Birthday and a Visit October 2012

October 2013

It's hard to believe that Luke is going to be 1 year old.  We made our travel plans and arrived on Thursday the 4th.  It had only been 3 months since we saw him but he is changing so much.  On Thursday night we watched USC play Utah.  I have my "Keep Calm and Fight On" shirt.

                                                             Hanging out with Grandpa.

Playing at the Mall on Friday.  Friday night we went to David and Courtney's place. They ordered the famous Cowboy Chicken Enchiladas for dinner.  Very very good.

                                                               

 http://www.cowboychicken.com/

 

On Saturday morning we went to Courtney and David's house.  Courtney picked out her dress for the wedding in April and Bridget wanted to see it.  For breakfast we went to Kuby's.  Amazing place.  David and I went before without the girls.  After breakfast we went to the dress place but they were having a trunk sale so the girls have to come back tomorrow.

http://www.kubys.com/

 

 

                                                                     BIRTHDAY PARTY



They say it's your birthday
We're gonna have a good time
I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you
                     The Beatles

Jen and Brian had a little party scheduled on Saturday. Luke's Texas relatives were coming.  Brian's Mom and Dad from Waco.  Brian's sister's family, the Heppells also from Waco and Courtney and David.

Courtney and Bridget went back to the dress place on Sunday.  I watch football while David worked.  Big problem at his work.  Later Courtney came over to Jen and Brian's house for dinner, but David was still working.

Grandma's outfit for Luke.

 

 

 

Playing with the balloons.

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday wewent with Jen and Brian for Luke's Dr visit.  Then that night we babysat while they went out to dinner

Had to say goodbye and go back to San Diego.


Standing in the hall of fame
And the world is gonna know your name
Cuz you burn with the brightest flame
And the world's gonna know your name
And you'll be on the walls of the hall of fame
                                      The Script


Noah came home for a visit.  Now that Christmas is being spent in Texas it had almost been 2 years since Noah was home.  Noah got in on Friday the 19th.  When he was making his plans we told him we were seeing The Script on Friday at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay.

http://www.thescriptmusic.com/us/splash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzojKZYUAp8


Humphrey's is very intimate with only 1400 seats outside.  We had great seats.  I had been listening to them all week.  They were one of Bridget's favorites but I was not that familiar with them.

 

Came out in the crowd and was very close to us.

Connie, Russ, Christine and Betsy came down on Saturday to see Noah.  We went to the Rancho Bernardo Winery and just had a good time.

  Noah left Tuesday night the 23rd to go back to Louisville.

 

 

Jen's blog link

 

http://jenandbrianingram.blogspot.com/

 

 

August & Sept 2012

August 2012

And I promise you I promise that
I'll run away with you
I'll run away with you
Spinning on that dizzy edge
                       The Cure

Well we finally were able to move back into our house.  Connie and Russ came down and helped to try and restore order from the chaos.  It was nice to sleep in our bed again and Summer and Salem finally got to get back to their routine.

Hawaii was set to play USC for the opening of football 2012.  We lobbied hard to get Courtney and David to visit and go to the game with us and the Browns.  They agreed and made travel plans. They arrived late on Thursday August 30.  In the meanwhile Connie got really sick and had to go to the hospital.  Stuff happens awful fast sometimes.

Court, David and Bridget went to lunch in La Jolla on Friday.  We made plans for the 4 of us to go to the game and then go over to see Connie and Russ after the game.

September 2012

We had lunch in the Founder's Club before the football game.  Nice buffet and relaxed before the game.  USC entered the game as #1 so expectations were high.  On the first play from scrimmage USC scored a 75 yard touchdown.  The rout was on as we won 49-10.  We drove over to our B and B in LaVerne.  Connie looked better but was still sick.

Sunday Christine and Betsy came over and we all got to see each other.  We drove home Sunday afternoon.

Courtney and David left Monday to go back to Dallas.  A quick but awesome visit.

Singing mercy will we overcome this
Oh one by one could we turn it around
Maybe carry on just a little bit longer
And I try to give you what you need
                              Dave Matthews


Bridget won tickets to see Dave Matthews Band at Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre.  It was a Friday night so Bridget met me and we drove down to Chula Vista together.  We had seats, not out on the lawn so that was nice.  In concert they are pretty much a jam band.  They had a new album out.  We were more familiar with the older stuff but it was good.

