Spring cleaning...
As we close April and the Mt. Lebanon Top 25 competes with the People Magazine Top 100 for column inches in the Post-Gazette. It's been more than 2 weeks since the last Sully's Stuff post. That's because the 3 Amigos, G and I have been extremely busy, and have lots of good news. On the downside, its kept me from finishing off the Wonder Pets Episode Guide, which is disappointing about 12-15 readers a day.
1.) We're moving. We love Regent Square, and thought that we would never move out of the neighborhood. That was until we bumped into a great home site at Chapel Harbor on the Water which is adjacent to the Fox Chapel Yacht Club in O'Hara. We'll be half a block off the Allegheny River in a beautifully landscaped development with hiking and jogging trails. It offers us the chance to live in a brand new home in a beautiful and unique location.
As we were making the decision, we were able to watch the spring leaves come out on the hillsides along the south side of the the Allegheny River, and see several sunsets over the water. It will be ready in September and we can't wait to get a kayak.
The house is in a Ryan Homes development. As soon as we made our decision, we needed to decide everything that was going into the home -- flooring, appliances, fixtures, cabinetry. You go from thinking about maybe moving to heavy duty planning in a day, and that planning has to be finished in a week. Plus making time for financing...It was a significant part time job in the last couple of weeks.
2.) We're getting ready to sell our house. Gosh, this is a lot of work. Packing, cleaning, planting. We're not listed yet (be sure to watch here for details). If you know anyone who is looking for a lovingly renovated, open floor plan, 4 bedroom, 5 doors up from a Frick Park trailhead with off street parking, have them e-mail me at
1427MaconAvenue@gmail.com.
3.) Easter came and went. Our oldest son, who's 5 years old believes in the Easter Bunny. The catch is that he believes the Easter Bunny is an adult male who puts on a bunny suit and delivers candy and gifts. Creepy!
He did have a great time hunting eggs. Our youngest is a real chocoholic.
4.) Did I mention that I have a job?
The Pierogies Stretch Before Opening Day Race
You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by justinsullivan.Oliver Onion, Sauer Kraut Saul and Cheese Chester stretch in the right field tunnel prior to the opening day pierogie race at PNC Park on Monday.
Opening Day
You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by justinsullivan. In avery busy week that has left little time for blogging or just about anything else, I was able to sneak away with the oldest of the 3 Amigos to attend opening day at PNC Park.
(Parenthetical observation: Is there a more tired use of music in professional sports than Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town." I had to Google the song to know who wrote it. I bet there are people in the ballpark that know it only as "that awful classic rock song that teams only play in the Top of the First of the Home Opener every year." I bet Thin Lizzy refers to it as "the accidental gold mine.")
If you are a Pirate fan, you know that Monday's game capped a disastorous 1-7 start for the Pirates.
My son is preparing himself for a long season. After the game, he said, "It's ok if the Pirates don't win, because I like all of the teams."
Of course, this is the same kid that was jumping up and down and screaming all thought the house yesterday when he learned that the Pirates had won their second game of the year.
**Buy and Sell Pittsburgh Pirates tickets on StubHub**
At this point, he still likes the idea of baseball more than the actual game itself. After all, he still only partly even understands the basic objectives of the game.
The game, however, is a perfect wrapper around the Pierogie Race, which he does understand. He doesn't quite know who Jack Wilson is the same way he knows Ben Roethlisberger, but he can surely pick Sauerkraut Saul out of the crowd. (By the way, sit in section 101 of PNC Park if you want a great view of the Pierogies warming up for their big race.)
Crocs Shoe Odyssey Part III: Simply Adorable
If you've been following
the crocs odyssey since the beginning, you know that we've been having a
difficult time getting light pink crocs for our daughter in size 10/11 children's.
I'm happy to report that the long wait is over. An adorable pair of size 10/11 crocs arrived on our doorstep from Crocs HQ in Colorado this morning. It took our daughter about 30 seconds to get them out of the box and on to her feet.
My overall review of crocs:
1. Product: A+. Crocs shoes are light and comfortable. If you don't know what they are yet or haven't seen them in your neighborhood yet, you will. I wouldn't be surprised if they started popping up on television frequently.
2. People: A+. Every time you call them, you get to talk to at least one human being, and they are always pleasant to deal with.
3. Customer Service: C. Long-term, it's hard to imagine a company like crocs maintaining it's own internet store. Face it they make shoes, order fulfillment and customer service is never going to be their strong shoes, especially at a time like this when they are getting ready to have explosive growth in the coming summer season. (I wish I had a company with this problem). In my particular case, the solution was spot on -- they sent the correct pair before I returned the incorrect one. The execution was a little slow. My advice, buy at retail if you can, but if selection makes that impossible, be patient.
I'll post a photo of the adorable pink crocs soon.
"Save the..." A Preliminary Guide to Wonder Pets Episodes
A Wonder Pets Episode Guide.
