Never, ever, fall asleep at our house.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Toby's reaction...
... when he heard I might be visiting during the week of June 15th.
(I'm not sure what was going on with his hair, though.)
(I'm not sure what was going on with his hair, though.)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Eat this Creationists!
Actually, probably best not to literally eat it. It's 47 million years old after all and we all know what happens to leftovers after just a week or so.
In any case, this is a pretty important discovery in the grand scheme of life, the universe and everything. And I can't help feeling just a little insignificant - the (almost) 38 years that I've been around are barely the equivalent of the depression on the surface tension made by the feet of those insects that can walk on water when you consider how long everything else has been around.
But don't let my moment of melancholy fool you - I still consider myself pretty significant to all of you.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Cornflake & Goggles
At our house you can always tell when someone has been swimming. More often than not, although pool toys will be put away, clothes put back on and wet towels hung up to dry, there will be a pair or two of goggles left innocently on the table or the barbecue area; forgotten in the hurry to get off the hot pathway and get back inside to play video games.
And so it is, whether through Cornflake's natural sense of tidiness and order, her desire to bring us gifts, or that she mistakenly adopts them as her offspring, that we invariably discover those abandoned goggles in various locations in and around our house. Yesterday, to much fanfare, one set was delivered to my office via the cat door. And this morning as I embarked on my daily walk to Starbucks this pair were lying innocently on the path in the front of the house. As was Cornflake.
Of course, being good Cat Parents, we find it extraordinarily cute and congratulate her for her cleverness which, upon hindsight may have served to encourage this behavior in her. And I suppose today's gift is much more welcome than a live/dying animal or, as most recently, any thing soaked in her pee.
Good girl, Cornflake.
And so it is, whether through Cornflake's natural sense of tidiness and order, her desire to bring us gifts, or that she mistakenly adopts them as her offspring, that we invariably discover those abandoned goggles in various locations in and around our house. Yesterday, to much fanfare, one set was delivered to my office via the cat door. And this morning as I embarked on my daily walk to Starbucks this pair were lying innocently on the path in the front of the house. As was Cornflake.
Of course, being good Cat Parents, we find it extraordinarily cute and congratulate her for her cleverness which, upon hindsight may have served to encourage this behavior in her. And I suppose today's gift is much more welcome than a live/dying animal or, as most recently, any thing soaked in her pee.
Good girl, Cornflake.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Happy (Belated) Birthday, Kate
It has come to my attention that we didn't commemorate Ms. Cox's recent birthday with a post on the UlloaSullivan.com site.
While we don't bow to editorial pressure in any shape or form on this site, we quite like Kate - she's marginally more fun than Nick - and therefore didn't want her to feel left out.
Happy Birthday Kate - look forward to seeing you in August (if not before).
C&M
M&C
While we don't bow to editorial pressure in any shape or form on this site, we quite like Kate - she's marginally more fun than Nick - and therefore didn't want her to feel left out.
Happy Birthday Kate - look forward to seeing you in August (if not before).
C&M
M&C
Friday, May 15, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Pizza with Helen
... I hooked up with Helen and went to The Australian pub for a couple of beers and pizza.
15 months have passed since we were last out here in Sydney with Charles and I swear Helen looks younger every time I see her. She'll be turning the big 4-0 this year and with any luck she'll be able to make it over for MOAB III in December.
However, come 7:45 it was clearly bedtime for me and so we hugged goodbye and I tottered back to the hotel to get some sleep; safe in the knowledge that I'd be waking up again at around 2am. Sure enough...
15 months have passed since we were last out here in Sydney with Charles and I swear Helen looks younger every time I see her. She'll be turning the big 4-0 this year and with any luck she'll be able to make it over for MOAB III in December.
However, come 7:45 it was clearly bedtime for me and so we hugged goodbye and I tottered back to the hotel to get some sleep; safe in the knowledge that I'd be waking up again at around 2am. Sure enough...
Arriving Down Under
Try not to pay attention to my large nose and forehead that are prominently featured in this photograph. And look beyond the crowd of people in the middle to see the evidence that I am indeed currently in Sydney.
We arrived at around 6:30am after a very smooth but long (just under 14 hours) flight from LA. You know it's a long flight when you manage to get 7 hours of sleep and wake up to learn that you still have over 6 hours remaining. Not to worry, I had some work to do a documentary on the moon landings and several episodes of 30 Rock to watch and a book to read to pass the time.
I spent the day waiting for my suitcase to arrive - they couldn't get the cargo door open and sent it on to the hotel later in the afternoon finalizing my presentation for the CeBit session I'm participating in today (Tuesday). And then, after a quick nap...
We arrived at around 6:30am after a very smooth but long (just under 14 hours) flight from LA. You know it's a long flight when you manage to get 7 hours of sleep and wake up to learn that you still have over 6 hours remaining. Not to worry, I had some work to do a documentary on the moon landings and several episodes of 30 Rock to watch and a book to read to pass the time.