Comic Con Day 3 & 4

Saturday July 14, 2012

We did not get an early start and on Saturday it is super crowded.  The main panels were Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, True Blood & Glee.  We got there and quickly decided the lines were too long for panels so today we would get freebies and shop.

Chris had a fabulous day.  She got Walking Dead comic books, a book signed by John Landis and a picture of Tim Burton signed.  Bridget & I walked all over and looked at all the exhibits.

We ate lunch at Starbucks and looked at places outside of the convention center in the Gaslamp District.

We saw this person, but would not know who she was until tomorrow.  Too close to me.

Starsky.

 

 

We left and went to Little Italy for dinner.

http://www.mimmos.biz/

We went home to feed the pets.  Now need to turn off all applianances to let the drying blowers work fulltime without tripping the breakers.  We have to unplug both refrigerators and now lose all our food.  We asked our neighbors if they wanted our food and they offered to put a refrig in their garage so we don't lose everything.  We moved the referigerator on a skateboard across the street.  Jacob & Paula are great.


Sunday July 15, 2012

We all drove down and parked closer.  The last day is always slower so the panels are smaller.  Today was Fringe, Supernatural & Dr. Who.  We made it into Merlin. 

http://www.syfy.com/merlin

The girl from yesterday.  Who knew this was so popular.  Delayed in the USA from the UK.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ZtTP2o3F0


http://www.syfy.com/merlin/cast/morgana

Criminal Minds was signing autographs on the main floor.

 

We also saw the Batmobiles.

We ate a late lunch at the Kansas City BBQ.

http://www.kcbbq.net/

Top Gun

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/

The bar was used in a scene in which Goose and Maverick  belt out "Great Balls of Fire" while seated at the piano. The now famous line  "Goose, you big stuuuuuud! Take me to bed now or lose me forever!" was uttered in the dining area of Kansas City Barbeque. The bar was also used in the final scene, where the song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is heard playing on the jukebox.

Until next year.

Comic Con Day 2 and the Aftermath

Friday July 13, 2012

We woke up and wanted to go back to the house to see things in the daylight.  We told Chris and Betsy we would meet them at Comic Con later.  The carpet was all pulled up and big blower machines were running.  The furniture had all been moved and it looked like a construction zone.  Take a look around your house to see what you have on the floor or about 1 inch off the floor.  That's what got wet.  Our computer was on the floor so I was concerned what would happen to that.  We fed the pets and then tried to make the best of a bad situation.  Comic Con was in town and we had tickets so off we went.

Chris and Betsy made it down there and found a place to park.  Somehow they made it into Hall H again.  I won't say how and it is their story, so one may never know.  They say The Big Bang panel, Walking Dead panel and The Game of Thrones panel. They are both huge fans of Walking Dead so it was really great they made it in.  They also saw why the fans of The Game of Thrones are so passionate.  We saw The Game of Thrones panel last year and they gave out the best gifts for attending.  This year the prize reclamations were slim.

Music and mythology, Einstein and astrology
It all started with the big bang!
It all started with the big BANG!
                            Barenaked Ladies


The Big Bang Theory Screening and Q/A— Boldly go Big Bang Theory! For the first time ever in Hall H, the mega-popular TV series returns to Comic-Con for a special screening and a lively discussion. Will Howard ("Froot Loops") Wolowitz return from space? Where do things stand with Penny and Leonard? And will unscheduled handholding affect "The Relationship Agreement"? From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Fifth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 11. Hall H
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eazv2B04xHg


  AMC's The Walking Dead— Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Wayne Callies, Norman Reedus, Laurie Holden, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, and introducing Danai Gurira as Michonne and David Morrissey as The Governor join executive producer and showrunner Glen Mazzara, executive producer Robert Kirkman, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer Dave Alpert and special effects makeup supervisor and co-executive producer Greg Nicotero in a panel moderated by Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist, Talking Dead). The panelists will discuss the wildly successful second season of The Walking Dead and what to look forward to in season 3, debuting this fall on AMC. Join the panelists for a one-on-one Q/A session and an official sneak preview of season 3. Hall H

