All The News That Fits

Kate and I are information junkies. Note, I said information, not just "news"  Mornings in bed include the Times-Standard, Various TV network news channels and Kate's phone and laptop ablaze with updates on what's happening in the world.  She is tuned into to so many sources of information. Thoughout the day, we will email and text to each other different tidbits of information occuring locally and around the world.  We (and more Kate than I) have an insatiable desire to keep up on current information.  I'm a sucker for local newspapers and try to read as many weeklys as I can find when I get the chance.  Of course, there is so much information to be had, we only skim the very top of the news froth.

When we were first working on projects, Kate insisted that I get into the world of texting as a means of communication between us.  I was reluctant at first and then it just took off between us.  Soon, texting became an important part of our dating.  We rarely spoke on the phone, even to this day, unless we really want to nail something down or something is urgent.   Plus, we have no "home" phone.  With the proliferation of new communication devices, the information world as we knew it growing up is close to being gone.  For one thing, the kids are getting it.   How did our parents survive?

~Spence

Kate: AAMOF, I do <3 txting...T@UL

What did she say???

Do You Pay to Play?

Who's Buying This?

What in the  Hell is an Innovation Diffusion Consultant?   

Spence:  Can I be one?

Kate: I think it's a hair dryer attachment.

Rivalry Revelry

Spence:

This Saturday is the infamous rivalry game between the Fortuna Huskies and the Ferndale Wildcats.  This year, the pigskin contest will take place in the Cream City at 2pm.  Nothing says Autumn like the Ferndale-Fortuna Milk Can game.    This gridiron match-up has lasted for generations in the Eel River Valley.   This is as great a rivarly as .....the.......uh, the....New York...um......Cleveland Bro....hmmm, no wait....Army vs.....uh, uh.....Notre Dame  and.....and......Oh, shoot......let's see.........er, Chicago Bears and that team from Wisconsin....Oh,  Kate dear.....can you help me out here?

(Note to Kate & Spence Fans:  Kate doesn't allow Spence to discuss sports at home because more times than not, he doesn't know his ass from a hole-in-the-ground on the topic.)

Kate:  Like Oregon/Oregon State (Civil War Game), Big Game (Cal/Stanford), Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys, Yankees and everyone else.

For the record, Spence's only sports references are from 1985.  And yet somehow he manages to throw in a stat or name from that era no matter what the topic.  THAT'S why he's not allowed to talk sports at home.  A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Vote For Pedro!

Pedro's first week at school.  He's adjusting just fine.  He has new American Facebook friends, is meeting all kinds of new students and has joined the soccer team.  Even though tennis is his main sport, he's keeping fit and involving himself in this typical American sport.  (Yeah, typical since 1984)



Students from Brazil, Germany, Italy and Chile

We hosted a Meet and Greet for Pedro last week which was quite well attended including three other exchange students from Eureka pictured here.

 He's been river rafting, went to see the action-packed Expendables movie and has been regularly treated like Brazilian royalty by friends of his American host parents.  We won't let him rest, that's our plan.





Pacoquito and Pop Rocks

Spence:

I like to give gifts to the new foreign exchange students of candy they may not have tried from their home country.  I've always succeed with the introduction of Pop Rocks candy.  It's always a hit, especially with the boys.  Although, Miley's sister and friend from France got a big kick out of it, too.  They just love that surprise explosion.  And, then the boys try putting the whole pack in their mouths.  Ah, boys.

When Pedro arrived from Brazil the other day , he brought some gifts to his new parents.  We both received a pair of flip-flops, very common footwear in Pedro's city of Campinas.  He also brought Kate a very beautiful sarong from Brazil.  And then, he brought out the Brazilian candies.  There were packages of Bis (chocolate cookie wafers) Sonho de Valsa (traditional cashew-filled chocolate bon-bon) and my new favorite candy, Pacoquito (peanut butter candy)  Pacoquito is very much like the filling of a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.  Except with out the outer chocolate.  Pedro says it's his father's favorite.  Well, it is now his American host father's favorite, too. 

Fortuna....Meet Pedro

Actual Pedro May Vary

Pedro is here!  After months of preparing the house, fixing up his room, buying groceries we would never eat but are devoured by teens and just the normal fretting new parents go through, this handsome young Brazilian man has graced us with his presence.  Here we go....the proud parents of yet another teenager from a foreign land.  #5 for Kate and #3 for Spence.    Thank you Ruthann, Kellie, Frank, Rick and Joanne for helping us greet Pedro at the airport gate and then whisk him off to Toni's Drive-in for his first American bacon cheeseburger with sweet potato fries with spicy peanut sauce. Later, dessert was a Starbuck hot chocolate.  Aint America Great? 

Living with the Humboldt Crud

Kate--We have colds.  And they are entirely incompatible.  I am noise sensitive when I'm sick--human noises especially bug me.  I take DayQuil and NyQuil so I can function.  I take Zicam and Airborne to try and recover more quickly.  When I'm sick I want to be left alone. Don't hover, don't fuss.  I'm mad when I get sick.  How dare someone spread their cold to me.  This time it was a co-worker and I was sloppy about the shared phone.  My fault.  But Dayem.  Spence is a whiny baby when he's sick and he sniffs and shuffles and irritates the crap out of me with the continual sighing. I can hear him right now in the other room. I confess, I was sick first and gave him the cold.  But his words to me the other night were "I never get sick."  Liar.

Spence--We have a saying where I come from out in the hills.  "I feel like I got eaten by a coyote and shit off a cliff!"  Oh yeah, rag on me for sniffling and shuffling around and blowing my nose.  I nurtured her when she was coming down with her cold, lying awake at  3:00am while she struggled with her symptoms.  I remember distinctly saying, "When it comes to taking care of you, my well-being comes second."  No, I don't take that bullshit medicine from the pharmacy, I bear down and deal with it.  When I'm sick, I want to be comforted.  I want you to hear about every ache and pain I am enduring.  I want you to get up and refresh the cold compress on my forehead at 10-minute intervals.  Is that too much too ask?   Mommy!

Kate:  I love you, Spence

Spence:  I love you, Kate.