Alex - Why You Are Special (reprise)

Alex...  You were just promoted at AZEC.  I'm so happy that your work has been challenging and rewarding!  AZEC is obviously a great fit for you, and it's clear the Human Resources team has good leadership.  Here's the chronology.....

My email at the bottom of this post is from Dec 2021, when you were in the throws of job searching (not fun!).  It reflects your unique strengths and opportunities that could come from them.

You were hired to AZEC in June 2022.  Here is what you texted me on your second day:  "Everyone is so positive and friendly.  I really like it so far and there's going to be lots of opportunity for me to move up.  I met the plant manager and he was telling me there's people who've worked 4 or 5 different careers in the company and that they prioritize internal hires above external.  So I'm excited and I think there's a lot of potential."  

In April 2023, you were promoted to HR Admin Level 2.  That was quick!  You texted:  "So got the promotion today.  Not quite what I expected as they're keeping me hourly as an admin level two and moving me to exempt towards th eend of the summer.  So I'm skipping the generalist and coordinator role if I'm understanding correctly."

About a month ago in Sept 2024, you were promoted again.  You are obviously a valued member of your team and are being recognized accordingly.  Your text to me was "Signed offer letter today.  Associate HRBP".  Plus you're working on an HR certification (SHRM, I think).  Congrats !!  The Dilbert comic above does make me laugh.

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From: Christine Rivers
Sent: Monday, December 6, 2021 8:17 PM
To: Alex.carroll73@yahoo.com <Alex.carroll73@yahoo.com>
Subject: Why you are special

 

Hi Alex

I'm writing this email because it seems like the best way to share these thoughts with you.   On the career front.....  in addition to being a hard worker, you have a gift that you may not recognize.  In fact, it's already evident by your involvement in the Cemetery Association & getting "promoted" to president within a couple years !!  You are great with people, and this will continue to open doors for you in the future.

I have probably told you this before...  When you were under a year old and at the CDC in West Pittston, the teachers told me that you always greeted moms & dads coming to pick up their kids.   The teachers told me that you were very social - if parents didn't say hi, you would make a fuss until they talked to you.  Fast forward to today, and I think that you are able to relate to & talk to almost anyone.  Uncle Jason has that same skill.  Here's why it matters so much - you can talk to more junior people and understand their concerns & issues, plus you can talk to management and understand their objectives & priorities.  You can write well, speak well and also have presence - meaning that when you speak, people can easily focus on you. This will give you opportunities in every organization where you work.  (You could consider setting your sights on labor relations, which could mean a career in Human Resources, it could mean going to law school, or it could mean working within a union and becoming a shop steward.) 

This is not a surprise, you inherited these skills from your Dad (a politician), your grandfathers who both have the gift of public speaking in different ways - plus your grandfather worked his way up in the army from an enlisted man to general and could connect with all member of the battalion.   Grandad reminded me at Thanksgiving that his grandfather Charles McCausland (Grandnana's father) was a foreman in a woolen mill in Webster and a union man.  You might be interested to talk about it with Grandad when you see him at the cabins. 

Besides thinking about what job you apply for, think equally about what organization you would be happy to work in.  Plus where you will be physically active and/or work with your hands at least part of the time (post office, manufacturer like Benco Dental, a grocery store like Aldi's or Wegman's which are recognized for being good workplaces).  You can start at any job then watch for chances to post so you get experience in multiple roles & advance.  You will sometimes have to challenge yourself and get outside your comfort zone - though this can be stressful in the short term, I have found it usually works out.  Don't be intimidated by the job search process (which is a necessary evil), you have So Much to offer !!!

Love you, Mom

Edie McCausland

It was a sad weekend, and I'm grateful that you both came to Webster for Edie's burial service.  You each made a long drive (alone) from West Pittston and Syracuse.  Thank you for making this time in your busy schedules.  You were special kids in Edie's life, she loved you guys.  You are equally important to her partner Jon, who I'm sure appreciated your presence more than anyone else.  Alex, I'm so glad you came to Hill Street to chat with Jon (Rob, you couldn't since you headed back to ESF the afternoon of the service).  Edie's passing last month was a horrible shock to Jon, and he's struggling with grief, loneliness and the prospect of moving from Hill Street where he's lived more than 25 years.  It was nice that we also had time with Eric, Edie's nephew who made a much longer trip from North Carolina.

