Tuesday, December 27, 2005

What would be funny....

Ezra has some odd thoughts. A couple weeks ago while doing his homework (writing 1 -100) he remarked to Joseph: "Wouldn't it be funny if every number were 44?"

Just a moment ago I overheard Ezra say to Asa: "Hey, wouldn't it be funny if we were rats and had furry butts?"

That would not be funny....but him saying it sure was.

Saturday, December 24, 2005

A Painted House

We are so happy with the way our house turned out--happy with the colors we picked (only had to second guess one--the shade of black, of all colors!), happy with the painter we hired (Aaron Caldwell of AC's Home Restoration), thrilled with the dramatic improvement to the appearace and value of our home. Take a look at the before and after shots below. Hopefully one day soon we can build a porch/deck/patio back there where that gravel is in the back...



















Friday, December 16, 2005

Cyber crooks break into online accounts with ease

I've been unsatisfied with Amsouth Bank for quite some time. I keep thinking about switching, but then I figure the next bank will probably be no better so why go to the trouble to switch... But today I thought, well, I'll just do a quick search and see if someone has done a Consumer Reports style examination of some of the top banks to determine which has the best online banking.

Well, I didn't find what I was looking for, because I found this article first. It explains how easy it is for cybercrooks to break into your online bank account and empty it. According to the experts interviewed for this article, the banks tell you it is safe because they want your business; but the reality is it is simply not safe. Even with anti-virus software. Even with a firewall.

Kind of a bummer. Maybe it is not as bad as this article makes it sounds. But now I find myself faced with a more complex decision: Not only A) this bank or B) that bank but now there is a C... C) an old shoe box neatly tucked into the dark cranny beneath a secretly removable floor board where not even the most cunning trojan horse will find it.

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Marlow

Grandpa's big tractor wheel
Marlow has become my shadow. She is always right behind me, in front of me, or under my feet. She frequently wants to be picked up, only to want to get down again. I can't resist, and pick her up as much as possible. She likes to help me with the laundry and sweeping.

Her ponytails
Her hair is getting long enough (barely) to put in two ponytails. I let her sit on the bathroom counter and play with bowl full of barrets and rubber bands while I try to comb her whispy hair as quick as I can into little ponytails. Lately she has started using this time to brush her teeth also.


Marlow wearing Asa's goggles and Kelly's blue velvet hat






She likes to do what the boys do and they dress-up a lot. Today she had one of Asa's costumes and she was trying to put it on. She succeeded in getting the belt around her waist but she wasn't in the costum so the rest of it was just hanging from the belt. She was pretty proud of herself.