Jazz Concert

Benny with Grandma at Jazz Band Concert and Ensemble Night

Benny on his last day of middle school

Ryan, Tate, Benny and Jonas

Playing Statues

It was great to see family in New York City -- that made the trip perfect. That statue, by the way, is of General Sherman with the goddess of wheat (!).

New York City

Headed to New York last week for a few Engineering News-Record events. I was so excited after getting to my hotel (at 10 pm) that I immediately headed out to Times Square. Also met up with some interesting folks from South Haven, Michigan. I really liked this city -- perfect for night owls and Snapple on every corner! My people!

Bad Attitude

I've been reading around-the-world travel blogs again. This can be risky, since so many like to present cute versions of "Eat, Pray, Love." If I ever write a travel blog, I'll call it "Drink, Brood, Complain."

Never Tell Me the Odds!

Sometimes, it's better not to know the odds. Benny was accepted to San Francisco's School of the Arts in the creative writing program. To apply, he had to submit two essays, five poems, two short stories and a play. Then he went to the school for an interview and some timed writing. He worked so hard and he's so happy!

Never tell me the odds!

Happy Birthday Benny!

Time with Callisto

Bad news today: Our beautiful Callisto's kidneys are failing. We don't know how much time we'll have with her, perhaps as much as a year. All we can do is continue to enjoy being together.

Skate!

Benny joined me at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend in San Jose. Note the tub of Bribery Popcorn.

The return of the Little Brown Bear ...

LA Days

The Batmobile.

I'm back from Los Angeles! Hosted an awards event for ENR, toured a construction site and visited an automotive museum.

Christine at the construction site for the future museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The DeLorean time machine from "Back to the Future".

Remember Stephen King's haunted Plymouth Fury? Here we have two Christines!

Grease Is the Word

Enjoying Sing A Long Grease at the Castro Theater.

Beating the Heat

Today's weather and how I'm coping.

Benny's First Day of Eighth Grade

A.P. Giannini Middle School

Camping With Teens

Summer camping season has begun! Last weekend I took Benny and his friend Noe to Big Basin Redwoods State Park. They set up the tent, built the fires and cooked the breakfasts. With two teenage boys around, I didn't have much to do!

Table for Two, Please

Shopping today. Taking my new area rug out to lunch.

Goodnough Confirmations

Same Uncle Andy ... different niece's confirmation ...

Pictures of the Day: Baseball!

We went to a baseball game Friday night at the Giants ballpark by the waterfront. Note the Detroit flag flapping in the breeze.  

Pictures of the Day: Dark and Stormy

Two pictures today of Benny's other client kitties. Meet Dark and Stormy.

Dark

Stormy

Picture of the Day: Benny and Marley

This is Benny the cat sitter and his new friend Marley. Benny and a good friend run a cat-sitting business called Tatesitter. It's really taken off, with eight clients already. Today Benny and his business partner had three separate cat-sitting jobs to complete after school. It's a real operation.