Below you'll find a copy of the obituary, a lovely tribute about Edie posted to the funeral home's website, and a eulogy I wrote.  My remembrance was read by the funeral director, who Edie knew and could pronounce the authentic name of Lake Webster.  Rob, I will always remember that you placed the box with Edie's ashes on ground before burial - it's fitting that one of us did that. 

Edith McCausland Obituary

Webster - Edith "Edie" McCausland, age 74, died Thursday, August 15, 2024, at UMass Memorial Health Care, University Campus, Worcester.

Edie was born in Worcester, MA, daughter of the late John B. and Theresa (Hostak) McCausland in lived in Webster all her life.  

In addition to her parents, Edie was predeceased by her sister, Keith "Nikki" McCausland.  She leaves her life-long partner, Jonathan R. Dodge of Webster; nephew, Eric Ewald of North Carolina; a special cousin, Chris Rivers and several other cousins. 

Edie was a graduate of Bartlett High School, Class of 1968.  She was also a graduate of Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing, where she earned her degree in nursing, and Clark University  Edie was a registered nurse having worked in the Worcester area her entire career.  She worked at Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Medical Center.  She retired in 2013.

At her request, there are no calling hours.  Graveside services will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 11 am in Saint Anthony Cemetery, Webster.  Shaw-Majercik Funeral Home, 48 School Street, Webster, is honored to have been entrusted with Edie's arrangements.  A memorial guest book is available at www.shaw-majercik.com where you may post a message of condolence, share a memory and/or light a candle in her memory.  

Jeannie Cross: Edie was my first – and longest – friend. We grew up next to each other; played together – jacks on her porch, dolls in my basement; walked to school together (starting with Hill Street School and if she was still with us, would probably disown me for posting this picture); go-go danced together (again, would disown me for remembering this); spent teenage summer days at the Town Beach; and kept me in touch with Webster long after I moved away. She was an old soul by 5 or 6 – wise and mature beyond her years… a natural and quiet leader. She helped organize at least one Bartlett ’68 reunion and kept our group of friends connected for decades. Although we went separate paths in and after high school, she made sure we stayed in touch. At her instigation, we attended the Roseland Cottage Crafts Festival a few times with another high school friend. Despite my sorrow at Edie’s passing, I will carry her wit, wisdom and persistence with me. She did much good in her life and now deserves to rest in peace.

Edie McCausland – A Remembrance

I began getting to know Edie about 25 years ago, when we were re-introduced at my grandmother's burial service. My grandmother Phyllis McCausland Rivers is her aunt, so Edie is my father's first cousin. Since the Rivers family is settled in Pennsylvania, there hadn't been many opportunities to spend time together. Edie thoughtfully invited me and my family to visit in Webster.

This was the start of a wonderful relationship with Edie and her partner Jon. They have been incredibly welcoming and generous to us, and truly enjoyed my young son Alex and before long his brother Robby. I have thought of Edie and Jon as their honorary grandparents. There were many weekends staying at their house on Hill Street. We chatted in the living room, at the kitchen table and on the back porch overlooking their lovely yard, often watching the boys play. The Hill Street home was special to us, since it was built by Edie's great grandfather in the late 1800's and has been owned in our family ever since. We had many outings, including to local fairs, museums and Jon's best fishing spots for Alex to try out. Coming from a mid-Atlantic state, during one visit we got a kick out of crossing 2 state lines to have dinner in Rhode Island.

Edie has been an important person in my life, as she was important to everyone here today. She was intelligent, strong and caring with a streak of New England practicality. As a professional in nursing, for years Edie held a responsible, demanding position as a nurse supervisor. She was a frequent patron of the Dudley Library. Edie loved her nephew Eric, who in his childhood spent many summers in Webster.

She had losses and struggles, as we all do. Her father, my great Uncle John, passed away when she was just 22. Edie had an early, brief marriage which ended in a difficult divorce. She oversaw the care of her Mom for several years after a debilitating stroke. This included taking Aunt Theresa out from the nursing facility where she lived to places like Webster Lake (actually, as my grandmother would say, Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg). I will always remember Aunt Theresa was delighted to hold my son Robby when he was a baby.

Sadly, Edie lost her sister Nikki in 2015 so became the last surviving “McCausland” in our family. The name McCausland is derived from MacAslan, a founding family of Clan Buchanan of the Scottish Highlands. I'm not certain Edie was interested in this family history, but the heritage lives on in my father David Buchanan Rivers, my brother John McCausland Rivers and my son Robert Buchanan Carroll.

