Daley Ponderings

Someone just asked for advice on Facebook, and I figured I should save it here so I don't need to type it again when someone asks later.   We've had just about every kind of insulation in our house. So, more than you asked for, but hopefully useful. Also, if you don't know about it,... (More)

I am posting my backlog of pocket notes. Sometimes details are sparse. 2/1 - Jonathan, "Even Einstein didn't have a triple-digit IQ." Noah, "Isn't that the guy with screws in his ears?" Jonathan, "No, that's Frankenstein." Noah is losing teeth all the time, I have trouble keeping track... (More)

I typed up my memorial service reflection for a presentation we did at our church recently.  I don't think it has been typed up before, so I thought I'd post it now.  (Am I allowed to be amazed at myself?) Heather's memorial reflection, March 16, 2003 Isaac Christopher Daley - a... (More)

4/3 - I said to Jeremiah, "Your shoes are on the wrong feet, sweetie."  He replied, "I not 'sweetie'.  Joy is 'sweetie'." 4/10 - Joy and I spent a grueling but satisfactory three hours earning our yellow and orange belts, respectively. 4/14 - Jeremiah, "It will be so so so fun if... (More)

On Saturday, March 26th, Jonathan, Faith, Joy and I participated in our first karate tournament. The whole family rose bright and early so we could drive the two hours and 15 minutes to Standish, Maine.  This tournament is relatively small, with only about five dojos participating.... (More)

2/2 - Noah and I walked past the food pantry on distribution day, and saw a friend of ours heading there. He asked if she was donating food and I explained that she was receiving food.  He wondered why she needed to get food from the food pantry, and we had a good discussion about the... (More)

1/4 - JPD, breaking off celery stalk, "Wow! Big whacker!  Bad guy come in our house, me whack him!" 1/4 - NPD signing "more" 1/5 - Joy, holding necklace, "I made it symmetrical, with yellow in the middle." 1/7 - NPD said, "amen" after we did at dinner.  This has happened a few... (More)

I am the kind of person who enjoys writing.  I process my thoughts well by writing, and I like recording my thoughts and my family's life. This year, I will be posting more.  At first, most will be catch-up posts.  I have a whole year of pocket notes to enter, not to mention... (More)

Yesterday was an exhausting day, so I made sure to get us ready for bed early.  We were in bed by 9:00.  But Jeremiah kicked his covers off just about every hour and asked me to put them back on again.  By 3:30 or so, his medicine had worn off and he was wheezing and... (More)

2/15 - JPD walked up to me and hugged my knees.  He now does this often. 2/19 - JDD quotes from The Incredibles, with an Indian flair: "This is your automated captain speaking. Would you like more samosas?" 2/24 - JDD "What's the difference between lo mein and chow mein, and why isn't... (More)

The boys (and Heather has enjoyed it too - I haven't gotten to it yet) have really been enjoying Khan Academy this last week.  It is an educational tool, with lots of questions to test you on different skills.  Jonathan is especially motivated by the reward badges it gives you when... (More)

9/13 - A Friday. Jonathan had been asking me if he could read Harry Potter for a while.  I told him I needed to talk to Daddy about whether we thought he was ready, but I kept forgetting.  The strategy that worked was asking me in Daddy's presence so I didn't have time to forget. ... (More)

Heather and I had the opportunity to attend a marriage retreat with 10 or so couples from our church this weekend, up at Rangeley Lake in Maine (thanks Scott, for the house!) We were the youngest couple (by far, the average marriage length represented there was 31 years), and we haven't... (More)

So last week I was worn out with the extra work that unexpected messes bring.  Today I'm tired but happy about it. Yesterday, Jon left very early to go on the church men's retreat.  Our morning at home started out pretty badly (bickering/fighting) and the boys had to go run around... (More)

Thursday morning, we wake up to find mouse droppings and other evidence all over the kitchen.  Result: big kitchen scrubdown. Friday morning, Noah wakes up to find that the silly putty he fell asleep with is now melted into his pants, sheets, and blanket. Result: big fabric scrubdown.... (More)