Insanely busy

Last weekend, we bought Christopher a new bathing suit. He's in a water babies class and he's been wearing a suit for 12-month-olds. It actually still kind of fits. The new one is a 2T and is almost like pants. He got to pick it out and, obviously, really likes it. He took the tag off himself and next thing I knew he was running around like the above photo -- a flannel pajama top, swim trunks and snow boots. Fashion designer is probably not going to be a future career for him.

I don't know how often I'll be posting. It's been insanely busy and will likely continue through the end of May. It's mainly job-related so the extra cash will be nice to help pay off mine & Tom's bikes. You can see Tom's bike in the background behind Christopher.

New Bike

First race report of the year

(photo courtesy of the Glinka's)

I did an indoor time trial on Sunday. I had the new road bike -- which I'll post a photo of once they get me the right seat and this hideous white one is off of it. The time trial did not go well. I was a minute slower than my goal. But, I had a cold most of last week and I just wasn't mentally there.

Tom did well though and Christopher and I got to cheer him on when Christopher wasn't racing his own bike. = )

my grandfather

Business owner, volunteer fire official dies
January 20, 2009
BY WILLIAM LEE, Staff writer
John D. Oudsteyn, a former Chicago Ridge fire official who helped start the village's volunteer fire department in the 1950s, died suddenly Sunday at his home. He was 89.
Mr. Oudsteyn and his wife, Harriet, moved to Chicago Ridge about 1950, when the village had about 600 residents. For 14 years, Mr. Oudsteyn answered fire calls from his home, racing to a large black telephone hanging from his kitchen wall. Mr. Oudsteyn was named assistant fire chief in 1974.
His wife also was dedicated to public safety, working for the Chicago Ridge Police Department for 35 years and serving as secretary under four police chiefs.
In addition to his work with the fire department, Mr. Oudsteyn was self-employed for many years, installing and repairing wells.
He and several partners purchased All Electric, which sold and serviced pumps and still exists at the same site, 67th Street and Ashland Avenue in Chicago. They opened a second business, Accurate Electric, which remains on 111th Street in Worth.
Mr. Oudsteyn was proud of his service during World War II, for which he received a Purple Heart medal. He fought the Japanese at Okinawa from April through June in 1945. A member of the 1st Battalion, 29th Marines, 6th Marine Division, he also participated in the occupation of China during November 1946.
Born Oct. 24, 1919, in Chicago, Mr. Oudsteyn grew up during the Great Depression, which his family said made him frugal.
"Growing up, my cousins and I were always somewhat both amazed and amused by the shelves in the basement filled with enough food and supplies that it resembled a store," SouthtownStar correspondent Gina Kenny said of her grandfather.
"He faced a lot of challenges during his life - financial as well as physical. He never quit trying," his daughter, Harriet Lynn Welch, said. "Every challenge life threw at him, he kept going."
Mr. Oudsteyn met his wife at a Halloween party, and they were married on Jan. 14, 1939. They were married for 67 years before her death in April 2006.
The couple's love and devotion to each other always was an inspiration to their family and friends. They traveled extensively in the United States, usually in a motor home, and around the world, including China and Australia.
In addition to his daughter, Mr. Oudsteyn is survived by a son, John; a sister, Ruth Sorgenfry; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Schmaedeke Funeral Home, 10701 Harlem Ave., Worth. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Chapel Hill Gardens South Cemetery in Worth.
William Lee can be reached at wlee@southtownstar.com or (708) 633-6747.

(text from http://www.southtownstar.com/news/obituaries/1386884,012009oudsteynobit_.article)

Doug Thiessen

(from Maryland GOP)

Photo from the 10-year reunion held in 2001

I just found out on Saturday that Doug Thiessen died. He died Jan. 9 after an accident while downhill skiing in Penn. I went to high school with him. Being the honors/AP geeks that we were, we had almost every single class together throughout our four years there. We were on several clubs together, both played tennis, etc. I would consider him more a friend, than acquaintance although most of our hanging out was at school. I dated him briefly my senior year and went with him and my friend Christopher to a Violet Femmes concert the summer after my freshman year in college. I last saw and spoke to him at the reunion. A bunch of us all sat together at the same table talking about school, what we were doing now etc. I remember talking about his kids and how they were at his parents, teasing each other, etc.

I overdressed

I went for a 30-minute run today. And, despite the dismal forecast, I actually managed to overdress. My cheeks and nose were a little cold but the rest of me was a little too toasty. While Julie was not the inspiration for the run, she did help me convince family members that I was not completely insane and didn't need to be chained to a chair or anything to prevent me from going out.

Poor monkey

As Tom was trying to Christopher ready for bed last night, Christopher just passed out. His poor Curious George stuffed animal was almost suffocated and permanently emotionally scarred from the incident. I walked in and saw him like that and almost woke him up by bursting out in the giggles.