I sure am glad someone told us about the problem before it got TOO BAD.

We have some professionals coming to take care of it this week. They'll put down grub killer and reseed the whole lawn. I just want the snow to start falling so I don't have to look at it.

Sara can't wait to drive to work in her classy new car and I can't wait to never have to drive the GEO again!

Earlier I had asked Dean, a fellow photographer at Channel 10, where the best Italian restaurant in Albany was and without hesitation he responded Cafe Capriccio. Dean was right as it was by far one of the best restaurants we have ever been to. I had shrimp with tuscan kale pesto, roasted tomatoes & crispy prosciutto over fettuccine and Sara had a risotto with sirloin tips and mushrooms. For dessert we had amazing white chocolate raspberry crème brulee and a chocolate molten cake.

It was a wonderful night out together and good fuel for my 12 hour Valentines Day storm coverage shift at work the next morning.

I’m still amazed by how talented a violinist she is and yet it is no surprise to me that she’s already booked to play in best orchestra in our area. I can’t wait for the concerts!

It was great to get a chance to see my relatives that live half way around the world and I had a lot of fun horsing around with Dylan and Robbie. Hopefully I'll get to see them all again before another 20 years passes.

Jack was born 5/23/06 to a nice family that had a few too many cats and other animals to start with. They put him and his three brothers and sister up for adoption through Purrfect Companions, a not-for-profit organization that gets pets ready for adoption while they stay with host families and brings them to different pet stores on the weekends for a few hours a day to adopt them out.

Jack was nervous with us and the new house at first but after only a few short days he is snoozing on the couch like he owns the place.

I’d better start training.

Update: Sara just found me in a picture using Google image search. This was from when I was a secretary in the Physics department at Indiana University.

That's me in the background, can't you tell? I helped organize the 3rd annual CPT meeting for one of the professors. Don't I look like I'm having fun? I love that I'm mentioned as "background", too funny.

I can't wait to have another niece or nephew! I have a feeling I'll be making quite a few 3 hours drives to Boston next year. Laura and Deana are very excited although Laura isn't too happy right now since she's been having "all day" sickness for quite a while now.

In addition to the great baby news we had an awesome Christmas. The late night drive back from Mass was tough, lots of fog, rain and drowsiness, but it was definitely worth it.

Congrats again and I hope you start feeling better soon Laura!

I can't wait until my three days of Christmas begin. On Friday night my Dad, Kristine, Laura and Deana will be exchanging gifts with me and Sara at our apartment and then Saturday morning is my first Christmas as a married man with the in-laws! Saturday afternoon we drive to my Mom and Bob's beach house to sleep over and Christmas afternoon the whole extended Hannah-Banana clan is coming to celebrate.

Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year!

Congrats to the Goodwins on their wedding August 12th in Moscow! They just got back from a two week Honeymoon in Iceland and it sounds like they had an awesome time. Thanks for the picture Jeff. Best wishes to you both!

Our proof albums arrived from our wedding photographer last week and they look great! Now we have over 600 pictures to choose from to make our final album...this might take a while.

A bit late on the post but if you find yourself in Epcot you can look up our legacy photo on the "Leave a Legacy" sculptures as you enter the park. Our title locater address is East 6-C-4-6-1 to find the above photo engraved in a tiny metal plaque next to thousands of others. We had the picture taken last May 2004 when on our Disney trip.

"I’m like 90 percent excited and 10 percent nervous right now, or maybe it's 90 percent nervous and 10 percent excited. I mean I can’t tell and that's what’s so great about it."

It is pretty surreal to think our wedding is only two days away. I feel like there’s something I could be doing, that I should be doing right now to get ready for it. Yesterday we had our final meeting with Sandy, the coordinator at the Desmond, and it looks like we're all set for the reception. She was even impressed with our organization and planning….or I should say Sara's organization and planning.

The weather looks like it’s going to be hot, around 90, but at least now they’re saying it’s going to be dry. Unfortunately there’s not a/c in the church so I may be sweating in my tux whether I’m nervous or not.

I’ll just have to do my best to keep my nerves at bay, remain calm and be sure to enjoy the best day of my life.