Edie often spoke with me of her longtime friends, nursing co-workers, and her yoga and gym pals. Once she brought me along to a Friday yoga class. And the light in Edie's life was Jon Dodge. He is a wonderful companion – she loved hearing his laugh and listening to his many stories. They were lucky to have 38 happy years together. Jon has been a committed partner, which included bicycling, canoeing, travel and the substantial effort of maintaining the Hill Street property. Jon did everything he could to support Edie during her recent illness.

While we will miss her always, I'm grateful that Edie's physical discomfort and pain have ended and feel sure she's now at peace.

Christine Rivers, Sept. 21, 2024

Our Kitty Rambo

My first distinct memory of Rambo is from the 7th Street house in Wyoming, when I was talking with Dad in the kitchen.  Rambo was super friendly, he jumped onto a box in the laundry area so that I could pet him.  He was your special kitten (Alex & Rob, you had named him), along with his younger brother Ross.  Let's get the worst stuff out of the way...  Later on, Dad was not doing well and would no longer care for them so put both cats out of the house.  This was just terrible (it happened shortly after Rob began staying at Montgomery Ave full-time in the spring of 2014, and you guys worried about them constantly).  Unfortunately we're not sure what happened to Ross, who had black fur.  But Rambo was around the house, and Aunt Pam and a next-door neighbor Holly were feeding him.  In the fall before it got really cold, we drove over to 7th Street to look for Rambo.  On our 2nd attempt to find him, Rob you called his name and he came out of the bushes.  I'll always remember this rescue mission, as you held Rambo in the car.  So with help from Jim at Grooming Cottage, he got cleaned up.  And after a brief socialization period he joined Tiger and Jean Luc, to establish our "tres gatos" household. 

Rambo was, understandably, a bit neurotic after this horrendous experience.  Upon arriving here, he was super focused on food, he always perked up and rushed to the kitchen upon hearing "Treats, Treats!".  As he got sicker early this month, he was eating only treats and of course lost so much weight.  He certainly loved tuna fish, which he got regularly this summer.  Rambo consistently drank out of the toilet in the upstairs back bathroom, which was a big incentive for us to keep the bowl clean.  Yuk!  Plus, a few years ago he stopped using the litterbox to pee.  Instead he peed in front of the litterbox - absolutely disgusting!!  So we became good customers at Wallgreens buying underpads, which we cut to fit litter trays.  Honestly, it's a relief not to be dealing with that problem any more.  Rambo never had any interest in going back outside, though we enjoyed the screened-in porch upstairs, which is perfect for bird-watching and has warm sun spots.

Rambo was almost a "Kitler", sporting half a Hitler mustache.  He liked me to occassionally pet his head, but that was it.  He let both of you guys pick him up for cuddles, briefly.  Rambo got along ok with Tiger, although Tiger intimidated him by following Rambo around - Steve called it a "low speed chase" - which ended with Rambo hiding, usually under my desk in the living room.  He got on well with Jean Luc, they were good buddies particularly they enjoyed sleeping together on beds upstairs.  He was annoyed when kitten Oren was adopted.  Of course Oren had lots of energy and would jump on Rambo, which resulted in Steve yelling at Oren to "stop riding Rambo like a horsey!".  Rambo would snarl, and escape troublesome Oren by climbing up on the dining room table (this didn't make me especially happy).  

It was truly difficult last week for Rob and me to take him to Shoemaker Animal Hospital, where he was literally put to sleep.  It was merciful and quick, and certainly the hardest thing we do for our pets.  Alex, you came a couple days in a row to say goodbye to Rambo.  And you know exactly how painful this is, since you and Aunt Pam took Jessie to the vet at the end of her life.

Steve is so attached to our kitties, as you know.  He wrote his own post about Rambo on NCFE, it makes me cry every time I read it  --> Requiem for Rambo .  Steve would get Rambo to do "rollies" i.e., roll over, as you know.  And he made up various names for Rambo:

• Rollie Kitty
• Rambi
• Rambi Pambi
• Rambolio
• The Great Rambolio
• Ramstone
• Ramshackle

Here are a couple song lyrics Steve adapted and often sang to Rambo....   To the tune of "Mandy" by Barry Manilow "Oh Rambi, well you came and you purred when I pet you.  But they sent you away, oh Rambi."  Also, to the tune of "Moonshadow" by Cat Stevens "I'm being followed by a ramshackle, ramshackle ramshackle."

At the end of this post are some pictures of our boy doing various Rambo things.  And in loving memory of Rambo, here is Cat Stevens performing "Moonshadow".