I spent the day waiting for my suitcase to arrive - they couldn't get the cargo door open and sent it on to the hotel later in the afternoon finalizing my presentation for the CeBit session I'm participating in today (Tuesday). And then, after a quick nap...
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Happy Monther's Day
Caister Slide
Originally uploaded by UlloaSullivan
Thanks to Paul for sending it over on Friday, although if you watch it 'til the end you will see that he gets a little too familiar with our Mother after her second slide experience.
Happy Mother's Day, Mum.
C&M
M&C
P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all you other Mothers too! ;)
To Boldy Go...
Kind of a weird day today. Knowing that I was heading out of town tonight - for Sydney, much to M's annoyance ;) - didn't seem to motivate me to get my suitcase packed. In fact, I actually really would rather not be going at all - I've enjoyed being at home for the past month and a bit taking care of Cornflake during her convalescence, getting my 2009 vegetable initiatives under way, and most recently learning that Miko and Cornflake had killed one of the (not) Robins that had been doing their annual nesting thing in our porch and spending time with my lovely wife of 16 years - but work calls and the bills have to be paid somehow.
Anyway, we finally got our act together and decided to leave the house early to go for lunch and then watch Star Trek at the IMAX theatre in Fresno before heading to the airport. We dined at Red Robin - America's Gourmet Burger Restaurant, no less - and then headed over to the movie theater only to find that the IMAX showing was sold out and that we'd have to slum it with the general population in the regular theater. Needless to say, M didn't really understand how exciting it was to see the infamous Kobayashi Maru training exercise or recognize some of the subtle ways in which J.J. Abrams and co. deftly avoided potential conflicts with the Star Trek canon by creating an alternate timeline for future movies to traverse. But all that aside, it's a great movie and one that I look forward to seeing in all it's IMAX'd glory when I get back from Sydney next weekend.
The picture was taken last weekend as we were going into watch the Wolverine movie. I'm glad I insisted that M take it as the Star Trek banner has since been replaced by an enormous Transformers thingy - another movie that the kid in me is excited to see. What can I say? I'm a geek.
By the way, that reminds me - checkout the trailer/preview for Precinct 9. Looks to be something a little different (and welcome) in the Sci-Fi genre.
Anyway, we finally got our act together and decided to leave the house early to go for lunch and then watch Star Trek at the IMAX theatre in Fresno before heading to the airport. We dined at Red Robin - America's Gourmet Burger Restaurant, no less - and then headed over to the movie theater only to find that the IMAX showing was sold out and that we'd have to slum it with the general population in the regular theater. Needless to say, M didn't really understand how exciting it was to see the infamous Kobayashi Maru training exercise or recognize some of the subtle ways in which J.J. Abrams and co. deftly avoided potential conflicts with the Star Trek canon by creating an alternate timeline for future movies to traverse. But all that aside, it's a great movie and one that I look forward to seeing in all it's IMAX'd glory when I get back from Sydney next weekend.
The picture was taken last weekend as we were going into watch the Wolverine movie. I'm glad I insisted that M take it as the Star Trek banner has since been replaced by an enormous Transformers thingy - another movie that the kid in me is excited to see. What can I say? I'm a geek.
By the way, that reminds me - checkout the trailer/preview for Precinct 9. Looks to be something a little different (and welcome) in the Sci-Fi genre.
Lane 4 Places 1st
Although a little difficult to see from the photo, this is the scoreboard at the end of Justin's 50 Yard Freestyle race at today's swim meet in Tulare. Not only did he place first but he knocked .20 of a second off his personal best and broke the 22 second barrier for the first time with a recorded time of 21.87s.
Based on our limited knowledge as of writing this puts him in the #1 spot for the Central Valley. He also put in a blistering performance in the 100 Yard Backstroke this afternoon too proving that he's not just a pretty face.
Based on our limited knowledge as of writing this puts him in the #1 spot for the Central Valley. He also put in a blistering performance in the 100 Yard Backstroke this afternoon too proving that he's not just a pretty face.
JLOveliness
We just had to post this photo of Justin looking dapper with his date, Brianna, at the Dinuba High School Prom recently.
Isn't he just the loveliest?
Isn't he just the loveliest?
Friday, May 8, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
6 Days No Blog
Michelle mentioned to me last night that I'd been a bit remiss in providing updates so far this week. And I have to admit that I realize now that I have. It's been 6 days since I last entertained you with a well-crafted, grammatically correct, insightful entry on the goings on of the UlloaSullivan conglomerate. I recognize that my legion of dedicated followers the World over have probably started the last few days with the disappointment of finding nothing new to read, and it gives me no pleasure to think that I might have been letting them down. Sometimes, however, as the say, it's necessary to take a short break to recharge the batteries, replenish the well, refill the bucket, top up the glass, and any other metaphors for when one simply has nothing to write about.