I Love You Sara and I can’t wait!

The next weekend was our wedding shower in Albany where Sara ripped open more gifts than I could count. I was on hand to video and photograph the event as well as lend my future bride a hand in securing our new wedding loot (and eat free lunch and cake).

In only a few more months I'll have to post our wedding and honeymoon pictures!! Actually, I better say several months, I don't think I'll be rushing to the computer too soon after the honeymoon.

Visit Nathan's Website
or my Nate's Page

Once we had made it across the ford (without falling thank God!) we, or rather my dad and I, changed into some dry socks and shoes and we continued on our way. It was a great hike up through 2.9 miles of wilderness with some difficult but fun areas near the top. However we didn’t get any good views that morning as the entire summit was clouded in with visibility less than 20 feet. It was kind of cool though being in a cloud as the summit almost had a haunting quality at times. After a short stay at the top with some year old Cliff bars for lunch we headed back down and across the ford (another piggyback) safely once again.

Sunday morning Sara and I decided we hadn’t had enough after our 8 mile round trip hike so we hiked up Mt. Severance, a small mountain (only 1,638 ft, 2 miles round trip) right in Schroon Lake that we have gone up many times before.

Hopefully we’ll get a chance to hike a lot more mountains in the Adirondacks. A few weeks ago we even hiked our first of the 46 peaks over 4,000 ft with a rocky climb up Cascade.

In other family news, Congratulations to Laura and Deana on their one year wedding anniversary and second ceremony in Boston tonight! I hope you guys have a great night and a long and happy life together!

Besides working on the site, I had a good Fourth of July with Sara. We opted for a movie instead of fireworks, which turned out to be a good choice since there was a torrential downpour that evening. We ended up sitting on the deck later that night and watching a pretty impressive show put on by mother nature as lightning ripped through the sky in intervals of only several seconds for quite some time. From what I heard of the Bloomington fireworks, I think we caught the better show.

"Hey Ricky, do you know what time it is? You know, my dogs gotta eat. So I…ah…thought we were going shopping but I guess we’re not. But anyway, if you think about it ah…bring my dog a hamburger…as long as it’s not past six o’clock. OK, bye."

Once again some stranger for some reason thinks my cell phone number is the number of someone they know. In this case, Ricky’s Grandma is convinced that my number is Ricky’s number, despite the two times she has heard my voicemail state that she has reached Will. In a second message left on my voicemail the same elderly woman says:

"Hi Rick, this is Grandma. I was wondering if you were going for the cat, for cat food. I need a loaf of bread. I’d like for you to pick it up if you’re going to do that. Maybe I’ll see you later."

So now not only is Grandma’s dog starving but she and her cat are going without sustenance as well. I can only wonder how many more requests Ricky’s Grandma will make to my voicemail until she discovers that Ricky isn’t getting the messages.

A while back when I was moving to Boston I would often get calls from non-English speaking people wanting to talk to some kind of doctor. One woman even called back less than a minute after I told her loud and clear that she wasn’t calling the right number. I was quickly using up my daytime minutes as I received around 10 calls a day from various people calling for Doctor so and so. One woman even spoke enough English to say that she was calling from a foreign country, Argentina I believe. It got so bad that I finally just had my number changed.

Hopefully this time it’s only Ricky’s Grandma and she’ll catch on to her mistake eventually. I imagine with so many cell phones and old numbers being reused this problem will only happen more and more often. At least sometimes you can have some fun with it. Take for example when my friend Noar used to get countless calls for a rug cleaner named Manuel (or something like that). One evening while Noar was calmly explaining to a woman that this wasn’t Manuel’s number I repeatedly screamed in the background about how he had killed Manuel and stolen his cell phone.

Why do elephants wear red sneakers?
I don't know
So they can hide in cherry trees!
Have you ever seen an elephant in a cherry tree?
No
Works pretty good, doesn't it?!

and now for the great wisdom of the Tribou family....

A wet bird never flies at night.