A Time of Change (and hitting the "Pause" button)

I feel like I've just switched from the Play button to the Pause button.  This hiatus is pretty unusual in my busy life, since finishing college at age 21 and starting full-time work a few weeks later.  Rambo's cancer had progressed, and after seeing how sick he became it was best to have him put to sleep a week ago (you'll see a separate post about our sensitive kitty Rambo).  Rob, you just moved to Syracuse to begin your sophomore year of college as a transfer student from LCCC.  I'm still unemployed, after limited job searching over the summer.  So the house is quiet during the day, with just Oren and me here.  I think Oren is a bit lonesome, as he's going through a similar time of adjustment.  Though I haven't felt like writing for a while, this is a good time to catch up.  Oren is sitting next to me - you can see kitty toys, including Ratty which he got out of the cat toy box last night.

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Edie McCausland - It's hard to write this, such a huge loss to us... 😢  Since May, Edie hadn't been well due to severe, painful arthritis in her lower back which made walking extremely difficult.  She had a major stroke in early August, and passed about a week later on Aug. 15th.  Jon is devastated, he SO hoped she could at least partially recover and come home to Hill St.  I expect to write more about Edie later on, around the time of her memorial service next month.  She and her partner Jon Dodge were an important, joyful part of your childhood.  Here is a picture of them from 2008, when we spent a day together at Old Sturbridge Village.

9th Wedding Anniversary - It's been 9 years already since Steve and my wedding on July 3, 2015.  We are especially counting, since there won't be as many anniversaries as some couples get.  And we're definitely staying happy together.  To celebrate, we spent a long weekend at Niagara Falls on the Canadian side.  The falls are incredible, be sure you go there during the week when it's less crowded (you'll probably notice plenty of Indian tourists & restaurants).  We ate dinner at the Skylon Tower revolving restaurant.  The food was good and and views were fantastic - see 2nd shot below.  You probably don't remember much about a mid-west vacation with Dad around 2005, but when you were quite young we had a lovely time eating at a revolving restaurant in St Louis.  Steve is an excellent husband, step-dad, and photographer.

Girls' Weekend - In past years, I've had fun at Girls' Weekends Away with Grammie and your Rivers aunties.  Ocassionally we are joined by female Zeller cousins (Zeller being Grammie's maiden name), as was the case last month. This means my Aunt Mary's daughter Mary Lee Carson, and Aunt Margaret's daughters Meg Mozdiez and Annie Carlson Goldberg.  Julie hosted us at her house in Phoenixville, which made it easy to spend an afternoon with Grammie and Grandad.  The first photo below shows me, Meg, Grammie, Aunt Diana and Annie standing, Aunt Julie in front of me and Grandad (Mary Lee took the picture), and the second photo is Mary Lee with her husband Del.

Camping Trip in Ontario - Alex, you got 2 weeks off from AZEK... a feat in itself.  The vacation time was for quite an adventure - you and Mark Chatman-Royce went primitive camping in Ontario's lake country with Uncle John and family.  You showed me your big toe nail on I believe your left foot, which was partially ripped off when your foot slipped off a large rock.  You did some surgery to begin removing the damaged nail, then Mark finished it for you (after you had a dram o' whisky).  No more wearing sandals when portaging, in spite of relatively light-weight canoes.  You got to hear wolves howling, loons calling and owls hooting.  I heard that you tried cliff jumping, the kids were fun (except for when Noel saved Bea from drowning, which is absolutely terrifying), Uncle John and Aunt Fran prepare delicious food and there were only a couple leech encounters.  Plus something I never thought you would say, toward the end you got bored with fishing for bass.  Here are some pics Uncle John sent....

ESF in Syracuse - Finally, it has happened after literally years of dealing with headaches & neck discomfort.  Rob, we moved you into Copper Beech Commons in Syracuse to start the paper engineering program at SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  You gave notice at Cracker Barrell on Aug. 11th.  We loaded up your Altima and my Equinox, then Steve, you and I drove on I-81 due north to Syracuse on Aug. 21st (it took us a couple months to gather the many things you need for your apartment).  We got your room set up which included unpacking your new printer and building a night stand & shoe rack, and went out for dinner at Trapper's Pizza in East Syracuse.  Besides needing to order you a few extras like a mattress topper, you're all set.  After orientation, classes started this Monday.  What a huge change, and I'm so happy for you!  It was nice to meet your roommate Ben (Connor wasn't there), and I know you'll start making friends as you go along.  Also as Alex suggested to ya, I expect you'll get to some parties.  Am truly thankful for support you've gotten from your cousin Ellen Warner (Uncle Morris & Aunt Marion's daughter) in coming to school at ESF.  Here's a picture taken by the mailman - really! - just before we left West Pittston.

