Reality Show Idea; Ultimate Photographic Challenge

October is here, and with it comes the futile dreams that Kate and I have of getting a great photo of our children for a Christmas card. We took a nice hike this morning up near the Flatirons and the fall colors were just starting to brighten the landscape around town. We thought that if we bring the camera along, this might be a good chance to capture that classic photo that has eluded us since we have had more that one child. We got some great settings and backdrops, but our children came through every time with the utterly ghastly expressions that we've come to expect from them when a camera is pointed their way. I thought that it would be a good idea to pitch this as a reality TV show concept. Take the best photographers from around the world, put them together with our kids for one week, and give them the challenge of taking a single decent photo of all three of them at the same time. I can just imagine the drama and frustration, because I've lived it! Don't hold your breath for a really cute Christmas card from us, but we'll keep trying!

WEEKEND AT HOME

photos. Brainard lake and the Indian Peaks, picnic site, and the stream.

I'll have my 82 year perspective on the hair business later but the focus of this message is the weekend. Saturday there was a lecture on immigration that was very interesting. The speaker is a 40 year old resident, free lance writer, and teacher at Naropa University. He has been investigating the topic for four years and had many anecdotes to illustrate his main point - the immigration issue has been seized by the military/industrial/congressional complex and used a a scare tactic against the general public. For instance, Boeing got the contract to build the 'fence' with no experience. They bought radar in Israel - the fence experts - but found it ran on Hebrew not English so bagged them all - result cost has doubled and time for completion is 2018 not 2012 - feel safe? Then he reported on the immigration stock portfolio - those companies involved in fence building, radar, prison managememnt, etc. It has run way ahead of the market. Local prisons can collect between $82 and $120 a head for detained immigrants and work hard to keep them - no outside phone calls, no cell phones, no web, so no way to contact friends to pay for the passage home. etc. etc.

After that typical Boulder event, we headed to the mountains for a short walk and picnic. It was a great time and very upbeat. It combined many of the reasons we made the move. Family, location, and the outdoors full of sun. (We just had a 30 minute sprinkle - the first sign of water falling since we got back!) I still haven't figured out all this photo business but I did put the summer photos on the computer last night and I hope to add couple of shots of the outing to complement Rico's. I did but they ended up at the beginning - how do you place them in the text?

Sunday we vegged - I used our apples to make a pot of applesauce and some apple butter - yum! and finally unpacked the last items. Why do we cart so much stuff back and forth? It is good to be home. The pace of life is picking up which is fine with me after my 2 1/2 hour COMPLETE physical this morning. I got an excellent report except for a slightly elevated choresterol level - too much good living. I guess we'll cut back a bit on some items but I don't see the level as a real worry.

I want to contribute my bit to this hair thing, having had a cut after two months. Dad says he likes it better short as it is not so "saggy"---more "perky". That's OK, but I like more VOLUME, and then the interesting question of geography comes in. Volume is possible in the humidity of the east coast, and Australia, but not out here in this skinny, dry air---so the topic becomes ever more complex! Unfortunately you will not see my recent cut, as I have not yet learned how to post a photo on the blog. But rest assured, I have not yet resorted to head-shave!
I'm taking my semi-fat-head to Maryland for four days next week, as one of my Wellesley classmates is opening her house for a Beebe reunion, and I think at least six of us will be there, including three of the four of us that went to Europe together after graduation. Will I get a swelled head??? Stay posted!

Hair Today, Go(o)ne Tomorrow

Welcome Back Babbo & Yia-Yia

We had a great picnic trip up to the high country today with everyone. A little hike and a nice lunch break by a stream in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Just in time to get a little of the fall colors. Reid and I rode the Sourdough Trail back down- I'm so impressed by his bike skills and his passion for the sport- it's nice to have a riding partner in the family!

Boden finally got the cute haircut and he's out of Rod Stewart mode. The head shaving was what started this whole issue in the first place! As I've said to many friends- "I'd rather be gray than bald!"

or,...you could just shave your head and be done with the entire hair question.

Speaking of hair...

I sympathise with Rico and Kate's struggles with Boden's haircutting issues, but you might just think yourselves lucky when you see what we're dealing with down here! We have a daughter who, far from being shy of the scissors, has gone through 3 hair colours and 1 cut in the past 2 weeks, as witnessed below (unfortunately I do not have photographic proof of the platinum blonde phase, which occured between the blue and the reddish blonde of the moment):

Rachael applies for university - possibly a good thing no interview was required!!! The current cut and colour (as we go to press - wonder how long this will last?!)

On the other end of the scale, we have Ken with his conservative haircut and a very handsome tee shirt!!