GimletBlog

Paris was not originally on my list of must-see places in my lifetime.  I didn’t study French in school; in fact, my education avoided any mention of Things French which might have made the country, language, or culture even remotely interesting.  It wasn’t until Thing One found himself in a beginning French class in junior high school, and the teacher repeatedly informed us, “You know, your son really has a gift for the language,” that we began looking for and focusing on French topics that would interest him.

When he entered high school and we learned about the French Department’s Spring Break excursions to France, held every other year, it felt like a natural next step toward encouraging his talent.  By the time the second opportunity came around, Francophile fever had spread through the family.  Initially it seemed impossible for anybody to accompany Thing One on this trip, but several prohibiting circumstances changed with just enough time for Hå and me to join him.

It’s generally understood and accepted that having children changes a parent’s life, but often we expect those changes to be inconvenient or involving sacrifice on the part of the parent.   We don’t always think of the ways in which a child’s interests and strengths can improve our own lives, taking us in new, better directions we had never considered.

I’ve been visiting a few blogs to develop a sense of place and gather ideas:

• David Lebovitz:  living the sweet life in Paris.  I discovered his lively, informative blog after buying his book, around the time of Thing One’s first trip to France.
• Paris Breakfasts.  Photos, watercolors, and strolls through the Paris streets offer a sweet start to the morning.
• Paris Through My Lens.  Beautiful tranche-de-vie images.
• French Girl in Seattle.  How I wish I had found her petit blog and her travel language class before now!  However, it’s not too late to enroll for my next trip … because I have a feeling there will be a next trip.

With the countdown complete, all that remains to say is … Allons-y!

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This summer Thing Two started to collect Lego minifigures.  For those who haven’t seen these yet, Lego has come up with sets of sixteen unique minifigures, individually wrapped in opaque packages.  Like the packs of Star Wars cards back in the day, these goodies pack both a cool minifigure and the thrill of mystery.  We like ThinkGeek’s name for these mystery treats: Schrödinger’s collectible.

That said, after a run of bad luck with the random choice, resulting in a soccer team, an artist colony and not much else, we wondered if there were some way to stop choosing artists and soccer players.

The very helpful folks at Math N Stuff guided us through the art of detecting each minifigure’s unique pieces inside the bag, which has worked almost perfectly.  (One notable recent incident we were sure we had found a figure we didn’t already have, but when we opened the bag, we found … a soccer player.)

If scrunching the packages isn’t good enough (or if you are looking for any excuse to play with a smartphone), yes, there is an app for that.  Mini Collector uses a combination of bar and dot codes to detect which minifigure is in the package.

We like Mini Collector because not only can we keep an inventory of the minifigures we already own, but then if the app detects a minifigure we don’t have, you can opt to keep its identity a secret, and preserve the excitement of the surprise.

Mini Collector is free to download and the support for the first three series of minifigures is included.  Series 4 (currently in our local stores) and Series 5 (coming soon) can be unlocked for $0.99 and $1.99 respectively.  We love The Oatmeal’s take on buying apps because we too are guilty of spending an unholy sum for our iGadgets, then balking at paying a whopping $1 for an app. (N.B.:  Depending on your family, The Oatmeal’s content is not entirely family-friendly; consider yourself warned.)

After seeing his big brother at work, Thing Two set up his own Trading Post in his room, complete with an open/closed sign which he carefully turns at bedtime and when he returns from preschool.  Unlike other trading posts, the customer may choose a minifigure, but the storekeeper both assembles and keeps it.  Thing One may have to teach him a few lessons in customer service.

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Introducing the newest addition to the family blogosphere:  Hå has started a blog to share family history stories and vintage photos, and any other odds and ends.

The title, Beware of the Rug, originates from misread street signs or overheard phrases gone terribly wrong.  For example, yesterday we were at the drive-through picking up dinner and Thing Two wanted to know what the kids’ meal toy was.  We told him, and after a short silence, he repeated back what he thought he’d heard:

“Smurf fingers?”

(So that’s why the “chicken” pieces are blue.)

Look for these stories to pop up on the blog now and then.