Actually, that's not quite been the case. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that I did actually edit the April 29th entry "Next UlloaSullivan Adventure Confirmed" earlier this week to link to the UlloaSullivanAdventures site where I am posting updates on the trip arrangements as they are made. I also posted another entry there yesterday letting people know that I had booked tickets for the Jason Mraz concert in Paris on June 29th. But I do admit that the audience for that activity is really only a small subset of the overall UlloaSullivan.com readership and that not everyone would be interested in those updates.
It's also not really true that there's been nothing to write about so far this week, either. I could easily have posted a review of the Wolverine Movie - it gets an A for both Hugh Jackman's handsomeness and for avoiding the pitfalls of other recent comic book transfers to the big screen (yes, Jay, I'm referring to Watchmen) - or of watching Meleena's school band perform in the Dinuba Cinco de Mayo Parade (they were better than the High School) or about getting sunburnt while working outside on Monday or about having a tire blow-out on Tuesday morning at, um, a speed slightly above the official legal limit (that story is actually kind of boring because I have run flat tires that, although rather expensive to replace, prevent such events become exciting for undesirable reasons).
The truth is, dear readers, that I didn't think any of this was up to the standard you have come to expect from me and this site. And I didn't want to bore you.
Actually, that's not quite been the case. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that I did actually edit the April 29th entry "Next UlloaSullivan Adventure Confirmed" earlier this week to link to the UlloaSullivanAdventures site where I am posting updates on the trip arrangements as they are made. I also posted another entry there yesterday letting people know that I had booked tickets for the Jason Mraz concert in Paris on June 29th. But I do admit that the audience for that activity is really only a small subset of the overall UlloaSullivan.com readership and that not everyone would be interested in those updates.
It's also not really true that there's been nothing to write about so far this week, either. I could easily have posted a review of the Wolverine Movie - it gets an A for both Hugh Jackman's handsomeness and for avoiding the pitfalls of other recent comic book transfers to the big screen (yes, Jay, I'm referring to Watchmen) - or of watching Meleena's school band perform in the Dinuba Cinco de Mayo Parade (they were better than the High School) or about getting sunburnt while working outside on Monday or about having a tire blow-out on Tuesday morning at, um, a speed slightly above the official legal limit (that story is actually kind of boring because I have run flat tires that, although rather expensive to replace, prevent such events become exciting for undesirable reasons).
The truth is, dear readers, that I didn't think any of this was up to the standard you have come to expect from me and this site. And I didn't want to bore you.
So there you have it. Today's update for today is simply to explain why there haven't been any updates for the past few days. Perhaps that in itself is boring. But then sometimes so is life. And that's just how it should be, actually. If there weren't brief moments of quiet every now and again we wouldn't recognize the noisy, exciting moments when they occur. Or, indeed, have much to look forward to.
But rest assured - when those moments do occur you'll hear about them here. And that's a promise.
By the way: I think Cornflake and/or Miko might be getting it on with a neighborhood tomcat.
Friday, May 1, 2009
1st Lunch of May
It was with delight that earlier this week I accepted an invitation from Meleena to meet her for lunch after she got out from school today. This week is State testing week and the school schedule (pronounced: shed-yule) is such that the kids have been getting out at what would normally be considered lunchtime so I went to pick her up from school and then on to Perko's for lunch.
Over our Create-Your-Own-Lunch specials of salad, ham & cheese sandwich (for me), pasta (for Meleena) and a dessert of Apple Crisp (cold crumble) the conversation ranged from how easy Meleena thought the Math test was, the challenges of preparing for the Cinco de Mayo parade when no-one turns up for after school practice and how they haven't even practiced marching since Pismo, whether Matthew has been mean or nice this week, who will miss the other one the most when Matthew goes off to College (my guess: Matthew, although he won't admit it) and, inevitably, David Tennant.
Unfortunately, I had to head off by 2pm to take care of my afternoon work commitments, otherwise I would have been more than happy to stay longer and test Meleena on her Dr Who general knowledge with the new Quiz Book she ordered and which arrived yesterday. Oh well, there's always next time. ;)
Anyway - thank you for a lovely lunch, Meleena. I look forward to having the opportunity to do it again soon.
Over our Create-Your-Own-Lunch specials of salad, ham & cheese sandwich (for me), pasta (for Meleena) and a dessert of Apple Crisp (cold crumble) the conversation ranged from how easy Meleena thought the Math test was, the challenges of preparing for the Cinco de Mayo parade when no-one turns up for after school practice and how they haven't even practiced marching since Pismo, whether Matthew has been mean or nice this week, who will miss the other one the most when Matthew goes off to College (my guess: Matthew, although he won't admit it) and, inevitably, David Tennant.
Unfortunately, I had to head off by 2pm to take care of my afternoon work commitments, otherwise I would have been more than happy to stay longer and test Meleena on her Dr Who general knowledge with the new Quiz Book she ordered and which arrived yesterday. Oh well, there's always next time. ;)
Anyway - thank you for a lovely lunch, Meleena. I look forward to having the opportunity to do it again soon.
