11/30 - Little Choo loves fire engines and the holidays

She was so happy to see that the firefighters decorated the station –and the fire engine!– for the holidays.

Little Choo wants to fly with Santa. Or ride with him in a car.  Or on a motorcycle!  The Oracle Santas sure do know how to get around.

So does Mommy’s hair…  It’s very windy today and I look a bit like the Heat Miser in this picture.

Speaking of wind, look at all the leaves at the train station tonight!  I guess all the raking we did over the weekend will be undone by tomorrow...

11/29 - Red Titanium Dragonoid finds it fantastically foggy

We couldn’t even see the train station until we were right next to it!

We had lunch with JRo and Adelina today and called ourselves the Alumni Association.  There won’t be any minutes from that meeting…

What are these pretty pretty reindeer doing?  (Actually, don't tell me.  I don't think I can handle it.)

11/28 - Where Red Titanium Dragonoid learns that Buddha is quite ticklish

No wonder he’s always laughing…

We also met a thirsty Golden Turtle at the same restaurant.  Ah, reptilian fun.

11/25 - Baby Giraffe thinks the parking lot is a savannah

The BART parking lot was empty enough today for at least 4 roller derby teams to practice. Wouldn’t that be much more fun than proof-reading a 144-page document?

We like this building.  It reminds us of the one in the Monty Python insurance pirates short film.

Baby Giraffe found some colorful friends.  Aren’t they cute?  They were taking the bus somewhere.

11/24 - Thankful

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for good food, great family and friends, and wonderful kids.

The menu, as scribed by Lil' Gal:

The pies, as baked by me and Lil' Gal:

How was your holiday?  What makes you thankful?

11/23 - Fire Safety Pencil phones home

Well, he tried.  I guess he forgot his special firefighter phone that plugs into this jack.

Later, we drew a hand turkey for Thanksgiving.

Nature update:  The mouse is no longer with us, either in the house or as a living creature.  :(

11/22 - Fire Safety Pencil says NOM!

Fire Safety Pencil found the Muppets! I can’t wait to see the new Muppets movie with you guys.  Fire Safety Pencil wants to come too.

We got some (mediocre) Thai food for lunch today.  Fire Safety Pencil wrote his comments on the takeout menu.

11/21 - Pirate Flag thinks it's beginning to look a lot like Xmas

Pirate Flag waves to his friends.  Ahoy!

Deck the HARRRRRRls with boughs of HARRRRRly. Fa la la yar har, la la la ARRRRgh.  Is it just me, or does this snowman look like Grampy?

After work, we went to a little pARRRty and saw these fun musicians.  You can't tell from the photo, but the man has little red hair spikes.  Super cute!

Nature bonus:  A little brown mouse has moved in to our house.  Or can't get out. At this time, we have him trapped in the TV room.  Which means we hear him scritching around under the couch while we're sitting on it. (shudder)

11/18 - Tinker is a lookie loo

Tinker found a goblin.  We saw this cute little guy in the train station this morning.  He has a strange sense of humor.

We saw a bunch of fire trucks and firefighters and thought for a minute that my work was on fire, but it was a few buildings down.  Rumor is that there was a small fire in the basement, but we got to see a firefighter go up the big ladder!

 Tinker wanted to be one of the fire tools, of course.

11/17 - Ping's pretend window

Here, Ping tries to blend in with red van #26.  Quick!  What numbers are these? 26

I liked this pretend window at the lunch place, so I made Ping pose in front of it.

I wish I had a pretend window.  Whenever I opened it up, it would look out on whatever place I wanted.

What would your pretend window show you?

11/16 - Ping and the 99 bottles of dust on the wall

My new work building has a little museum in the front lobby, displaying artifacts from old San Francisco.  Here are some pretty bottles. And pretty Ping, of course!

There was a stealth lion peeking out from the cappuccino machine at our lunch place!  Eeek!

Silly Julie thinks that Ping is a lollipop! Don’t worry – she didn’t really.  She was just pretending.  See how Ping is still smiling?

11/15 - Lego Dog considers piracy

Lego Dog thought about becoming a pirate, but when he saw the size of Lil' Gal's parrot, he reconsidered. (He is a very smart Lego/dog.)

At lunch, he saw a comet! Actually, it was a statue by David Middlebrook.

Derby update:  Tonight, we had practice in Yo Juana Kiss Me's lighted cul-de-sac.  It was the first time many of us skated on asphalt, and it was 48 degrees when we left.  Still, it was nice to see stars between my skates as I did leg lifts in the middle of the street.  Go ahead, call us hard core... or low budget.

11/14 - Tiny Pirate Duck finds a frosty crew

Looks like shop windows are starting to get geared up for Christmas.  This one had a penguin parade!

Little Pirate Duck likes Mommy's new glasses. Look how they turn into sunglasses in the sunshine! (Pirate Duck is also jealous that Mommy has two working eyes.)

Mommy also has two weary legs -- derby practice was quite the workout last night.  I understand now why they're called "leg burners."  Youch.

11/11 - New eyes and fun with firefighters

I had Friday off for Veterans Day.  A belated and ongoing thank you to all who serve or have served our country.  I may not always agree with the politics, but I always appreciate our troops.

The twins went with me to pick up my new glasses, dressed in their firefighter coats from 2 Halloweens ago.  I felt very safe!

11/10 - Diego Checker to the rescue! Al rescate, amigos!

Diego Checker runs rings around the competition.  Or is he in the center of a bulls-eye?  Some days, you really can’t tell.

One of my files got away from me, but Diego Checker and his trusty computer dog helped me find it. Gracias, amigos!  Good work.

Pirate bonus:  My roller derby pirate tutu is here from Tutoodles!  It is beyond ARRRRsome!  Photos to come!

11/09 - In which Diego Checker and Mommy break the BART

As soon as we stepped on to the train this morning, it went out of service! We rode back a stop (the new West Dublin station is quite nice), only to JUST miss the SF train. Welcome back, me!

Fire drill!!  Diego Checker walked quickly and quietly to the closest exit. (Someone joked that bystanders might mistake us for protesters, as we stood in front of the Federal Reserve building.)

Evening commute BART bonus:  The train before mine overshot its landing, so the doors weren't lined up with the designated boarding spots on the platform.  I guess they can't back it up, so they announced that the next train was in 8 minutes, and that train took off without letting anyone board.  How lame is that?  (And how did I narrowly avoid it?)

11/08 - Woodstock's Racing Car

Here is Woodstock in his new Lego racing car.  Thank you, Grandmother!  (Where does that extra piece go??!)

Here is evidence of the mail carrier's bad attitude...  We are guilty of trying to seal up the mail slot that dumps mail in to the garage storage space we rarely enter.  We are guilty of having a new-fangled front door mail slot that won't let cold air into the house and requires some extra fortitude to coax the mail through it.  We are guilty of installing a new screen door that most be opened before encountering the mail slot of fortitude.  But still.  This?

And, finally.  A use for those pine cones!

11/07 - Two Coins in a Washer

Today, Lil' Gal gave me two shiny coins to play with.  Here they are with Cornay and the wet stuff from last night.  (Sigh.)

Here they are with Grandmother, as we enjoyed a Mexican brunch  (I do love me some green chilaquiles.)

We liked this mural on the side of the restaurant.

11/04 - Tinkertoy Birds, rain, and Scrabble

Lil' Gal wanted to make a bird out of Tinkertoys (right), and then Lil' Guy had to have one as well (left).

We got them home from school without being rained upon.

Once the twins were in bed, Grandmother and I started up our Scrabble obsession.  (I won: 356 - 205!)