Game of Thrones Panel and Q/A Session— Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, HBO's Game of Thrones series concluded its 10-episode second season on June 3. Created and executive produced by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, the series follows kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars and noblemen as they vie for power in a land where summers span decades and winters can last a lifetime. Season 2 of the hit series told an epic story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph, set in an enthralling world of intrigue, seduction, and magic. Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, production of season 2 also took place in Croatia and Iceland. Some of the cast featured in the second season and appearing on this panel are (in alphabetical order) Alfie Allen as Theon Greyjoy, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister, and Richard Madden as Robb Stark. George R. R. Martin, who also serves as a co-executive producer and writer on the series, moderates with executive producer Carolyn Strauss. Hall H  

                                                                   NO SOUP FOR YOU!

 

 

Since we were later we opted for a few smaller panels.  We saw:

 Lenore Turns 20— Celebrations are in order! Lenore is 20 years old in 2012. Roman Dirge discusses his new Lenore collection Swirlies, upcoming comics, merchandise, and more. Join the artist/magician himself for this exclusive journey into the unique world of Roman Dirge, with a one-on-one interview with moderator Andrew Sumner plus a Q/A session. Room 23ABC

Mylo Xyloto— Every album begins with the germ of an idea, every song tells a story, and now it is finally revealed that there is a secret narrative behind Coldplay's newest hit album and its enigmatic title Mylo Xyloto. Three years ago, frontman Chris Martin teamed up with Mark Osborne (Kung Fu Panda, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, and the upcoming The Little Prince) to develop the epic story that has gone on to inspire such chart-toppers as "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall," "Paradise," and "Princess of China." Join the creative team behind the new comic miniseries Mylo Xyloto -- Alejandro Fuentes, Steve Hamaker, and Dylan Haggerty -- and prepare to experience the sights and sounds of Coldplay in a whole new way. Room 23ABC

As we saw oh this light I swear you, emerge blinking into
To tell me it's alright
As we soar walls, every siren is a symphony
And every tear's a waterfall
Is a waterfall
Oh
Is a waterfall
Oh oh oh
Is a is a waterfall
Every tear
Is a waterfall
Oh oh oh
           Coldplay


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Loqq1aZwNo&feature=relmfu

We did score some free T-shirts and other goodies in the hall.

                                                    Butch Patrick AKA Eddie Munster

                                                                  Gene Simmons

                                                               

                                                                       Don't hassle the Hof

Chris wanted to try a burger joint she saw on Triple D.  So off to Ocean Beach.
Believe it or not as long as we have lived in SD we had never been to Hodads.  Food was good.

http://hodadies.com/home/

Comic Con Day 1 and H2O

Wednesday July 11,2012

This year we bought all 4 days for Comic Con and also got tickets for Chris and Betsy.  After work we went to the Town and Country Convention Center in Mission Valley.  Bridget and I met and got our covetted passes and bags.  The process was very smooth and we waited for Chris and Betsy.  They got there and also got right in and so we left to eat dinner.  We had dinner at Islands close to our house.  Islands is always a good choice.

 http://www.islandsrestaurants.com/

Thursday July 12, 2012

I want to leap over buildings
Want to fly over the shores
Save the people from the villains
Catch the crooks who, rob the stores

Write my name upon the sky
When you call me I’ll be there
Faster then a lightning flash
Rushing through the, cool night air

Ohh, Ohh,
Start ignition, count to zero
I just want to be a super hero
Ohh, Ohh,
With fearless thoughts, emotions swirled
I want to be the man that, saves the world, yeah
                            Tim McMorris



We got up early to head down to the Convention Center.  Even though we have a San Diego address, our community, Rancho Bernardo is about 25 miles from downtown.  We got in the carpool lane and then got out quickly.  There was an accident there, what a start.  Got downtown without any other incidents and looked for parking.  The lot we used last year was full.  Drove around and then dropped the girls off and went and parked.

Chris is a huge Tim Burton fan.  So they got in line for Hall H.  Bridget met me after I parked the car and we decided to see the Psych panel again.

