I might be armed

Read this story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: Officer assaulted with colostomy bag

What a creative kid. Probably misunderstood.

Speed stacks

Aunt Babs bought Lucy some speed stacking cups and we have done a little practicing. We have set a challenge date for this summer so we need to practice a bit more.
We need to get as good as this guy:

We so funny

We had to stop at the office Saturday afternoon because I needed some photo files. We turned the camera on my new IMac on and Mary showed off some of her fine parenting skills.

We have had some requests to get Mary on video because she always seems to be missing.
Believe me, she is here and not someone I made up.

If you doubt me, here is the proof:

A quiet Saturday in Graser land

Not much up. We are contemplating a trip to Columbus to use up a gift certificate at a restaurant.

Otherwise, it has been pretty still this morning after Lucy and I had our eggamuffins with our new eggamuffins machine.

Oh, and I made this video

My Friend Dirk

I don't know if I have mentioned the friendship I have developed with a fellow from Germany named Dirk. He has a daughter named Lucy - she has a twin name Leah. That's them in the photo below.

He found some of our Lucy videos on Youtube and started corresponding.
We have a more in common than daughters named Lucy.

Fortunately he speaks English very well. My German is non-existant. I know how to say good night and taste, Guten Abend and Schmeken respectivley. I am always asking Lucy to at least have a shmecken of her peas - she is not interested even when so provacatively asked.

I told Dirk about how I love to smoke pork shoulders in the summer. I get to sit around and drink some beer and play with fire all day long.

Here is a clip from his latest e-mail describing his summer gilling

"In summer we are standing with a few beers (I don't drink too much) and talking about our favourite themes. And we light our grills. He has a brick-built one - very nice and good for normal german bratwurst and some pig steaks. But that grill is not so big. Our grill is round ... and a little bit bigger - with 65 cm diameter and a smoke cover dome. He is good for bigger parties, but he is also very fast with a great heat. I gave him the name "Fast breeder reactor" and I think he comes from Tschernobyl.
I think in summer you can give me some special tipps for some great american flesh slices called steaks!"

I love the last line and will now refer to steaks only as Great American Flesh Slices.

Great name for a band or a butcher shop.

It is a very interesting relationship because there is so much to talk about. Our cultures are surprisingly similar but very different at the same time.

we both have young kids and jobs and houses that need repair and we have both been ill recently.

It's good to have friends from other places. It makes you see your place a little differently. And it is fun. Almost as much fun as grilling up some flesh slices.
I can't wait for summer.



Okay so she is not cooking steak! But what is a discussion about cooking without a little Rachel Ray?

Normal Care

My oncologist now considers me to be a normal care patient. That means I see him every 6 weeks for blood work.

From now on I am to call my GP for everything and then fill him in only if symptoms become persistant.

It's funny, I have spent almost a year visiting my onocologist at least once a month and it seems most of the time, once a week.

I have seen my GP once in my life. I got a finger up the butt and a colonoscopy appointment.

I aslo had dinner once with the GP at a charitable function - But that was before our doctor - patient relationship and we just sat at the same table and barely talked.

So, the big news is that I am no longer a cancer patient!

Let's hear a big Whoo HOO!

Our favorite German Twins

It's Lucy and Leah!

News about Dan the Robot

Sadly, but expectedly, Dan the Robot stopped functioning three days after being brought to the Graser household.
It was an "accident."
Turns out if you wind him real tight his clockwork goes Kablooie and he can only work for a few seconds before falling over. Kind of like daddy. If only Dan had some change to jingle.

Dan the Dancing Robot

He likes Madness Midis... funny robot

Grandpa's book

We donated a book to Harrison Elementary in honor of Lucy's grandpa Ted as a Christmas present to him.
Here is a video about it.

From the Associated Press

Castro should have called me. The colostomy is no big deal and a great ice-breaker at parties.
I'm wearing one now!

MADRID, Spain -
Fidel Castro himself told surgeons not to perform a colostomy, opting instead for a course of surgery that produced a complication leaving the Cuban leader in far worse condition, according to a newspaper report Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT

After removing an inflamed piece of Castro's large intestine in an operation last year, the doctors connected the remainder directly to his rectum, rather than attaching a colostomy bag, El Pais said, quoting two medical sources at Madrid's Gregorio Maranon hospital. The operation failed when a suture burst.

No Doctors

It is Friday and I have spent the entire week without one visit to a doctor's office.
I can't recall the last time that happened.
I do have an appointment on Monday but it is just a check up.
I feel like I am getting stronger everyday. I wish it wasn't winter. I would love to get out of the house for long walks or even possibly a bike ride (not sure how my bottom would respond)But it has finally turned cold and I don't get home until after dark and I am not interested in dealing with the cold and dark.