The phone, the phone is ringing with questions about The Wonder Pets, whose fans include my children, the 3 amigos (
"What's Gonna Work, Teamwork").
Each episode of the Wonder Pets consists of 2, 12 minute operettas which are set to music that is consistent with the plot or setting of the story, or more accurately the plot is shaped around the music.
Search for the Wonder Pets on Ebay.
An operetta is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics.
The first season of The Wonder Pets will consist of 40 episodes featuring Linny the Guinea Pig, Ming-Ming the Duckling, and Tuck the Turtle.
Episodes of The Wonder Pets Include (this list will be updated):
#1 "Save the Dolphin/Save the Chimp"
Save the Dolphin:
The phone is ringing because: a dolphin is caught in a fishermans' net in Hawaii.
Save the Chimp:
The phone is ringing because: a chimpanzee in outer space is in danger.
#2 "Save the Unicorn/Save the Penguin"
Save the Unicorn:
The phone is ringing because: a baby unicorn whose horn is stuck in a magical tree trunk in this episode composed by Jason Robert Brown.
Save the Penguin:
The phone is ringing because: a baby penguin is stranded on the South Pole.
"Save the Tree/Save the Elephant"
Save the Tree:
The phone is ringing because: a tree in Philadelphia is in trouble.
Save the Elephant:
"Save the Panda/Save the Mouse"
Save The Panda:
Why the phone is ringing: A baby panda in China is stuck in a bamboo tree. The Wonder Pets hop in the fly boat to China to save a baby panda stuck in a bamboo tree. After the bamboo forest is too thick for the fly boat and the bamboo trees too high to climb, the pets build a ladder out of ultra strong bamboo. After returning the panda to their mother, they enjoy a snack of celery with soy sauce.
Save the Mouse:
Why the phone is ringing: A baby mouse is trapped somewhere in The Wonder Pets' school house attic. Tuck and Ming Ming travel to the schoolhouse attic leaving behind Lenny who is not feeling well to save a baby mouse stuck in a saxophone. Lenny helps guide the pets by talking to them through the vents of the schoolhouse.
"Save the Caterpillar/Save the Crane"
"Save the Sea Lions/Save the Kangaroo"
"Save the Pigeon/Save the Dinosaur"
"Save the Duckling/Save the Kitten"
Save the Duckling:
Save the Kitten:
The phone is ringing because: a kitten is floating in the canals of Venice.
"Save the Swan/Save the Puppy"
Save the Swan:
The phone is ringing because a young swan is afraid of dancing in front of the other swans. This episode features music from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.
Save the Puppy:
The phone is ringing because a puppy is trapped inside his house and has to "pee pee."
Believe it or not this has been the second most controversial topic addressed on the show after Ming Ming's speech impediment. (Some parents have a lot of time to make disparaging comments on how well television is raising their children.)
"Save The Sheep"
"Save The Skunk"
"Save The Cow"
Have something to add to the episode guide? Please leave a comment.
Updated 04/15/2006.
Update on my crocs problem...
Since I received a
pair of light pink crocs in the wrong size on Saturday and submitted and e-mail and a phone call, I have received no response from the Crocs customer service department.
Since it's opening week in Major League Baseball, I'll use this cliche: crocs has 2 strikes.
Crocs Part II, Light Pink and Sea Blue
After our little episode with the
red Crocs last weekend, we ordered a pair of light
pink Crocs for our daughter and a pair of
sea blue in a (much) bigger size directly from the Crocs store.
Eagerly we tracked our package as it left
Crocs in Niwot, Colorado to the FedEx Ground depot in Henderson, CO, on to Grove City, OH, to the Sewickley, PA station. We were giddy as we checked this morning and saw that our package was out for delivery. My daughter beamed from ear-to-ear at 12:43 when the FedEx Ground guy (the one in purple, NOT brown or yellow).
At about 12:47 we opened the box. First out a huge pair of sea blue Cayman's. The excitement mounts, the whole family is gathered around the spunky red head as she reaches into the box and pulls out the second bag, which contains a small bag of light pink Kids Cayman's.
At 12:50, they're on her feet! They're adorable. GSully pronounces them so. My daughter gushes, "They're booo-i-ful." But there is something askew. Big toes are too close to the edge -- touching the end of the shoe. A quick inspection reveals that the shoes are a size 8/9, NOT a 10/11. Crocs sent the wrong size!
Our daughter was a very good sport compared to your worst expectations about how a 3-year old would react when you explain to her that you have to take away the new shoes that are already on her feet and she has pronounced "boo-i-ful." Especially when that 3-year old had already been through a store not having her size in stock the previous weekend.
A call to the Crocs hotline puts us on pause -- they're only open Monday through Friday. We were able to send a note through the web sight. Hopefully Crocs Part III has a happy ending as it enters its 3rd weekend.