63 was more than just a card game, it was the reason you came into work when you were thinking about calling in. Similar to bridge in some aspects, 63 is a four player game that pits two teams of two against each other in a battle of bluffing, skill, and luck.

Brought to the lunch table by Adam Broussard, who had learned the game from his extended family, he, Dave Liloia and myself were the core players of the great game. Our fourth player varied between a few other coworkers whose skill and/or intelligence level varied greatly, sometimes comically so. When someone was stuck with a less than ingenious partner, it only made the game that much more fun as cold stares and shouts of "What the hell are you doing!?" frequently occurred. Afternoons after lunch were spent arguing with and teasing teammates and opponents about what could and should have been done in the clarity of hindsight. At times it almost made me forget about the fact that I was later explaining the shipping schedule of radioactive nucleotides to a clearly confused and frustrated non-English speaking customer for the five hundred and thirty-seventh time.

The version of 63 we play is apparently based on a game that it took its name from, 63 or Pedro. However, I believe the way we play it is far superior and just a lot more fun. I have posted the rules to 63 on my site since I can’t find this particular version on the web. So check it out, learn it, play it and love it. Now if I could only find two more people…

Despite my slightly queasy quest to gain (and lose) my sea legs, it was a great weekend. We had lots of deliciously bad-for-you snacks and meals with cold Buzzard’s Bay beer to wash it all down. Lots of family visited and it was good catching up with them since I haven’t seen everyone in quite a while. Around the docks we even got to witness what looked like a great jellyfish migration. There were literally hundreds of these odd looking sea creatures all around the boats and docks at one point. Although my cousin Zak and I repeatedly dared each other to jump in, no one was brave, or rather dumb enough to take the plunge. If I ever made a list of nightmare scenarios, jumping into a swarm of jellyfish would definitely be high up there. (Maybe I should email Fear Factor so they can use that one.)

On Sunday we headed out to the open ocean for a short cruise. We dropped anchor off a nearby island and had lunch while the boat gently rocked from side to side. With no jellyfish in sight, Zak and I finally jumped in the ice cold water only to be quickly relieved by a heated deck shower. Meanwhile the rocking steadily increased until we realized the conditions were quickly becoming less and less desirable for a gentle cruise. We headed back to the marina but not before braving some rather sizeable waves and wind. Dramamine was taken and wrist pressure techniques applied as we bounced and crashed through the increasingly rough sea. Grace had her true christening as chairs fell over, food went flying, people bumped their heads, and salt water covered the decks. It was a far from perfect storm, but rough enough to make it quite the memorable adventure. Captain Bob brought us safely back to the marina and the weekend was nearing an end before I knew it.

I said goodbye to Mom and Bob at the airport and wished them luck on their 4 month boat trip that they’ll be taking in a few weeks. They’re taking The Great Loop from Connecticut to Florida by way of several rivers and lakes including the Erie Canal, Lake Michigan and the Mississippi. They will keep everyone updated through their website which details the trip.

I had a great time and will miss Mom and Bob until I see them again on Thanksgiving. As for Grace, I’ll have to wait till next year for more adventures at sea.

After being Disneyed-out from our four day adventure we headed to Discovery Cove which was definitely the highlight of the trip. The first thing we did was to spend 20 minutes in the water with a couple of dolphins. Our small group was lucky enough to get to pet and kiss a 15 month old Dolphin named Maraya. Then an older dolphin named Roxy let us pet her more and even gave us short rides between two trainers. The experience went by really fast and we were waving goodbye to the dolphins before we knew it (they even waved back). Sara was very happy to have gotten the chance to touch a dolphin (it had been a dream of hers for quite some time) but was sad when it was over so quickly. Still it was worth it and we got some great pictures to remember the experience forever. Besides, we’ll get another chance to swim with dolphins in the near future as that is one of main things we’re looking to do in our honeymoon. The rest of the day at Discovery Cove was also great with snorkeling around a (man-made) coral reef with hundreds of colorful fish as well as feeding exotic birds in the aviary. We even got a chance to pet some stingrays, although it was tough to touch one since they weren't trained like the dolphins. There was also a warm fresh water lagoon just for people when we got tired of the cool salt-water fish pools. Although it flew by, we had a great time and can’t wait for our next big vacation together, as husband and wife!