Time for some more hip

Ahead by a Century



Best line: With Revenge and Doubt, Tonight we Smoke Them Out.

Here is the Hip U.S. tour schedule

THE TRAGICALLY HIP: LIVE 2007
*note: all times provided are local to each city

Monday February 26, 2007
Long Beach, Ca
Long Beach Arena

The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip


Tickets: $47.00 - $152.00
On Sale: Monday December 11th @ 10:00am (pac)
February 28. 2007
Phoenix, Az
US Airways Center

The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip

KSLX & KDKB Present The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip

Tickets: $47.00 - $177.00
On Sale: Monday December 11th @ 10:00am (mtn
March 1, 2007
ipayOne Center at the Sports Arena
San Diego, California

The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip

KGB 101.5 Presents

Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: $55.00 - 180.00
On Sale: Saturday November 18, 2006

March 5, 2007
Hoffman Estates, Ill
The Sears Centre

The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip

Tickets: $54.00 - $99.00
On Sale: Monday January 15th @ 10:00am (ctl)

March 06, 2007
Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, Indiana

The Who with Special Guests The Tragically Hip

Tickets: $53.50 and $83.50 with a limited number of gold circle seats.
On Sale: Monday December 4th at 10am

March 8, 2007
Rochester, NY
Harro East Ballroom

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $35.00 Adv, $40.00 day of show
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ Noon (est)


March 9 & 10, 2007
Buffalo, NY
Town Ballroom

Age : All Ages (under 16 to be accompanied by parent or guardian)
Tickets : $45.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ Noon (est)


March 13, 2007
Atlanta, Ga
Roxy Theater

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $25.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (est)


March 15, 2007
Houston, Tx
Scout Bar


Age : 18+
Tickets : $25.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (ctl)


March 16, 2007
Dallas, Tx
Palladium Ballroom

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $25.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (ctl)

March 19, 2007
Denver, Co
Gothic Theater

Age : 16+
Tickets : $30.00
Tickets Onsale : January 20th @ 10:00am


March 21, 2007
Las Vegas, Nv
House of Blues

Age : 21+
Tickets : $35.00 Reserved Adv, $25.00 GA Adv, $30 GA day of show
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (pac)


March 26, 2007
San Francisco, Ca
The Fillmore

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $25.00
Tickets Onsale : January 21st @ 10:00am (pac)


March 28, 2007
Portland, Or
Roseland Theater
Age : 21+

Tickets : $25.00 Adv, $28.00 Doors
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (pac)


March 29, 2007
Seattle, Wa
Moore Theater

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $33.50
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ Noon (pac)


April 12, 2007
Detroit, MI
State Theater

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $45.00 & $35.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (est)



April 16 & 17, 2007
South Burlington, VT
Higher Ground

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $40.00 adv, $45.00 day of show
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 11:00am (est)



April 18, 2007
Clifton Park, NY
Northern Lights

Age : All Ages (under 16 to be accompanied by parent or guardian)
Tickets : $20.00
Tickets Onsale : January 20th @ 10:00am (est)


April 20, 2007
Boston, MA
Avalon

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $28.00
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ 10:00am (est)


April 24 & 25, 2007
New York, NY
Irving Plaza

Age : 16+
Tickets : $25.00 adv, $28.00 day of show
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ Noon (est)


April 28, 2007
Philadelphia, Pa
Theater of Living Arts

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $25.00 adv, $28.00 day of show
Tickets Onsale : January 19th @ Noon (est)


April 29, 2007
Washington, DC
9:30 Club

Age : All Ages
Tickets : $25.00
Tickets Onsale : January 18th @ 10:00am (est)

Martin Luther King Day

We had a caller at the newspaper the other day who couldn't for the life of her figure out what MLK stood for and didn't understand why the schools were closed.

We did take a video at Christmas

Lucy grabbed the camera in Liverpool. Chao ensued.

new video of me and Lucy being crafty

I really did feel bad about this

Goo Goo Dolls Saved my brother

where have I been?

I have been lying on the couch.
Since last Thursday I have had diarrhea, which is an altogether new experience with an ostomy bag.
I
became seriously dehydrated and spent two days getting IV fluids pumped
into me at a doctors office. It is believed that I have a bacterial
infection in my colon.
I have barely had the strength to get to the computer to check work e-mail, let alone blog.
I
will be back, next week... Hopefully I will start to feel better this
weekend. but I am finding that increasingly hard to believe.