Category: <span>Family Stories</span>

Family Stories

Chinese Zodiac Rat
Chinese Zodiac Rat

For the first post of 2008, I want to send everyone a Happy New Year in the traditional Chinese blessing of good health, happiness, and prosperity. For those of you inclined to make new years resolutions (all of which you’ll break by the second day of the year), it’s not too late to add those final few items to your list.

Family Stories

Question; What single thing can shut down entire cities, sends governments into closed door huddles, activates emergency response agencies, and sends people out into the streets in blind screaming panic?

Well, okey, but Godzilla pretty much hangs out around Tokyo. No, I’m talking about the first snow of winter.

Family Stories

This And That
This And That

Although I haven’t posted much these past weeks does not mean I had nothing to write about. November has actually been a very busy month here in the Charest household.

So while the rest of the world is out celebrating Black Friday at the malls, I’m going to do some catch-up writing.

Family Stories

Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Marketers have not yet been able to make this holiday anything more than a day when we sit down with family and friends to share a meal together and spent just a moment giving thanks for the past year. This will be our second Thanksgiving celebration in Virginia, and the first spent in this home. It’s been a turbulent year again, better than some previous years but worse than others.

Winnie and I do have a lot to be thankful for this year, and I’d like to share them with our many readers.

Family Stories

So yesterday was another Halloween, the eve of All Saints Day. For the most part, it was a quiet Halloween with only a few families worth of children coming around Trick-or-Treating.  But, just before 10 o’clock we had our own trick-or-treat surprise.

Just before 10:00 PM, a police officer came to our door letting us know our much beloved moped, stolen in early September, had been recovered.

Family Stories

Wedding Rings Anniversary
Wedding Rings Anniversary

Today, Winnie and I celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary. If there was ever an eventful marriage, I think it’s been ours. So having survived four years together, we have a lot to celebrate.

Family Stories

American Gothic Home Improvement
American Gothic Home Improvement

Once again, Winnie and I have taken on a small home improvement project. Not content to merely paint out the entire house, plaster and paint the garage, add a microwave range hood and update the kitchen cabinetry, finish off the basement laundry room, and make a small garden, Winnie decided to finish out the basement bath.

To think we only purchased this house eight months ago.

Family Stories

Two Cars
Two Cars

Winnie and I officially joined the ranks of two-car-owner families again this past Saturday. After a lot of discussion and some new-car shopping, we opted to go with an inexpensive used car. It really came down to just needing something inexpensive for my commuting to the local bus stops, occasionally driving into work, and getting around on weekends when Winnie was at work.

Family Stories

Last month Winnie and I undertook an experiment in low-tech commuting by purchasing a moped. Our thought was to use the moped for around-town transportation. It seemed ideally suited for getting me the 2.4 miles to my commuter bus stop each day. It was fuel efficient, low maintenance, and even a lot of fun driving. So, in the nearly one month we experimented with it, it did fine.

However, we ran into a snag. Friday, during the day while it was parked at the commuter lot, someone stole it. So much for our experiment.

Family Stories