So far the blog posts have begun to tell the story of one branch of the family’s origins and emigration to the United States, as well as sharing traditional Norwegian domestic arts.  Welcome to blogging, Hå!

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Uncle B and Aunt H have entered the blogging world with their new family blog, Curly and Bee.  The blog brings everyone up to date on the past year of newlywed life, with great photos from their honeymoon near Tofino, BC, moving into their new home (which some of you may recognize as the “cute half” of the duplex Team Gimlet used to live in … we lived in the “not cute half”), the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, and Bobblehead Night at Safeco Field.  Welcome to blogging, Curly and Bee!

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Why do tree leaves turn red or yellow in the fall?
Learn the answer on this stroll through the Arboretum courtesy of the Seattle Times.

• Haunted Hikes, by the Washington Trails Association, showcases spooky rambles around the state.
• How well do you know Gothic fiction? Take the Guardian’s quiz.  What, you’ve never read The Castle of Otranto, with its Monty Pythonesque Giant Helmet O’ Doom?  Tsk.  Well, at any rate, all family members should know the answer to #10.
• If you’re all about the sugar, Zillow’s Trick or Treat Housing Index will direct you to the top five Seattle neighborhoods providing the most candy with the least walking and minimum safety risks.

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Trick or Treat:

• Pumpkin Way is an inspiring gallery of cool-and-creepy pumpkins, with tips, wallpapers, a screensaver and more.
• Check out ThinkGeek’s geeky pumpkin template contest.  First place wins a Tauntaun sleeping bag, no joke!

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I blogged about this creche slideshow last year but it’s worth sharing again:  BYU Magazine and photographer Bradley Slade present a four-minute series of lovely nativity scenes from around the world, accompanied by Away in a Manger.  Use as a serenity break throughout the month as needed.  Enjoy!

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Thing Two has become an enthusiastic bird watcher lately, thanks to Bestemor’s collection of toy Audubon birds. We’ve always seen birds passing through our yard, but we thought it would be fun to put out some bird feeders and really observe them: just how many different kinds of birds would we see? The Gimlet was happy to take on this quick project and set up a 4×4 cedar post for two types of bird feeders: suet and a large tube for seeds. Most of the birds in our area will eat one or both types of food.

The feeders have been up for about a month, and the response has been great. Black-capped chickadees discovered the seed feeder within hours of its installation, and have been our boldest, most frequent customers. The rarer chestnut-backed chickadees seem to prefer the suet, and confine their visits to the afternoon. House sparrows are our second most-seen birds, but they are much more skittish, flying away if we approach the window. So far we’ve identified over a dozen different species of birds, much to Thing Two’s delight. When the feeder is busy, he can be found by the window, bird book in hand.

About a week ago a hummingbird buzzed the window, as if to ask when it would be his turn to be fed. The weather was nice enough today for a few outdoor projects, so the Gimlet installed a smaller post outside the kitchen window for a hummingbird feeder and a thistle seed feeder. We’re hoping the thistle seed will tempt goldfinches into making an appearance.

So far we haven’t had any problems with squirrels, crows, or other animals. A squirrel has been eating the seeds which have fallen on the ground, and we’re happy to let him clean up the area; we’ve also seen it once or twice on the post trying (and failing!) to grab seeds directly from the feeder. So far the baffle and squirrel-proof design of the feeders have been successful, but we think the crows and raccoons may have hitchhiked to the big box home improvement stores to buy wire cutters and a blow torch.
Exploring Further:

• Seattle Audubon Society (or search the National Audubon Society to find your local chapter)
  
• BirdNote radio programs on KPLU 88.5 FM
• Chickadee Nest Webcam, courtesy of the Seattle Audubon Nature Center. A volunteer at the Nature Center told us that there are 7 or 8 eggs in the nest!

Suggested Reading:

• Birds of the Puget Sound Region. This pocket-sized guide features a handy list of commonly seen birds at the front of the book, a checklist and space for notes. Highly recommended by Thing Two.
• Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.
• Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife.
• For general North American information, see Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife published by the National Wildlife Federation. The magazine Birds and Blooms is also a useful resource, with a variety of region-specific and general articles.

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