For the past three weeks or so, I (Chris) have been commuting primarily via motorized scooter. The scooter comes from a friend through another friend who’s in a remote town in Norway for the summer. While he’s making friendly with 300 Norwegians, I’m paying $7 per month for gas. Take that, four dollars a gallon.
I’d have to say the scooter (a baby-blue 49cc People) and I have struck up quite the relationship. Enough of one, at least, that after riding it home for the first time I walked in the house and announced to Jes that we would be looking to buy one of those babies after my time with the People is up. My foot was down on the matter, I said. Jes then gently picked my foot up and placed it where you might suppose she would. We’re still discussing the matter.
Here are the most fun things about the scooter:
Thanking God for it every morning because it helps us save money for baby.
Pulling up next to guys on very large “hogs” at stoplights and nodding my head at them as though we are members of the same brotherhood and share a bond the common man can in no way comprehend.
Beeping the horn (it does not honk, mind you).
Here are the not most fun things about the scooter:
Bugs in my nose.
Bugs in my ear.
Bugs on my sunglasses.
Cold footsies.
The day will come…in about a 6 weeks…when the scooter will leave me and pick a new owner and I will be left feeling like Peter Billingsley in the greatest film made in 1985, The Dirt Bike Kid.
My magical relationship with a magical bike will be over, but I will never be the same.
If you have no idea what I am talking about concerning The Dirt Bike Kid, please watch the video below. Then watch the video below that one. Then you may understand my joy.
Since long before our wee one was baking in Jes’ belly, I’ve been almost unhealthily obsessed with the idea of making a mix CD for our unborn child. Making mix CDs is something I think I truly love and if there is a way I can make a living at it…or part of a living…I will. The ideas for that are in the incubator of my brain.
So, yes, I’ve always wanted to make a mix CD for our unborn child. Once I sat down to do so, I thought it would be better to have songs picked by the folks little Bonkers will be surrounded by in this world. I sent out an e-mail and people responded and For: Baby, Love: Everyone was composed. The first time I listened to it, I about cried. These days, Jes listens to it in the car and baby listens along with her with its nicely developed ears. Soon, headphones will be taped to Jes’ belly and Bonkers will have private listening sessions. When we listen in the car, I like to tell baby who each song is from.
Here is the track listing, along with who chose each song:
Jesus Loves Me by the Blind Boys of Mississippi (from Grandma & Grandpa Cawizell)
Lovely Day by Bill Whithers (from Ben Brooks)
When The Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin (from Nick Hamilton)
I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister (from Uncle Mikey)
Dude Looks Like A Lady by Aerosmith (from Grandpa Hess)
Vito’s Ordination Song by Sufjan Stevens (from Chris)
Needle & Thread by Sleeping At Last (from Chris & Jes)
Cathedrals by Jump Little Children (from Nik Vukovich)
Love You More by Alexi Murdoch (from Ian Howells)
Edelweiss by The Innocence Mission (from Jes)
Baby Mine by Allison Krauss (from Grandma Hess
Fireflies by Faith Hill (from Jes)
I Still Can’t Say Goodbye by Chet Atkins (from Darren Fred)
Heavenly Day by Patti Griffin (from Camille Howells)
Dream On by Aerosmith (from Ben Brooks)
How He Loves by John Mark McMillan (from Aaron Strumpel)
As some of you may understand, this space on the internets is usually reserved for the happenings in the Hess Family. There have been many happenings lately, leaving little time for the retelling of those happenings. They will be here soon, and that is a promise.
In the interim, I would like to provide you with some reading material. Our friends Megan and Tony are currently in Thailand working with victims of human trafficking. I decided to catch up on their blog today, and I was rather moved by the latest post. There is a good chance that by reading it, you will be punched directly in the center of your heart. You will also notice that Megan & Tony look quite hip.
Disclaimer: Chris takes no credit for the following content. He is simply acting as a conduit for his father-in-law’s humor. I am a pawn.
This past weekend, Jes’ dad & his wife Vhicky visited us in Fort Collins. It was Jim’s first time seeing his daughter since she began the growth of a child. He especially enjoyed the rather cute waddle she has developed, so much so that he would quack when she walked.
Hoping to capture this memory for eternity, Jim put together a little video of the waddle, complete with appropriate sounds. Please view below.
