling with all my might, all the while it seemed that I was leaning over at a 45 degree angle. I felt risky, committed, striving, focused, and consciously choosing to succeed rather than fail. To my amazement and delight I DID succeed, I DID stay upright. Some days I think back on that day and think it has never been better than that.

How Hot is it in Iowa?

2010-07-14T17:40:00.006-04:00

While visiting my parents in Iowa, taking a relaxing break from my oh-so-hectic life, I was "invited" to help my Dad assemble a prefab shed. "It should only take a little while." he said, disguising the true nature of the job.

But by the end of the day, we had made quite a bit of progress, as you can see. You might also see how red and sweaty I look, and how clean and cool they look.

It would be easy, from these pictures, to think that I had done all the work while they stood idly by and offered suggestions, and even took a lunch-break to get outta the heat while I labored away.

But of course, that is NOT the case. All of us worked hard and sweat profusely and we were equally red-in-the-face by the time we were through for the day. If anything, those guys worked harder than I did. However, I have learned that not everybody reads to the very end of the story, so we will see if the truth of this story gets conveyed or not. :-)

By the way, no way was it only 92 degrees. 100 degrees is much more accurate, but even that doesn't capture the feeling of the direct sunlight beating down on us while we swam through the humid air in our sweat-soaked clothes.

Shooting Myself, Right in the Face

2010-07-09T16:39:00.001-04:00

Sunset

2010-07-02T14:10:00.001-04:00

Sample of Activities, Lately

2010-06-18T17:15:00.002-04:00

Our summer has been sooooo busy. Walker's graduation, church party in the park, pioneer trek, Walker and Jenn and Atticus visiting, vacation to Sanibel, psychopharmacology classes, Courtney going to a journalism workshop at the Uof F, Belle going to pony camp and performance camp...

I can't wait for summer to be over so that we can have some peace and quiet! :)

Family Picture & Toe Shoes

2010-05-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

Jenn took our family picture....

So I took picture of her in her new toe-shoes...

Walker Graduates From Yale...

2010-05-24T11:13:00.003-04:00

Sitting in the upper balcony at the first of several graduation ceremonies, we were blessed to be close to the phenomenal choir as they sang Hallelujah. Though the choir made the actual melodious vocalizations, the sentiment was surely heart-felt by families, friends, and the graduates themselves!

Walker graduated from college, graduated from Yale, graduated from Yale cum laude, and graduated from Yale cum laude with a wife and child at his side (one of the very few Yale underclassmen that has started his own family).

Although Yale University is 301 years old, not all of the graduation traditions are what you would call, um, mature, as the seniors unanimously wore self-styled funny hats to Bill Clinton's commencement address. (He gave a very good speech, by the way.)

The head-wear and proceedings were all a bit more formal on the following day, when degrees were confered and certificates handed out. Interestingly, Aretha Franklin also got a degree along with Walker (hers was an honorary PhD for music).

I heard that there were 17,000 in attendance for the ceremonies. I don't think I got them all in this photo, but I got a bunch of them. Can you find Waldo?