"I Love Rock and Roll"

It's that catchy song by Joan Jett. It came on the radio while we were in the car this evening.

Ryan said something like, "Oh, I like this one," and then started singing.

"I love rock and roll."

"I want to play in a rock band with a UFO."

Of course, this is not the correct line.

More Neil Young

Stats Redux - May 14, 2010

Here's an update on stats first posted in November 2005, and updated on January 2006, June 2006, October 2006, March 2007, November 2007, August 2008, and January 2009. It's been quite some time since our last update on these stats

Price of Gas: $3.19 per gallon (crude oil prices are down to a three-month low of about $71 per barrel, but the price at the pump remains over $3. gallon; is it the gargantuan oil spill in the Gulf that's responsible?)

Price of Milk: Down to $2.99 for a gallon at Trader Joe's (not that different from the price in January 2009)

Bridge Toll: $4 since January 1, 2007 on all Bay Area bridges except Golden Gate Bridge (which is $6 cash and $5 FasTrak as of 9/1/08), but tolls are set to rise on July 1, 2010 to $5 on all State bridges (with Bay Bridge prices going to $6 during morning and evening commute peaks, $4 other weekday times, $5 on weekends and $2.50 toll for carpoolers)

Today's High Temperature: 74 degrees F (overnight low of 51) and sunny/clear skies

Dow Jones Average: 10,620.16 close today (up almost 1600 points since January 2009)

Shopping Days to Christmas: 223 days (http://eclecticesoterica.com/xmas_cnt.html)

Dinner Tonight: Dorothy and Naomi are gone for the weekend, but here was a discussion from earlier today that led to today's dinner:

Ryan: Can I have Wendy's for dinner tonight?
Mom: You're going to have to take this up with dad tonight; I'm gone.
Ryan: But I know that he'll say, "No."
Mom: You'll have to check with him.
Ryan: McDonalds is okay too.

The Wendy's is still closed for remodeling so we went to McDonalds in downtown Walnut Creek.

Average Commute Time: just over an hour in mornings including pick up/drop off times (down to a 2-person carpool TU through FR; 3rd member of our carpool was a casualty last summer of slow economy; no carpool on MO because my carpool partner telecommutes)

Cost of Area Homes: median price of area homes is just over $400k

Movie Ticket: tough times means new, lower prices for movies of $8.25 for adults; last movie that we saw as a family was "How to Train Your Dragon" in 3-D (add $3 to prices)

Time with My Kids: played Connect 4 with Ethan while Ryan was at his friend Gabe's bowling birthday party; I was able to win only half the time (apparently, he and 3 friends have a Connect 4 game club at school for rainy days when they have to stay indoors)

Ryan just had a Star Wars themed 6th birthday party complete with a Death Star pinata!

They Give You This, But You Pay for That

Pinewood Derby Car Races - 2010

This is a video from our Cub Scout Pack's recent pinewood derby car races. We all had a great time as you can see from the video.