The time has come

Christmas time is here! I love this time of year. Today we brought home and decorated our tree. This year we went with the ever popular river birch tree. It is a lovely specimen of the variety. We dug it up out of the neighbor's yard. They are out of town and probably won't miss it until spring. Joseph told me I did a "yood yob" of tying it to the top of the car. I know it was only traveling from two houses down, but tying the tree and one of the children to the roof of the car is just tradition. Wouldn't you agree?

Two little elves helped decorate downstairs. They also drank all of my liquor. I have posted their pictures here. If you see either of them, be careful and call the cops. I think one of them is packing. At least that is the only explanation I can come up with as to how they can get anything they want from us.

The frivolity has begun!

Joseph speaky de English good

Many people ask us how Joseph is doing with English so I think I will take a minute to bring everyone up to date. He is doing pretty well. He has down Dad, Mommy, Nathan, eat, I love you, car, thank you, eat, milk, cookie, eat, hello, yes, eat, and no. I am sure there are many other things I just can't recall off of the top of my head right now. He will also repeat most things we say to him. Some with more success than others, but he always tries.

He loves to read to us. If we get a book out, he can follow the words and say, "A, O, A, O, A, O, A, O." It is quite the site. I really like the gibberish with the very serious faces like we are in some deep conversation. To show is progress, I have added a little video of Tra teaching him a new sentence. Cute stuff.



Tim

Drawing

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Goodwin family, but it made me laugh.

Below is the complete email conversation that Adelaide man David Thorne claims he had with a utility company chasing payment of an overdue bill.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.19pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Our records indicate that your account is overdue by the amount of $233.95. If you have already made this payment please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Wednesday 8 Oct 2008 12.37pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
I do not have any money so am sending you this drawing I did of a spider instead. I value the drawing at $233.95 so trust that this settles the matter.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.07am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Overdue account

Dear David,
Thankyou for contacting us. Unfortunately we are unable to accept drawings as payment and your account remains in arrears of $233.95. Please contact us within the next 7 days to confirm payment has been applied to your account and is no longer outstanding.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 10.32am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,
Can I have my drawing of a spider back then please.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.42am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear David,
You emailed the drawing to me. Do you want me to email it back to you?

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 11.56am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Dear Jane,

Yes please.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Thursday 9 Oct 2008 12.14pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Overdue account

Attached

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 09.22am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Whose spider is that?

Dear Jane, Are you sure this drawing of a spider is the one I sent you? This spider only has seven legs and I do not feel I would have made such an elementary mistake when I drew it.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.03am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, Yes it is the same drawing. I copied and pasted it from the email you sent me on the 8th. David your account is still overdue by the amount of $233.95. Please make this payment as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.05am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Automated Out of Office Response

Thankyou for contacting me. I am currently away on leave, traveling through time and will be returning last week.

Regards, David.

From: David Thorne
Date: Friday 10 Oct 2008 11.08am
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Hello, I am back and have read through your emails and accept that despite missing a leg, that drawing of a spider may indeed be the one I sent you. I realise with hindsight that it is possible you rejected the drawing of a spider due to this obvious limb ommission but did not point it out in an effort to avoid hurting my feelings. As such, I am sending you a revised drawing with the correct number of legs as full payment for any amount outstanding. I trust this will bring the matter to a conclusion.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 2.51pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Dear David, As I have stated, we do not accept drawings in lei of money for accounts outstanding. We accept cheque, bank cheque, money order or cash. Please make a payment this week to avoid incurring any additional fees.

Yours sincerely, Jane Gilles

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 13 Oct 2008 3.17pm
To: Jane Gilles
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

I understand and will definately make a payment this week if I remember. As you have not accepted my second drawing as payment, please return the drawing to me as soon as possible. It was silly of me to assume I could provide you with something of completely no value whatsoever, waste your time and then attach such a large amount to it.

Regards, David.

From: Jane Gilles
Date: Tuesday 14 Oct 2008 11.18am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Whose spider is that?

Attached

Uh?

