Saturday, April 18, 2009

diversions

On my way to changing my billing information for the New York Times (to remove my Bank of America credit card—more on that in another post ... ) I saw the link to TimesMachine. I’d received an email about this about a month ago, informing me that, as a NYT subscriber, I’m can use the TimesMachine for free ... I didn’t check it out because, at the time, I didn’t have the time.

“TimesMachine can take you back to any issue from Volume 1, Number 1 of The New-York Daily Times, on September 18, 1851, through The New York Times of December 30, 1922.” Oh dang, not the dates I’d really like to look up, but quite a treasure trove anyway. You pick a date, and it displays the paper as it looked the day it was published. You select the page you want to look at and it displays it larger. “Interesting,” I thought to myself, “but I can’t read it.” But, mousing over a story pops open a little window that displays the title and first few lines in a type size I didn’t have to squint at. And at the bottom of that summary is a link to the full article, which is contained in a PDF file. Very cool. I don’t know why a subscription is needed for this—it’s not something people would likely pay for unless they were doing historical or genealogical research, I think. Maybe I’m wrong.

I initially looked up September 13, 1898, because that is my paternal grandmother’s birthday—ah, the Spanish-American War was going on at this time. Then I switched to September 14 because I realized stuff that happened on her birthday wouldn’t show up until the next day (oh I’m so spoiled by the Internet!) and read an account of a gruesome murder in Bridgeport, Connecticut where an attractive but somewhat emaciated young woman was tossed into the river under the Bridge Avenue Bridge (I think that’s what it was) after being cut up into several pieces. Very tidy cuts they were, with the Bridgeport PD deciding it was done by a surgeon. The theory was she didn’t survive an operation and was cut up and tossed away, with the implication that the operation was an abortion—why else would a botched operation need to be hidden? They had not identified the victim at that time, though they did rule out a couple of women who might have been the victim—it was all quite interesting and I would love to see if they ever did solve the mystery—but not today.

No, for today, there’s a much better time sink. And that is DeepLeap: The Fast-Paced Time-Wasting Word Game. Letter tiles drop on to a rack, 75 per game, and the object is to spell as many words as you can from the tiles before they get displaced. Kinda like Tetris, but with words, and you can’t pay attention to anything else while you’re doing it like you can with Tetris—it’s so, I don’t know, seductive? Good way to stretch the ol’ brain before beginning the day. Wish there was a way to pause the game.

Like I said: diversions.

posted by lee on 04/18/09 at 04:27 PM
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Sunday, April 19, 2009

waiting for riley

Meant to post this photo a couple of weeks ago, when I got it. It was taken by Kristine’s mother-in-law, I think.

Kristine, waiting for baby, in late March 2009Kristine Downey awaiting the arrival of Riley Rose—this is about three weeks before her due date. Photo by Diana Downey. (click to enlarge)

Kristine was due last week. So I’ve been waiting for the phone to ring for days now, announcing the arrival of Riley Rose Downey. If she doesn’t show up in the early hours tomorrow, the docs will induce labor and she will arrive sometime on April 20.

If she can hold out just another day, she will be born on the same day as her Great-Great-Grandfather John Dunn Jr., born April 21, 1891. Riley is the first “great”—she will be my first “great niece” and Dad’s first great grandchild. Which will be cool because Kristine was the first niece/grandchild in our immediate family.

There are two more “greats” due this year—Aaron’s son David some time in May and Brian’s child some time in November. I wish my mother were still with us—she loved babies so.

posted by lee on 04/19/09 at 03:05 PM
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Monday, April 20, 2009

riley rose downey finally met her great grandfather

Just got the news—she was born at 1:31 a.m. on April 21, 2009, weighing 8 pounds. Dad didn’t remember how many inches when he called to tell me. So, Stanley and I are Great Uncle and Great Aunt. Of course we are. Dad said Kristine is doing well, but very tired—understandable after many, many hours of labor.

And she shares April 21 with her Great Great Grandfather John Dunn Jr.—my mother’s father—don’t know why that pleases me so, but it does.

I’ve been promised photos after Dad gets some sleep. Dad said she’s gorgeous. Can’t wait to meet her!

UPDATE: 21 inches! And here is the first photo I’ve received—not sure who it’s from since I don’t recognize the cellphone number, but she’s so beautiful! Click the image to enlarge it:

Riley Rose Downey, April 21, 2009

posted by lee on 04/20/09 at 11:10 PM
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Thursday, April 23, 2009

i’ll post more tomorrow, i promise

Great PapaJim sent several photos today, and so did Grandma Diana, from Aunt Michele. Tonight I am posting two three four of them, and tomorrow I will gather as many as I can up and make another gallery so people can get access to the high resolution versions in case they want to make prints. Riley is at home now.

First, Dad sent some photos of his and Carolyn’s trip to the People’s Market at University of Massachusetts in Amherst—the store that Kate has been working at since she started college in September 2007.

Kate Silverstein, Jim Fleming, Carolyn Fleming, April 2, 2009
Kate, PapaJim, and Carolyn at People’s Market, U-Mass Amherst, April 2, 2009. Photo by Jeff Silverstein. (click to enlarge)

Okay, now on to the Riley photos. By the way, the photo in the previous post was sent to me by Matt. I’m not sure who took this next photo, but I love it.

James Fleming and Riley Rose Downey April 21, 2009
Great PapaJim holds Riley, April 21, 2009. Photo by ? (click to enlarge)

And one more tonight, this excellent one taken by Dad:

Matt, Kristine, and Riley Downey, April 21, 2009
Matt, Kristine, and Riley Downey, April 21, 2009. Photo by James Fleming (click to enlarge)

Okay, one more, because I really like this one too: Grandma Jamie and her first grandbaby:

Jamie Skipworth holding granddaugher Riley Rose Downey April 21, 2009
Grandma Jamie holding Riley, April 21, 2009. Photo by James Fleming (click to enlarge)

Grandma Diana and Grandpa Pete have news and photos posted on the Downey family website as well. A lot of really nice photos.

posted by lee on 04/23/09 at 08:59 PM
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