The Empty Nesters - Meanwhile, back here at the Montgomery Ave ranch Steve & I are giving Oren regular cuddles and pets.  A window AC unit that Aunt Julie gave us has been fantastic to supplement the inadequate first floor ductless AC unit.  When I turn it on, I keep thinking of Han Solo telling Chewie to "Punch it!" in Star Wars.  The hummingbirds have been here for a few weeks, Steve has planted more flowers and we spend plenty of time on the front porch.  Plus I am taking a West Pittston walk almost every morning.  Glad this summer has included both Play and recent Pause time.

Our Careers (Goodbye to Prudential)

Today was sad... my last day working at Prudential's office.  Monday, July 1 will be my final day with the company.  My full-time work life began right out of college in 1986, starting as a management trainee at First Eastern Bank (where I met Laura Lewis).  I later worked at PNC Bank, National Westminster Bank and Fleet Bank.  After a succession of mergers, it seemed wise to leave banking behind me.  One of my co-workers at NatWest had left for a job in Prudential's retirement business, and based on her recommendation I was hired in 1998.  So from the time you were about 18 months old Alex, and for the last 26 years I've been working at Prudential.  I didn't plan to work in financial services (after being a Government major in college), but I did plan to get established and then work part-time when I had kids.  

That plan became a reality.  I was able to work mostly part-time from the time you were born Rob for about 10 years.  That makes me incredibly happy, and even so I know you realize my job was always a big priority.  Prior to COVID-19 which led to working remotely from home, my workstation (complete with many photos of you boys) at the Scranton/Moosic office really was my "home away from home", from 8:30-5 or so most days.  Here are some of the reasons I think our careers matter....

.... they give us a purpose.  We need a reason to get out of bed in the morning, to be challenged to develop new skills and to strive for longer-term goals.

.... they enable us to pay bills, save and when necessary borrow money, all of which are absolute necessities.

.... we meet many interesting and intelligent people, make friends and keep on learning new things.

Alex, seems like your career in Human Resources (so far) is off to a great start at AZEK.  Rob, can't wait to find out where your Paper Engineering college degree will take you.  And I'm not done quite yet as I expect to get another job before long, but the majority of my career is behind me now.  Prudential is a (Fortune 500) premier employer in Northeast Pennsylvania, so not suprising that the company demands a lot of and also rewards its employees.  It wasn't easy - I dealt with excess workload often, stress and some travel especially to Hartford and Newark.  But Prudential did allow me extra time to enjoy being your Mom, funds to live independently and support you, and (partnering with Steve) enough extra money for important things like a nice house, cars, vacations, college expenses and saving for the future.  I was fortunate to have bosses who were flexible with work hours to allow for school, daycare, summer camp, appointments, sports, etc.  By far the best part of working at Prudential was getting to know Steve over many years, then starting to date each other in 2010, quickly becoming true partners and marrying in 2015.

Grandad has said that beginnings and endings are hard.  My beginning at Prudential was a rough time, banking largely did not prepare me for the complexities of the retirement business.  The biggest challenge was to pass two securities registration exams within 4 months of being hired while studying largely outside of work hours, which was super difficult with an 18-month old at home.  I was miserable, and several times almost quit.  It took about a year to get my new job figured out.  In contrast, the ending has not been bad.  I was told my position would be eliminated over 3 months ago, I've had relatively light duty since then and I'll get a generous severance package.  It is still a wrench, though, to lose part of my identity and "belonging" as a Pru employee, leave a workplace that has been super important (including as a haven when my personal life was unhappy) and to likely lose touch with co-workers.  Steve knows exactly what this is like, since after 27+ years his Prudential job was abruptly eliminated in 2016.

But life goes on.  I'm happy to have time off this summer to relax, visit Grammie and Grandad, take some short trips and help you Rob with launching into ESF in Syracuse.  As Steve (who just gave me a hug) often says, there is much left to do!!

Here are Scranton office pictures, including of a "piece of  the rock" by the front entrance.

June 2024 Events

Hey guys, this will be a relatively short update on what's going on lately.  To start with, we're having a heat wave.  The high today was 92 degrees according to my car thermometer, and it's going to be hotter the next couple days.  Absolutely no cooking tonight - we got pizza from DeMuro's in Pittston.  At Montgomery Ave, our downstairs AC unit has been running all day.  Rob's galileo thermometer shows that it's over 78 degrees but less than 80 degrees in the dining room.  😒   Our roof is being replaced on Thursday (supposedly, in one day), I do feel badly for the crew that will be working up there.

