Friday, May 11, 2007

Baby Boom

Last week we had a mini baby boom around here. A friend from work and his wife had a baby girl on Friday and my niece had a baby girl on Sunday. Quang and Paula had Hillary 6 pounds 6 and a half ounces and Sam's little Jordan Danielle came early on a Sunday morning at seven pounds 8 ounces.

Two little girls at the same place (Foothills Hospital) and just about the same time. But how different. Quang is my age his wife of just over 4 years is 26. A 24 year age difference. And now they have a second child. Their first Ted is just about 3. To start a family at this age, he had more moxie than I have. We are old enough to be grand parents and then some. Well its like I told him, it will work out well by the time the kids are out of diapers he will be back in them. He will be in his seventies by the time they are through college.

Now Sam is just about 23, this is her second one too. Her "little" boy Blake is 2 going on three and a going concern. (I call him Hoss after Hoss Cartwright whom he resembles physically and personality wise.) Now her family is complete with "little sister" Jordan. Sam and Rob are just starting out. There kids will be on there own by the time they reach my age.

Those two little girls will have very different lives and to think they came in so much together. It will be a different life, but hopefully one with promise for both of them.

Good luck Hillary and Jordan and all the best in the world to you.

Randy...

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Arbor Day

Apparently it was Arbor day recently. You remember arbor day from back when you were in school. Everyone got a tree, went home, planted it and watered it faithfully for a week then let it die. Well my neighbor is a school custodian and he dropped off a bundle of 15 little trees and I will be taking them up an planting them on my RV lot. Up there they will be on their own but they will have lots of large cousins around. But that is not the point of this post.

My point is with all the interest in a green society and ecology why isn't arbor day a big deal any more. Planting trees should be promoted more than it is. I suppose it is a reflection of the time and the instant society we live in. Time was planting a tree and nurturing it through the years until it could stand on its own was important. Now people want instant landscape. They do not have time to work to make the tree grow. It is easier to buy full grown or trees and just stick them in. Then let it take care of itself. People are too busy and they want instant gratification.

Arbor day could be a good example on a couple of fronts. First it would be good for the environment to plant trees. And second it could teach children and people in general the value of patience and persistence. When we were kids Arbor day was a big deal we looked forward to it and I did try to care for my little tree for more than a few days but I think I planted them in the wrong place where they would get scorched by the sun or winter killed or trampled bu that was poor planning. But in this day and age where the environment is foremost in many people's mind It might be time to make a big deal of Arbor day again.

Thanks for the trees Perry. I will give them a good home and maybe in a few years they will be something to see.

Got my spade and my water bucket and I'm off to plant my forest...

Randy