Some family-related things:

1) My grandfather invented a type of trailer hitch back in 1946 and called it the “Draw-Tite”. He founded a company that, while no longer in the family, is still around today and apparently doing quite well. The next time you’re driving around and happen to see a Draw-Tite trailer hitch on the car in front of you, you can think to yourself, “Hey! That was invented by the beloved grandpa of that random girl whose blog I sometimes read!”.

2) My aunt Linda (I was named after her, but she got the cooler-sounding middle name, while my own name is LINDA LEE, thankyouverymuch) has started her own blog. You should read it, because she is funny and smart and awesome (and if there are glitches in the website, it is totally my fault). I’m hoping the pressure is on my mom to start one too, because she is also funny and smart and awesome, and the family that blogs together…uh, probably tends to say embarrassing things about each other on the internet. So stay tuned!

My aunt and mom live together in Port Angeles, along with my mom’s Significant Other, John. They recently added a parrot to their household, which is…well, it’s weird, because birds are weird and twitchy and they freak my shit with their explosive wing-kerfuffling, but he’s very pretty. See?

birdtree.jpg

Except for his freaky little feet. Gah, the feet.

Riley was fairly excited about the bird’s presence last weekend, which was highly entertaining.

birdpatrol.jpg

I love this picture, because he’s all, “Dude, I thought I was supposed to be on bear patrol! WTF IS THAT?”

Anyway, onto other stuff. Like this:

Picture 6.png

It’s kind of a long story, but this picture got sent to a staff email distribution at Workplace today. Yes. I am a highly professional, well-respected employee. With Diet Coke protruding from my nose.

This is what happens when your co-workers have access to your Flickr account, friends. Let me act as a warning to you all.

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honeybecke
honeybecke
17 years ago

Your aunt Linda was the one who said that on a cruise all there is to do is “eat and shit, eat and shit”.
I am so totally checking her blog out, thanks!

MmMm diet coke, how I miss thee!!

angela
17 years ago

1.) My middle name is Lee as well and I hate it so much that I claim that I don’t have one.
2.) Love the bird.
3.) My flickr account made it’s way around my sister’s office, somehow. I don’t want to know what they did to my mug.

Gena
17 years ago

Wow, my middle name is Lee, as well. My youngest daughter’s middle name is Lee. My mother is Rosa Lee. How southern is that? Are you from the south originally? I thought we were the only ones with that oh-so-common middle name. Maybe not.

I also have a Draw-Tite hitch on my van. My husband has the same hitch on his truck. Is this some kind of weird karma?

Also, the Diet Coke thing. I am addicted to Diet Coke with Lime. I have to have at least one a day, on a stressful day, two. When I am with the in-laws – three to ten. I love that stuff.

Happy New Year to you. I wanted to answer your meme questions, but there were some things I just couldn’t even think about or remember. I think I’m getting very old. Or maybe, I just don’t have much of a life beyond my children. I’ll work on that in 2007.

Ian C
Ian C
17 years ago

You’re going to be in trouble if your bosses see you snorting Coke.

angela
17 years ago

In addition to myself, my sister and father also have the middle name Lee. We are not creative.

angela
17 years ago

Also, Ian C: HEEEEE!

Pete
Pete
17 years ago

Draw-Tite and Reese are pretty much the main hitch manufactures that I know of. I use a Draw-Tite Fifth Wheel and trailer hitch on my truck. Too bad it’s still not in the family.

warcrygirl
17 years ago

My family is more fond of Lynn as a middle name while my middle name is Elaine. So, does this mean you’re now a Diet Coke head? ;)

Mona
17 years ago

My middle name is my mother’s maiden name. My mother said it was because of tradition, but I think it was just part of a grand scheme to further ostracize me from my peers.

I wish my mother would start a blog, but somehow I feel that it would become part online dedication to the Virgin Mary and part discussion on why her daughter does not attend mass.

Jennifer
Jennifer
17 years ago

I love the name “Lee.” I have the middle name “Kay” which I think is boring as hell. I don’t have kids but if I had, my plan was for the first name to be either Lee or Leah, and the middle name = my mother’s maiden name (“Tanner” which I also think is a cool name). Alas, I have no kids to pass along my great name ideas.

I love the photo of Riley and the bird. Striking bird! Parrots have the most vibrant colors.

lena
17 years ago

Shut Up. I LOVE that! I am so putting Starbucks iced mochas up my nose. STAT.

HollowSquirrel
17 years ago

Bear/Bird Patrol picture = fantastic (again…are there any bad pics of this kid? NO!). I love all pictures with JB, too, because you can just see the love he has for Riley and you. It’s quite beautiful.