And in spite of that, in the late afternoon Oren found a sun spot to lie in.

So, here is the latest.

• Working Hard at AZEK - Alex, you just finished coordinating events on 2 Saturdays in May at Cathedral Cemetery.  It was my second year participating to ensure veterans' markers and flags are in place, we had a nice morning together just before Memorial Day.  Then you traveled to work at the New Jersey site last Wed - Thursday.  Plus, on Saturday you spent all day manning a table AZEK sponsored at the Juneteenth celebration in Scranton.  Things seem fine at your place on North St, over the past month you got a lawn mower, weed wacker and air conditioners for your living & bed rooms.  Assume your downstairs is cooler than ours!
• Early Mornings at Cracker Barrell - Rob, your boss has decided you are suited for early mornings.  So you keep getting 7 am - noon shifts, now 3-4 days per week.  In addition, this week you're taking a medical test (which we hope will finally diagnose the cause of your headaches, neck discomfort, etc.) that involves lying in bed for 48 hours.  That sucks!  The silver lining is that you have parents to bring food and some cheer during this time.  Also, you, Aunt Julie and I spent a somewhat rainy weekend in Ontario visiting Uncle John and family.  Otherwise, you are arranging for an off-campus rental in Syracuse since the ESF dorm is full.  The 12 page lease form just arrived.  

On a heartbreaking note, we discovered that Rambo has a lump at the top of his right leg.  Testing by the vet in April showed it's a cancerous tumour.  He's now 13 years old and we decided against the only treatment likely to help, which is amputating his leg (!)  So far he has been his usual self, he continues to do rollies regularly, spend time on the upstairs porch and have lovely naps.  He's getting extra treats, and occassionally his all time favorite food - tuna fish.

Steve continues to spend lots of time sprucing up our yard, with special attention to flowers.  It looks just lovely around here!

Guest Contributor (Steve) - Bunson Honeydew and Beaker

On the continuing theme of the Muppets...  Your stepdad Steve is happy to write on so many subjects, and as another 70's child he's fond of the Muppets too.  Thank you for sharing with us, Steve!  These particular Muppets also seems appropriate for you, Rob, since your science experiments will advance from Wyoming Area and LCCC labs to a new level at SUNY starting in a few months.

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I was asked by Ms. Rivers to write something about my favorite Muppets.  See THIS posting.  I gladly obliged, as I have been a Muppet fan since I was young enough to watch television.  I also really enjoyed her post on Swedish Chef.  Fun fact:  I learned that most actual Swedes…

1. Don’t think Swedish Chef is very funny.
2. Think he actually sounds like he’s Norwegian.

As to the primary question at hand, my two favorite Muppets are, without a doubt, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his ever suffering assistant Beaker. 

Why do I like these guys?  Let me count the ways.

First, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s head looks like a honeydew.  That’s a win, right off the bat.

Second, I have always been a science nerd, so the fact that these guys (attempts) to do science stuff at Muppet Labs makes them all the cooler.

Third, as a younger person, I felt like Beaker and I shared the same body type.

Fourth, Beaker saying the words “Sadly Temporary”.

Fifth, despite many setbacks, Beaker always comes back for more.  He’s a real trooper.

Here’s a cool example of the Good Doctor and Beaker in action.

                      

Finally, I will add that my daughter Rebecca, when she was younger, could not pronounce the word “Muppet”.  What came out sounded more like “Mutt-Mitt”, which I still find adorable.

 

What You've Been Missing - Swedish Chef

Growing up in the 1970's, one of my fond memories is of the muppets.  A documentary directed by Ron Howard is coming out soon about their creator Jim Henson, a puppeteer and truly a creative genius.  You can read about the documentary here  -->  Idea Man   

I remember going to The Muppet Movie, which was truly entertaining if you were already familiar with muppet characters and won awards for its music.  At the beginning of the The Muppet Movie, there is a wonderful song by Kermit the Frog - "The Rainbow Connection".  

But the main point of this post is to make sure you have a few laughs watching Swedish Chef, one of the characters from The Muppet Show (which preceded the movie).  So please spend a few minutes enjoying these short clips, maybe a post will follow about Dr Bunson Honeydew and Beaker which are Steve's favorite muppets.