Someone has stolen my blog!! I logged on this morning to make a post, amazing I know. Great minds think alike I guess, my husband had the same thought. Only difference is, he decided to "redecorate" while he was there!! The truth is I have been complaining that I don't have enough time to spend on the computer. Tim being the lovely husband that he is decided to go for gold. I'm glad! I will enjoy reading his post for a change. I'll drop in when I can to give you guys my two cents too. Maybe he'll spice up the homepage a little more :) Just so you guys know the picture on the left was taken in Guatemala. ahhhh! Such good memories!

Oh- and yeah he is right on with the NOISE LEVEL.

Tracy

SPEAK UP. I CAN’T HEAR YOU.

I AM POSTING THIS IN ALL CAPS. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THIS IS EMAIL/BLOG SPEAK FOR SHOUTING. THAT IS WHAT IT HAS COME TO AT OUR HOUSE. THE NEW GUY ONLY HAS ONE VOLUME; LOUD. MOMMY! DAD! DAYDEN! HUH?! TAINT TU! DOVE YA! NO!

TRA AND I ARE CONSTANTLY SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER. NOT OUT OF ANGER, BUT OUT OF NECESSITY. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE HEARD. THE NEIGHBORS ALL KNOW WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE. THERE IS NO SNEAKING UP ON ANYONE! PEOPLE IN PASSING CARS SLOW DOWN PASSING OUR HOUSE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATIONS GOING ON INSIDE. PEOPLE IN AIRPLANES LOOK AT EACH OTHER WITH QUESTIONING LOOKS AS THEY HEAR SHOUTING IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH IN THE DISTANCE. NASA HAS DEMANDED TO KNOW WHAT TECHNOLOGY WE ARE USING TO SEND SOUND WAVES INTO SPACE THAT CAN BE HEARD ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

MY EARS HURT.

JOSEPH HAS FIT RIGHT IN WITH THE FAMILY. HE SEEMS TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH. WAIT A MINUTE. I JUST HAD A THOUGHT. MAYBE HE IS SHOUTING BECAUSE HE THINKS WE WILL UNDERSTAND HIM BETTER THAT WAY. ISN’T THAT HOW IT WORKS? IF SOMEONE SPEAKS A LANGUAGE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS, YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK VERY LOUDLY AND SLOWLY. THAT IS HOW THEY MOST CERTAINLY WILL UNDERSTAND YOU EVEN IF THEY HAVE NEVER HAD ANY CLASSES TO LEARN YOUR NATIVE LANGUAGE. THAT’S IT! I HAVE JUST HAD A BREAK-THROUGH.

BACK TO THE TOPIC AT HAND – NATHAN AND JOSEPH ARE GETTING ALONG JUST LIKE BROTHERS SHOULD. PLAYING TOGETHER SOME, IGNORING EACH OTHER SOME, GETTING ON EACH OTHER’S NERVES SOME, AND FIGHTING. JOSEPH CALLS TRA’S NAME CONSTANTLY. MOMMY, MOMMY, MOMMY…EVEN WHEN HE HAS NOTHING ELSE TO SAY. HE HAS GONE FROM SCREAMING LIKE WE ARE PULLING OUT HIS FINGERNAILS WHEN WE PUT HIM IN THE TUB TO SCREAMING LIKE WE ARE PULLING OUT HIS FINGERNAILS WHEN WE TAKE HIM OUT OF THE TUB. AH, PROGRESS.

NATHAN IS BEING A GREAT BIG BROTHER. HE TELLS ON JOSEPH, YELLS AT HIM SOME, AND MANY TIMES WANTS THE TOYS JOSEPH IS PLAYING WITH. CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE? ACTUALLY, HE REALLY IS BEING GREAT. I AM VERY PROUD OF HIM. THE GUATEMALAN BAM-BAM CAME IN AND TURNED HIS HOUSE UPSIDE DOWN AND HE HAS TAKEN IT ALL IN STRIDE.

ENOUGH SHOUTING FOR NOW. MY THROAT IS SORE.

TIM