While my dad was scheduling a tee time last week on GolfHub.com, he noticed the face of one of my best friends, Scott DesBois, on the front page of the site. Apparently, Scott Rocks had filled out a little questionnaire on the site, they thought he was clever enough and subsequently his beautiful, beautiful face welcomes you to the site.
It seems my old journalist instincts kicked in, as I immediately thought, “What makes better content than the profile of a pregnant woman who plays golf? Nothing, that’s what.” So, Jes filled out the same questionnaire. Apparently, the folks over at GolfHub agreed with my instincts.
Click here to see my gorgeous wife and read of her golfing prowess.
Arriving home from Arizona on Saturday night, it was quite a shock to walk out of DIA and into 38 degree weather with howling winds. I would even say it was unenjoyable.
Good news is, we enjoyed our vacation to the southwest quite a bit. There are more pictures up here. A quick run-down goes as follows:
We went shopping & saw a couple fancy cars in Phoenix. They were Italian and I don’t want to try to spell their names. I also had a double americano at the Cave Creek Coffee Company. It is a neat place and a few of the same people have played there and at Everyday Joe’s.
We made the annual trip to the giant, blue, Swedish wonderworld known as IKEA. We bought a desk that looks like a dresser (it’s a transformer) and a lamp shade that looks like a lamp shade. We also managed to wrangle a couple toilet brushes for 99 cents a piece. We ate hot dogs and bought Swedish cookies.
Jes put in her first complete 18 holes of golf at Orange Tree Golf Resort. It was quite cute to watch and all the course marshals got word she was pregnant and kept offering her rides. A little creepy & a little nice, but mostly nice. That night we went and looked at art in old Scottsdale and ate at the Tortilla Factory. They have the greatest sampler platter of all time.
Our dear friends Adam & Tara & AJ Peak were in town from San Diego and we got to spend time with them. We miss them very much and would like it if they moved back to Colorado.
We watched the Rockies get smacked around by the Diamondbacks. The couple sitting in front of us would stare us down whenever the Diamondbacks scored a run, and then lighten the mood by telling us a little piece of trivia about the Diamondbacks organization…then they would give us the eye again.
We arrive in Arizona on Saturday morning, met by mom & grandma at the airport. Mom is oddly set on getting us back to the house. Upon arrival, we find that Mikey has flown in as a surprise to hang out with us. He’s floating in the pool drinking a gin & tonic. Within 2 minutes, I (Chris) am in the pool. Within 5 minutes, I have a glass of whiskey in my hand. Within 10 minutes, I am eating a roast beef sandwich. Not a bad start. That night, the harddrive on my computer bites the dust while uploading pictures of this revelry.
Part II:
We go to brunch at an up-scale outdoor mall with some of my mom’s cousins. She hasn’t seen them since 1979. They are from northern North Dakota and as a result, rather hilarious. The sweaty man at the Apple store confirms the grim prognosis concerning my computer. People look at me funny because I have facial hair. Jes finds the diaper bag of her dreams.
Part III:
After spending the morning lounging around, mom & grandma head out to lunch with some old friends. Jes & I walk across the street to an art gallery/shopping center/place with restaurants. We eat the greatest nachos in the world. We walk back home & spend the rest of the day reading and swimming and watching Kansas beat Memphis. I win my bracket.
Comin’ at ya’ live from THE Denver International Airport. I have my McGriddle and my McDonald’s Premium Roast Coffee. I drank a latte last night at 9:30 pm, which I would not advise if you need to be sleeping before 2 a.m. However, all that extra time gave me a chance to pack.
We board our plane in about 8 minutes to head to Arizona for a week (Arizonies if you talk to the wife). It should be a rather nice time. Pictures will be posted here. Jes has a cute prego swimsuit. I plan on relaxing as much as possible. Whiskey will be consumed in moderate to moderately-high amounts.
That’s all, I guess. I just liked the idea of writing from an airport.
For the past three weeks or so, I (Chris) have been commuting primarily via motorized scooter. The scooter comes from a friend through another friend who’s in a remote town in Norway for the summer. While he’s making friendly with 300 Norwegians, I’m paying $7 per month for gas. Take that, four dollars a gallon.