The idea that God put messages about our past and the future events, since they are only past event that haven't happened yet, is an interesting one to say the least. Some Bible ELS studiers think that ELS can predict Armageddon and other significant future events.

Maybe God did want us to find these messages when we were ready since it takes modern day computers minutes to unlock the "coded messages" that would take thousands of years to do otherwise. Or it could be all chance, especially considering the flexibility of Hebrew spelling. Whatever the case (and I think the latter) it is interesting to think about because, like I've said before, you never really know.

UPDDATE 4/14: Sara pointed out to me last night that her initials SCH run directly underneath Tribou in the grid in the original 14 letter skip! Could this just be a coincidence or did I have divine guidance while making my own ELS code?

Meet the late great Jonathan and his peculiar and talented way of letting you know he wants to come inside. (Move mouse over the above picture). Although I kidded my mom about Johnny being dumb(he was her cat), I was always impressed that he could hang from the metal ledge of the outside door just by his claws. Although he couldn't stay up long, he would scare the living crap out of you when he leapt up while you were in the room. I'm sure Johnny is hanging out up in heaven, scratching up all the angel's furniture while he waits to be with my mom again.

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January 5th, 2004
Gnome Away From Home

"Kidnapped" Elf Tours Country
Austin Couple Wants Yard Ornament Back

SAN DIEGO -- An Austin, Texas, couple is worried about an elf that has
been "kidnapped" from their front yard.

James and Anetta White said the 2-foot-tall elf that they have put out every Christmas for 25 years was taken two weeks ago.

Since then, the "elf-nappers" have been mailing them pictures. "He looks kinda sad in Arkansas," said James White. "He was in a cave in Virginia. He did look kinda happy in the cave." The elf has been to Dallas, Graceland, and the Grand Ole Opry. But the Whites want him home.

The following article was found on The SanDiego News Channel's website. The story also appeared on various local news stations around the country. It seems someone decided to copy the movie "Amelie" and take a fugitive garden gnome for a cross county tour, complete with polaroids mailed back to the Whites. Don't worry, the gnome made it safely back home, with the help of one of his travel companions and a lot of tequila.

Why, you ask, do I post this story on my website? Let's just say it hits pretty close to gnome.

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January 1st, 2004
We're Engaged!

After almost five years of dating, Sara and I are engaged! I proposed to her on New Years Day with a beautiful diamond platinum ring I bought in Canton over Christmas break. I also used the break to get her fathers blessing in person when I was at her house. I was so nervous asking him that he thought I was going to say we were breaking up! Anyways, he was very happy and a few day later, when we were back in Indiana, I gave the ring to her hidden in a box of candy (we both love sweets!). She was very surprised and almost in doubt that I was really proposing. She of course said yes and then proceeded to call all of her friends and family while staring at the ring on her finger from every angle. A month later we flew home for my step-sister’s baby shower and also had a very nice engagement dinner with both families. We can’t wait for the wedding which will most likely be July 15th, 2005. All in all, my Christmas break was awesome, starting with presents, food, and family and ending with proposing to the most important person in the world to me. I Love You Sara!

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December 19, 2003
Oh The Irony
Here is a fairly accurate recreation of a conversation I had with a CVS clerk...

ME: Excuse me, could you tell me where to find earplugs?
CLERK: hmm?
ME: Where can I find earplugs?
CLERK: What's that?
ME: Ear Plugs, where do I find them?
CLERK: Notebooks?
ME: No, earplugs
CLERK: .......
ME: You know, earplugs, that you put in your ear to dampen sounds
(at this point I gesture toward my ear with my finger)
Clerk: Q-tips?
ME: No... Ear Plugs, Earplugs
CLERK: I'm sorry, I have a hearing aid, what is it?
ME: (leaning toward her ear) WHERE CAN I FIND EAR PLUGS?
CLERK: huh?
ME: (leaning even closer) EAR...PLUGS
CLERK: Oh, Aisle 12 in the back
ME: THANK YOU