Starting Your Day with a Mad Scramble

At our house, as you know we have rodent visitors in the spring.  Kind of odd, shouldn't this happen during the fall instead?  Small meeces come up from the basement underneath the dishwasher, where there's a large gap that a platoon of mice could deploy from (and results in nasty drafts of cold air in the winter).  They are lured in by Oren & Rambo's food dishes. The first sign of trouble is noticing kitty interest in watching this area of the kitchen.  

We use a "tupperware live catch - feline assisted" control process.  Quite comical, really.  Plus not very efficient, since it's likely that some of the mice come back.  We rely a lot on our resident expert mouse catcher Rob.  The mousy container is brought out from the cabinet under the kitchen sink, and it's off to the races.  Yesterday Oren the Great Hunter had not arrived for breakfast, which was unusual.  Turns out he was in the front hallway staring suspiciously underneath the treadmill.  Earlier this year, we had some good luck with this same situation - Steve lifted up the deck, I held open the front door and a mouse ran outside then scurried off into the bushes.  Once again, there was a mouse but unfortunately Oren immediately caught it.  He prowled around the first floor including behind the couch, growling and rightfully proud of himself.  First he had the mouse by the tail, then he switched to the body with the tail sticking out.  The chase was on, of course Steve and I had no luck.  So Rob, you were woken from slumbers around 7:30 a.m. to your familiar duty.  By the time you left your room, Oren had run upstairs (I especially hate when this happens) into Alex's room.  Presumably you guys have watched Tom & Jerry cartoons....

By the time I got there, you were already holding Oren with mousy.  I closed the door, then put the tupperware container in front of Oren and told him to "drop it!".  At our house, cats periodically get lectures from Steve (about coming to eat when called, not venturing into the big bad world outside, how to use the kitty door to the basement which Oren struggles with).  Of course Oren didn't let go.  So next I held Oren, while Rob you massaged his jaw (a techique you showed me later) and the mouse was free.  He ran into the corner, where you missed catching him and then under the baseboard heating unit.  After fierce wriggling, I put Oren down and he investigated.  The mouse squeaked a bit - finally he ran across the room under the desk, where Rob you got him into the container.  Yay!

He rested in the kitchen, probably stunned, for some time.  (Oren is primarily interested in playing like batting the mouse into the air, thankfully there is no sign of eating it.)  Normally we deposit meeces by the garage.  But this time, the mouse went off to pursue his education at college about 20 miles away.  Rob, you let him out of the tupperware in grass by the LCCC parking lot - there was no sign of him after class was over.  

As you mentioned, perhaps live mice removal could be listed as a skill on your resume.  After you go off to ESF this fall, we'll probably change our methodology to a regular live catch mouse trap.  For now, we'll hope the 2024 mouse visitation season is over.  While we were in St Augustine last month, it was a treat to get your text with this picture of the previous (and maybe the same!) mouse you & Oren captured.

Leaping Through 2024

Yes, it's a leap year.  Which means that Hallie Stark had a 'real' birthday on Feb. 29th, I'd guess she turned 6 this year.  Here is an update on various things that are happening with all of us....

