Author: Lowell

What Were They Thinking?

Apparently, a recent ad by Ford backfired in Manitoba. You think?! (See CBC story.) I’ve been thinking about the ad, trying to come up with some way of seeing the ad and thinking positively about Ford vehicles, but I’ve been unsuccessful so far. On the other hand, I can see many ways a person, especially one from Manitoba, would have a negative reaction to it. Let’s see. Seems to me that I remember there being a funeral in Winnipeg not to long ago for a cyclist killed by a 16-year-old driving a stolen vehicle. And then there were the incidents on Wellington Crescent where some teens driving stolen vehicles were trying to run down joggers. And then there are all those people in Winnipeg who have had their vehicle stolen and trashed. `Built for life in Manitoba.’ What, exactly, did the makers of the Ford ad have in mind?–if you catch my drift.

Who Says Entertainment Needs to be Expensive?

This was L’s reaction to his uncles’ game of ping pong. His laughter was so contagious that his uncles found it difficult to concentrate on their game.
Sometimes the best toys are the ones that are completely free. We all got a kick out of watching L take potatoes out of the pail and put them into the space between the dishwasher and the fridge. L (and his audience) were entertained for at least 15 minutes while he moved potatoes around.

Happy 1st Birthday!

We made it to Manitoba. L traveled very well. He sat in his carseat as long as Pam and I sat in our seats, and didn’t complain all that much. I would never have predicted that L would travel as well as he did. L celebrated his birthday with one set of uncles, aunts, and grandparents. He will celebrate his birthday with the rest of his extended family soon.

Christmas has come and gone. Now it is time to see the rest of the people we came to Manitoba to see.

Happy Holidays!

We’re leaving for Manitoba tomorrow morning, so we decided to have our Northampton Christmas today. Actually, we went out for a late breakfast, ran a few errands, took some time to open a few Christmas gifts, and then set to getting our things together for the trip. I had to make sure that I got the car loaded while I had daylight to work with, and Pam tried to get some cleaning done while L had his afternoon nap. We’re looking forward to seeing friends and family. Hopefully, the weather holds out and the trip goes without a hitch. Anyway, back to packing.

Happy holidays everyone!

Inclement Weather and Runny Noses

Yesterday, UMass closed its campus at noon, because there was snow in the forecast. Turns out the forecast was correct–we got nearly a foot of snow–but it’s not at all clear that the conditions warranted shutting the campus down and inconveniencing all the people that were supposed to have exams later in the day. There was no wind, and it wasn’t cold. In fact, looking outside brought to mind the song everyone likes to hear while they’re shopping: I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…. People here don’t know how to cope with snow and sleet, and I don’t really know why. Snow is certainly not unusual for the New England states. People here should know how to drive in snow, but they don’t. My bus-ride yesterday took me 2 hours; I could have walked from UMass to Northampton in that time. A couple inches of snow, and everything grinds to a standstill. Sigh!

L is also working through his first real cold. He has a runny nose, a hoarse voice, and sometimes feels slightly feverish. But through it all, he has been relatively cheerful; he’s a trooper. I guess, now that he’s no longer getting anti-bodies from his mother’s milk, he’s more susceptible to various bugs. Hopefully he gets over it–and doesn’t pass it on to Pam and me–before we hit the road to Manitoba next week.

My Second Last Seminar Paper Ever!!!

The last two weeks have been a real drag. I’m trying to get my seminar papers written before the holidays arrive. The paper I’m working on right now has proven to be particularly frustrating. The one consolation is that it is my second last seminar paper…ever! I am one week away from finishing the course requirements for my degree. (Do I hear a cheer?) There was a time during my undergrad days when I honestly thought I could imagine going to school forever. Well, all that changed about a year ago; I woke up one morning and thought to myself, “I think I’ve officially had it with coursework.” Now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The only thing left to do is to finish my remaining seminar papers.

Canadians (and Winnipegers) Abroad

Imagine my surprise when, looking at the TV Guide yesterday, I noticed that one of the local sports channels was showing the Grey Cup game. There it was ‘Grey Cup: Sakatchewan vs. Winnipeg’. (Yes, that is exactly how it appeared on the guide. What do you think? Honest mistake or further evidence of American ignorance?) Needless to say, I (rather, we) took the opportunity to take it in. I expected the game to be a blowout, given the fact that Winnipeg’s quarterback was making his first professional start, but he made a game of it. Good for him. Too bad Steagall didn’t get his first championship ring out of the deal. He probably won’t have another chance.

Show and Tell

Every day (it seems), when I come home from work, L has something new to show me. Yesterday, right after I walked through the door, Pam said that L had learned something during the day. Pam looked at L and said, “Head.” L promptly lifted both of his arms up and placed them on his head.

Oh the things that make a parent proud.