Love, oh love is strange, oh-oh-oh
When there’s beauty on the inside,
The outside there’s nothing to ch-ch-ch-change
                                         Karen O


Walt Disney Studios: Frankenweenie, Oz The Great and Powerful, and Wreck-it Ralph— Walt Disney Studios hosts a Q/A panel featuring the imaginative director of Frankenweenie, Tim Burton (Alice in Wonderland); a special look at the world of Oz The Great and Powerful with director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy); and the illustrious voice cast of Walt Disney Animation Studios' Wreck-It Ralph, including John C. Reilly (Step Brothers) and Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program), and director Rich Moore (Futurama). Hall H

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byb-ngdzHmw

                                                            The Hulk

                                                          

In between the lines there's a lot of obscurity
I'm not inclined to resign to maturity
If it's all right, then you're all wrong
Why bounce around to the same damn song
You'd rather run when you can't crawl
I know, you know, that I'm not telling the truth
I know, you know, they just don't have any proof
Embrace the deception, Lean how to bend
You're worst inhibitions tend to psych you out in the end
                          Friendly Indians

USA Network's Psych— Psych returns to Comic-Con for a fourth consecutive year, with a fan-focused event that will invite the audience to be not just viewers, but active participants. Psych-O fans can look forward to a hilarious and uncensored experience with the creative team behind the hottest fake psychic detective agency on TV. Psych stars James Roday (Shawn Spencer), Dulé Hill (Burton "Gus" Guster), Maggie Lawson (Juliet O'Hara), Tim Omundson (Carlton Lassiter), Kirsten Nelson (Chief Karen Vick), and Corbin Bernsen (Henry Spencer), along with Psych producers Steve Franks (creator/executive producer), Kelly Kulchak (executive producer), and Chris Henze (executive producer) will dedicate the afternoon to answering fan questions and interacting with the audience, sharing secrets & stories from the set in this "chat" with 4,250 of their closest fans. Attendees will see video clips produced exclusively for Comic-Con, a never-before-seen "first look" at the Season 7 episodes currently in production, and a taste of Psych's milestone 100th episode, "100 CLUEs". Ballroom 20

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxSYt5twHg8

We left after that panel and walked around the exhibition.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzf6hmkiMgU&feature=watch_response





We left and decided to have dinner at the Yardhouse which was just up the street from the Convention Center.
 http://www.yardhouse.com/CA/san-diego-restaurant/

After dinner we headed for the car and home.  No idea about what was happening there.

As we pulled in the driveway we could see water running down.  I thought "Oh great, the hot water tank is leaking."    As I walked in the garage and up by the washing machine it was wet there.  I opened the back door and our house was FLOODED!  I could hear water running and I headed toward the master bathroom.  The door was shut and I could not open it.  I ran outside and turned off the water.  Our entire home had water all over.  Pushed the door open and a hose to the toilet had broken and water poured out of the hose.  Strong enough to put a hole in the wall and flood the entire house.

The photograph reflects, every streetlight a reminder.
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night, deserves a quiet night
                                           REM

I looked up water damage companies on my ipad and called one right away.  They were there within an hour.  I also called the homeowners insurance and started a claim.  There was no way we could stay there so I called around at 10 pm to try and find hotel rooms.  Even though we are 25 miles from downtown, Comic Con was interferring with our attempt to find a place to stay. I found 1 room at Holiday Inn and 1 at the Marriott Courtyard, both in Rancho Bernardo.

The water damage person came and said they would have to tear all the carpet out and bring in big blowers to try and dry the house.  The water was so bad it even steeped out into the backyard.  Everywhere we walked you sunk down in the carpet and the water soaked your feet.  We have no idea how long it had been broken.

We put the cat, Salem, out in the enclosed patio room where our dog, Summer, has her bed and house.  We put the bed and Summer outside and closed the door so Salem, an indoor cat, would be safe.  Packed up best we could and headed toward the hotels.

Put in perspective this was no fire, earthquake or tornado so we are thankful and always emphathize with those involved in such events.  It was just a disruption of life as we know it.

We laid our heads down on the pillows that night (early morning) with no idea that hotel room would be our home for 37 nights.