• Moving Out - It happened in February !  Alex, you moved in to your North Street house after 6 months of wallpaper removal, painting, ceiling replacement, rug replacement, flooring installation, basement water remediation (kind of), various repairs including plumbing and last-but-not-least cleaning.  I will say it felt more like "our" communal house for a while, but you have now taken over.  A bit of unpacking and furniture set-up still to come, but you are mostly set.  You are the lucky recipient of living room couches and tables from your realtor Jill, also Aunt Pam's kitchen table and chairs.  Nice end tables repaired by Furniture Doctor and many kitchen items including an entire dish set came from Aunt Julie and Mark.  Bathroom accessories from Aunt Pam.  A gaming chair and your bedroom furniture from Montgomery Ave.  A microwave from Steve, bedroom rug from me - along with numerous remodeling supplies that we both contributed.  I must be forgetting some things....  You are now considering a lawn mower purchase and ductless air conditioning system, likely to be the last "major" investments for a while.  You had a good time in Cincinatti last week for AZEK work meetings, networking and team building including a Red's baseball game. 
• Moving On Up - Over the past couple months, Rob you applied to and were accepted as a transfer student at ESF in Syracuse (after being accepted as a high school senior, and taking courses at LCCC as advised by ESF).  We'll be going to an Accepted Students day next month.  This is fantastic following a few rough years!  I am so, so happy that you are feeling pretty well.  Kudos to you for sticking with your college plans in spite of health challenges.  It's truly awesome (I rarely use that word).  This spring semester, you are taking two classes at LCC and working at Cracker Barrell most Saturdays/Sundays.  A couple weeks ago, as a member of the LCC History Club you co-presented on the interesting topic of Ancient Greece (including about Aristotle, Diogenese, the Antikythera mechanism, and knowledge of solar system).  Your latest Chemistry lab project was tye dying shirts for Steve and me - can't wait to see them.  Next week, you are invited to a reception with the LCC Board of Trustees.  Congrats!
• Meeces (2.05)- Similar to other spring seasons, the kitties spend a lot of time watching the gap under the dishwasher.  To date this year, Oren has caught (or almost caught) two whole mice with all their parts.  As a bonus, Rob you noticed an odd-looking leathery sort of strip on the dining room floor - upon inspection, we decided it was a mouse tail. 😖
• Muddah -  In January, I became the treasurer for Trinity Church across the street.  It's been nice getting to know a new group of people, and helping the church get re-established after it was closed for a time.  I'm still trying to spend one weekend a month with Grammie & Grandad.  Grandad has limited strength and mobility at this point, it's sad and difficult.  Grammie has household and nursing support, and is dealing with stress as best she can.  Some changes are coming up at work, but I'm expecting things will work out ok even if I'm no longer working at Prudential.  Lastly, Steve and I spent a long weekend in St. Augustine visiting Laura & Ron last month.  It's a treat to spend time in Florida in late winter.
• Fadduh ("male parent" is too non-descript) - After Steve handled wall repairs, both of us re-painted your bedroom Alex.  It's now the yellow-almond color that you originally picked for your living room - but later decided against.  The room looks great on video conferences !  Currently, Steve has a nasty cold that he apparently picked up from you Rob.  Today he tried out a new, cordless lawn mower that replaces the gas mower I seriously damaged last fall by running over one of the wheels.  It's not a terrible loss, since we brought it over from Sharpe Street.  Good thing we are no longer dealing with a plug-in mower, it's a minor miracle that we never ran over the cord when cutting the grass in Wyoming.  After a long engagement, Korin and Alex suddenly got married in a civil service - thrilled for them!  Shortly before that, Steve got me these lovely, pale pink roses for Valentine's Day.  

• Moggies - To complete my "m" theme....  did you know, a "moggie" is a UK term for a mixed-breed cat?  I had no idea.  Anyway, here are some recent pictures of our favorite moggies.

The striking and photogenic Martha posing (again) on the upstairs railing in Wyncote.

Rambo waking up from a snooze on the couch.

Oren keeping company while church bills are paid.

Oren investigating the new desk arrangements in my "office" (adorable!).

Oren helping with Prudential work (note lovely room color).

Thoughts on the Past Year - Alex

Alex, there was so much going on in 2023!  Moving home to Montgomery Ave (not exactly your first choice, but it worked out ok), a trip to Scotland, buying a house and then so much effort fixing it up.  The break-up with Taylor a year ago was rough.  I'm not sure if you saw the email below - I didn't realize until recently that you don't use this gmail address any more.  

What started with an abrupt change in March ultimately led to big decisions and commitments, that's for sure!  I'm proud of what you've accomplished in such a short time.

From: Christine Rivers
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2023 8:02 PM
To: Alex Carroll <Alex.carroll73@yahoo.com>
Subject: This week

 

Hi Alex,

This email may ramble a bit, I wanted to share my thoughts as you are leaving someone who has meant an awful lot to you.  It is so hard, I know.  Although you were not married and thankfully owned little property together, there is a huge emotional void.  Taylor has your special person for a long time, and you will always have fond memories knowing that you grew up together.  She's a good role model in some ways, you complimented each other and I know you enjoyed doing a lot of things together.  It's good to recognize what she has meant, and you are grieving for the loss of it.  But as you've matured, seems that she's not the right partner for you anymore.  It's painful & you don't know what the next chapter in your life will hold.

You deserve to have a "true" partner who you love and who loves you for exactly who you are.  Someone healthy who you genuinely like & respect, will laugh and have fun with but who also shares the work of running a household & being an adult.  I think you will find that person in time.

In the meantime, take one day at a time.  Focus on your routine & doing a good job at work, taking care of yourself since you will be drained and dealing with transition for a while to come, enjoying your friends, being sure to go fishing this spring and remember that things will get better over time.  Plus let your family help you in any ways we can - ask for what you need, we are here for you.  I love you.

Mom