Well, my hard-living lifestyle of mini van driving and diaper changing finally caught up with me.

I’m sick as a dog.

I’ve had a head cold off and on since November, but I’ve been able to take care of it with OTC meds and lots of fluids.

I’ve been to the doctor for it a couple of times, which ends with me getting a shot of cortisone in my rump, some decongestants, and an antibiotic of some kind or another.

Irish Woman and I both woke up this morning feeling like dirt. She went to work, and I got the kids off to school and day care. My MD was able to get me in this morning, and of course, it’s my cold again. And I’ve given it to the Irish Woman.

I got another shot in my butt, some more antibiotics, and an appointment at an EENT. My doc thinks that I’ll probably have to have my tonsils out, and possibly get some work done on my nose. Apparently having a nose that’s been fractured several times can cause problems.

I’m going to go take some green death NyQuil and get some rest. Hopefully I’ll be back at it tomorrow.

Apparently the Brits are looking for another terrorist cell. This one is apparently planning to attack in London.

Here’s what caught my eye:

Evidence gleaned from the arrests was revealed to Cobra, Whitehall’s emergency committee of intelligence chiefs and ministers.

Apparently, our cousins across the pond are consorting with Cobra Commander and his minions. Luckily, we have GI Joe to help us.

Like others, I’m really looking forward to seeing the new Star Trek movie, which comes out on May 8.

This article in Big Hollywood gives me yet another reason to see this film, and take the kids with me so it makes even more money.

The director and cast of the new Star Trek film took their little movie to a war zone and screened it for the troops. That’s right, they didn’t go to a university, or a Star Trek convention, or to Cannes. They went to Kuwait.

People like this deserve every dime I plan on spending to see their film, and I encourage all of y’all to reward them too.

Well, Baby Bear has turned 1, and we had the customary gathering and feast for him on Saturday.

Much fun was had by all. Way too much food, lots of good friends, lots of toys that require batteries and anti-seizure medicine. Little Bear was cut loose by his mom for the party, and it was great to watch him play with his friends and brother and sister.

Since so many people were coming to the party, a very good friend graciously let us hold the party in her house. Irish Woman and I spent the better part of two days shopping and cooking for the event. Overall, we left her home in as good a condition as we found it. It’s almost as much work to prepare for and clean up after a party at someone else’s house as it is to have at your own.

Baby Bear got his own chocolate cake, as is customary. He dove in, literally. No need to encourage this kid. By the time he was done, he was covered from head to rump, and the high chair had to be taken out to the driveway and hosed down. When we took him to take a bath, he left a ring.

We definitely have to do something very nice for our friends.

Baby Bear’s big present from us was a Radial Flyer all-steel wagon. He can be pulled in it for the time being, and when he gets bigger, he can use it as his own cargo trailer.

I need to think up a new nickname for Baby Bear. He’s still a baby, but not for much longer. Once they get teeth and start walking, it’s not long before they get toddler status. I’ll have to do some thinking about that.

Apparently, the Obama Justice Department is trying to figure out what to do with the pirate who was captured this weekend. Apparently this wayward youth was part of the party who decided it would be a good idea to board an American flagged vessel and take the captain of said vessel hostage and thumb their collectives noses at the U.S. Navy.

There are three things being bandied about.

1. Try this guy in either New York or Washington in federal court.
2. Give this putz to the Kenyans, who have agreed to try and punish pirates from that area of the world.
3. Give him to whatever passes for a government in Somalia these days.

#3 is a non-starter. There hasn’t been a real government in Somalia since I was in high school. Giving this twerp to whoever calls themself El Jefe in that 3rd world craphole would only get him appointed to the local board of aldermen.

#2 isn’t much better. I know that Kenya has been friendly to us for a long time, and they have taken pirates off of our and our allies’ hands in the past, but I want this scum tried in a U.S. court.

So, that leaves #1. But I don’t think that our over-burdened civilian courts need to be bothered with this.

Here’s my plan:

1. Fly several 3 or 4 star admirals out to the USS Bainbridge, which is in the area and was in on the rescue of Captain Phillips. At least one of these should be a lawyer.
2. Provide this idiot with a small group of very competent lawyers from the Navy Judge Advocate General.
3. Hold a military courts martial on the deck of the Bainbridge, with the admirals acting as the judge and jury.
4. If he’s found not guilty, then we give him a days worth of bread and water, an inflatable dingy, and let him loose about 40 miles off the coast of Somalia. If he’s found guilty, he’s hung from a yardarm within site of his village. Extra points for tieing his body to mined buoy and leaving it there for the seagulls.

Yeah, it’s harsh, but oh well.

A sign you will not be having a good day:

H/T to the Fail Blog.

The kids and I discovered the new “Penguins of Madagascar” over vacation on Nickelodean.

It’s absolutely hilarious to watch, and all of us, the adult, the 16 year old, and the 10 year old all find it fun.

The animation is at least as good as in the Madagascar films, and the writing is excellent.

Another way to waste your time. Go, Enjoy!

Saw this over at the fail blog, and it made me smile:

Also recently read “World War Z” by Max Brooks. An excellent read. If you’re looking for something that makes for a good night in front of the fire after the kids are in bed, give it a look.

Basically, it’s an oral history of a global zombie outbreak that happens in the very near future. Humanity of course has its head taken off, literally, by the undead hordes, and then has to fight its way back from the brink.

OK, so Saturday evening, Baby Bear and I went to the local SuperMegaMart to look at new car seats and pick up a couple of things.

As we’re checking out, I notice the guy next to us. He’s dressed from head to toe in blue denim. Denim hat, denim shirt, jacket, jeans, and denim sneakers. That’s what I noticed first. Guy was kinda jumpy, but didn’t bother anyone. However, he’s only got one kind of thing in his shopping cart. Pigs feet. Not jars of pickled pigs feet. Fresh pigs feet. About 20 packages of it. In the same kind of packaging that hamburger would come in.

Now, I don’t judge what other people eat. You like pigs feet, eat pigs feet. Not for me, but if you want it, go ahead. But what are you going to do with 20 packages? Is there some Kentucky dish that calls for flavoring from pigs feet, and this guy was going to host a cookoff?

Also, when did SuperMegaMart begin selling fresh pigs feet? I mean this is the South, so I allow for some items that you just don’t normally get in the northern regions of the country, like pickled ring bologna or instant grits. But fresh pigs feet?

This weekend it was just Baby Bear, Irish Woman, and me.

Saturday we took Baby to the park and he got to swing and go down the slide for the first time. We also went down to the “lake” and fed the ducks and geese. Baby was absolutely fascinated by these creatures. I had to move a bit to keep the ducks from getting too close to Baby. He tried to grab a couple by the neck, and that would have turned into a bad scene pretty quickly. Needless to say, the event was recorded in depth by the Irish Woman on her camera.

Irish Woman left us at the park to go shoot a wedding, so Baby Bear and I took a walk around the lake. He has really started going for walks in his stroller.

We spent the rest of the afternoon just playing. I’ve finally found someone who plays at my level. Baby’s walking has really improved over the past week or so. He’s definitely not as wobbly has he was before, and he’s getting the hang of turning.

Sunday we just kinda relaxed. We got his new car seat and he was really jazzed about it. He immediately noticed that he was in a different seat, and noted the cup/snack holder almost immediately.

Junior Bear returned from out west last night, and made the trip in one piece.

Overall, a nice relaxing weekend, and now back to the grind.