update, bowled over this week

Life continues to be rich and full here in Enoughsville.  In the hustle-bustle-swirl of events, the one event that really stands out was Christmas Bowling, so I'm just going to dwell there a bit.

This has become a treasured family tradition, to which we often rope in other enthusiastic bowlers, several of whom genially whomp our butts (looking at you, Connor!).

We had a very happy crowd this year.

One of my fave aspects this year was seeing C-child, just barely a year old, totally get into it all.  

She really, really, really wanted to pick up the balls.

C-child is not only walking these days; she's running -- if you can call teetering left-to-right, from one foot to the next, with her arms spread like that of a scary monster, while moving generally forward, "running".  All the big burly bowlers several lanes away flirted with her as she hurtled past, heading toward the racks where she would attempt to co-opt their balls. 

This was fun, too, she thought.

After the traditional round, most of the kids left; then Inkling and I celebrated the "challenge round" together.  In this version, we put up the bumpers and give each set its own rules:

1. Use your non-dominant hand.
2. Use the dinosaur stand.
3. Bowl between your legs
4. Bowl backwards (also between your legs)
5. Hop on one foot
6. Bowl blindfolded; the other person guides you.
7. Bowl singing ("Jingle Bowls")
8. Bowl while doing the Charleston
9. Bowl using the bumpers.
10. Bowl holding your breath.

Hopping on one foot.

Inkling outscored me this year: I'm looking forward to a rematch in future years!

Lots of other stuff happened besides this: I pulled a muscle in my back running early in the week; I had a paper accepted (with minimal revision! that's a real treat); the semester came to a close; I started some major money moves to get ready for my transition to retirement.

I don't know if the twelfth day before Christmas involves radiators piping, but that was another little adventure this week.  I realized we were getting a bit of condensation on the living room ceiling, probably because of a crumbling cast-iron pipe leading to a radiator in the room above.

I don't think the pipe is supposed to look like that . . . 

We had a plumber come who agreed "this doesn't look good", and explained we'd have to open up holes in the walls and ceilings to trace exactly where this pipe goes.  The plumber explained they don't do that ourselves; we'd have to have another handyman come in for that.  Well, guess what?  I think I can knock holes in walls/ceilings myself.  It's possible I can even close the walls up myself again after the plumbers have replaced the cast-iron one with a new copper one.  So, oof, this'll be a big, expensive Christmas present to ourselves.  

In some much prettier pictures of water, here are three of my favorite photos from OfSnough on his travels.  

Here are some photos of Marina Bay (Singapore)--
the richest part of the city and the site of the Formula 1 race. 

At night . . . 

. . . and by day.

My guy'll be home in about a week.  As he gets ready to take plane-after-plane to return to his loving wife, I'll share this xkcd comic as an homage to his voyages.  He totally wants to be in the rear of this plane!

And that's the news from our family, which continues to be radiant in our adventures.  May you and yours be similarly bowled over.