Backyard remodel progress...

Video tour of our backyard remodeling progress.

-Slate stepping stones and low voltage lighting for the pond.

-De-weeded backyard and roto-tilled dirt.

-Grass seeded with Stefanie watering.

-Lilac and cherry trees in bloom.

-Tala and Rusty hanging out in the yard.

-Tiny bunny eating greens.

Play ball...

Rusty and Tala in the yard...

One of the Best Weekends...

This weekend started like many weekends here in the blomquist fujii household of Ohio. We typically have great aspirations to get all sorts of projects done; fix this, paint that, pickup groceries, etcetera. For the most part, we usually only complete a third of proposed goals. This was one of those weekends destined for tangents. Earlier in the week, Tala was starting to show matting in her fur, and was demonstrating hygenic challenges on her rear side. I called to schedule her for this Saturday to get her groomed at her usual place. Early Saturday I dropped her off, then after a haircut, and grocery shopping we went to pick her back up and she had divided into two!

Tala (Swedish for girl bear; center), and her new counterpart Rusty (Left). Someone had given him up for adoption because they couldn't take care of him. We saw him at the adoptathon at the groomer/pet-store and decided he needed a good home. He is too sweet, and he and Tala love romping around the yard together (see picture above). He is already taking to Crate training for sleeping and as a safety place. He slept soundly through the first night without a peep, and is the most pleasant dog you could imagine. So far, no potty problems in the house.

Sunday, we got up early and I dropped Rusty off at the groomer for him to get cleaned up. The ladies there loved him, and said he is quite an affectionate doggy. We arrived back home, Stef started working on Easter Sunday lunch/dinner (see above) and I worked in the yard mowing the lawn. Rusty and Tala spent their time in the kitchen watching Stefanie cook. Their heads sometimes cock from side to side in unison. The facial expressions are too funny sometimes. After a good gorging, the dogs went outside to play, then layed down for a nap with me.

A very nice weekend.

A nicely groomed Rusty taking a nap.

Frog Flinging...

The weather in Northwest Ohio is warming up, and Stef and myself ran some errands today to get some ideas for Spring projects around the house. We're looking at replacing the sliding patio door, replacing the newel posts on the front porch and installing crown molding throughout the house, amongst other things. When we first moved into the house we had a lot of yard cleanup.

We attempted to do as much yard work as possible, but the pond was the most difficult. From three years of neglect, or possibly more, algae had set in, and no matter what we did we couldn't get it cleared. The pond, yard and waterfall gurue at our local home store suggested we let it be until early spring when the ice thaws, then hit it with the chemicals. This past week the weather warmed up enough and sure enough the water was crystal clear from the winter freeze. When it thawed and cleared I had not realized how many gold fish we had! ~25. At the bottom of the pond I noticed a bunch of leaves from the previous Fall. These needed to be removed.

So, today I took my handy-dandy rake and dredged the bottom of the pond flinging the leafy contents onto the yard. Mid-way into one of my flings, I noticed a sleeping frog being flung into the air. It looked asleep. I ran over to it in the yard, carefully scooped it up and put it back in the water. Stefanie of course witnessed this event and couldn't stop laughing.

We ended the day by shooting some hoops. A nice Saturday I must say. Interesting for sure.

-Tom

Lab life...

I thought I'd put up a little post regarding my day job as a student. For those of you not familiar with the lab I work in, you can click here to find out more:

http://hsc.utoledo.edu/depts/medicine/pulmonary/pulmlab.html

Below is a picture of my lab mates during our annual holiday lunch.

Left to Right.
Lauren - 3rd year MD/PhD student
Me - 5th year MD/PhD student
Dr. James C. Willey - Advisor and Primary Investigator
Erin Crawford MS - Pretty much does everything... can sometimes prognosticate the future...

... When I'm not at home, this is the other family. Outside of that is the night job. Nothing interesting, just urine collection...

-Tom

The Past Twelve Years

Today marks the anniversary of a wonderfully awkward day that changed the path of our lives forever. Twelve years ago today, we were sixteen, getting out of fourth period excited about the prospect of lunch. Today, I don't remember what fourth period was when I was a Sophomore in high school, but I do remember rounding the corner of Clem's classroom, seeing Tom at his locker, and deciding that I would tap him on the shoulder as I passed him to say, "Hi." I did not anticipate his response. "Can I ask you a question?" he said. I responded," Yes." The question that ensued left me at a loss for words," Do you like me or something?" I remember being instantly panicked, wracking my brain for the appropriate answer, psychoanalyzing the situation at hand. Thank goodness he did not wait for my response before he followed up with another question, " Do you want to be my girlfriend?" This question was not as loaded, and could be answered easily, without hesitation, "Yes." The lunch that followed was exciting, but awkward. We typically ate lunch with the same group of people, but on this occasion, we sat together on his flannel since the grass was damp in the shade of the tree.

Twelve years later, being older and hopefully wiser, I sometimes cringe thinking about how painfully awkward the interaction was, but I am amazed at the impact those simple questions and answers have had on our lives. At sixteen, my concern was the upcoming Sadie Hawkins Dance--I had no idea what would would happen a year from then, let alone twelve years from then! At twenty-eight and twelve years into our relationship, we commemorated this day starting with donuts at our breakfast table, putting in our eight hours, cooking an awesome dinner together, and curling up on the couch to watch Survivor and Grey's.

Basketball...

... is not something that I normally play, let alone talk about or even watch for that matter. I'm pretty sure Jr. High was the last time I played. During recess to be specific.


At any rate, Stef and myself have inherited a basketball hoop with our recent home move. I decided that it was time to put it to use. So, I bought a net, and a ball. In my excitement to put the net on, I think I neglected some simple rules of directionality in which the ball enters. See below. No wonder the net was hard to attach...

As I was finishing hanging the net, Stefanie proceeded to comment on the obvious. Citing both her parents that were highschool basketball players as references of expertise. I told her it gave it character, or some statement that alluded to the thought that it was purposefully hung in such a fashion. Truthfully, I would had have to cut it down to actually get it off the hoop. Oh well... it adds "flare." You would think I would have used the 5 other basketball hoops on my street as reference.

*sigh*

-Thomas "Bird" Blomquist