Ok, enough of that happy stuff…back to being bitter!
HS

Emily
17 years ago

Hi, my middle name is NOT Lee, but growing up, one of my best friends had it as her middle name, and she always got super pissed if I ever mentioned that to people. (Just thought I’d try to be a good little joiner, with that tidbit.)

And, speaking of parrots — my mother-in-law got me a fake one for Christmas which is light- and motion-activated, and therefore more than a little creepy. I am way excited for my nightmares to now include squawking.

RubyLemon
RubyLemon
17 years ago

Yay! Go Lees. I am (to my embarrassment) Laura Lee. After Grandfather, Clement Lee, and they go back for generations. You know of the Hatfields and McCoys? I am one of THOSE McCoys, or so we were told. So, Southern and Appalachian and all the inbred fun that goes with those attributes.

LLL
LLL
17 years ago

I can’t wait to read your Aunt’s blog. BTW, who did your and her blog banner? I like the bird, their beaks and feet are cool!

the Count
the Count
17 years ago

My view on birds is the same as my view on kids. They’re too loud and smelly for my tastes, but if other people like em, I’ll visit and say how great they look. And my moms middle name is Lee. I don’t think she hates it, but then I never really asked.

And where can I get one of those bear patrol shirts? I’d totaly patrol for bears. In fact I hope to one day kill one with a knife. Not because I hate bears, it’s just that I would be the manliest man alive if I did. For real, do you know anyone manly enough to kill a bear with a knife?

I didn’t think so.

Carol
17 years ago

I just asked my husband and it appears we have a Husky (and he droned on and on about hitches for-ever…why, oh why didn’t I just go look?) Hey, better Lee than Sue…I still have relatives who cannot seem to remember that I gave up the two-name thing as soon as I could voice my disdain for it.

Thanks for sharing your Aunts blog. Too funny.

Stacee
Stacee
17 years ago

What’s worse — far worse — than Linda Lee? Stacee Lee, thank you very much. And yes, I am quite bitter.

Julia
Julia
17 years ago

I’m not sure how often you listen to 103.7 The Mountain, but this morning they had their 7:20 funny Helsinki Edition and it was this girl:

http://www.johntedwards.com/2006/10/15/little-irish-girl-prank-calls/

Go there and listen to the Demolition Company ad first. You will not be disappointed.

K
K
17 years ago

Your aunt’s blog is awesome! She’s a funny lady, much like her niece!

Jen
Jen
17 years ago

Dude! I sell Draw-tite atmy workplace! We’re practically related!

Donna
Donna
17 years ago

Sundry, we totally have one of those trailer hitches too! And my daughter’s middle name is Lee after my mom’s uncle Lee who was a cool army lifer guy. Her daughter’s middle name is Rylee. My sister has parrots, and a cockatoo.
Warcrygirl: my middle name is Lynne.
RubyLemon: my mom’s side is related to the Hatfields. We are all from WV and KY.
Count: My greatuncle killed a bear with a knife, I have the newspaper clipping, his buddy shot at it, and didn’t hit it. It charged them, the other guy threw down his rifle and hauled ass. My greatuncle, (who was named after George Washington by the way) only had a knife to defend himself, but he killed it.

I love this blog, and have started my own, but I doubt if there will ever be a time that I bring together the world like you seem to do. And now I’m totally gonna have to read your aunt’s blog now too!

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
17 years ago

Oh man, my first name is Juliet – and every time I’m introduced as such, the tired, obligatory Shakespearean references surely follow. Such a pain.

Love the pic with Riley and the parrot. He’s probably freaked out by the feet, too. They’re all knotty and small and clawed, and GOD….just…EW. *shudder*

Claire
Claire
17 years ago

My friend’s name is Kimberley. Her middle name is Leigh. Her parents didn’t say her whole name until after they’d taken her home from the hospital.

Swistle
17 years ago

Pregnant and considering Lee as a middle name for a girl. Now thinking maybe not? I think it’s cute and pretty while also having that pleasant “short snappy boyish name” sound that was so popular when all the girls I knew wanted to be able to call themselves Alex and Sam. But it is sounding as if people who have the name don’t find it pleasing, and that is an important consideration. My own middle name is Nicole. Born in the ’70s, perhaps? Why, yes!

I also like the middle name Kay. I think I am doomed to give a future child a much-hated name.

We watched _The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill_ over the holidays, and I now have a newfound appreciation for parrots. Also for California hippies.

I understand the impulse to stuff beloved items up one’s nose (I have a Balsam & Cedar Yankee Candle that makes me feel that way), but you must try to exert some self-control.

Jessie
17 years ago

Dude, at least you have a middle name. My parents didn’t give me one and so when I told people that when I was little they thought I was lying because my middle name was really bad and I just didn’t want anyone to know. Also, when you don’t have a middle name people like to make one up for you because they think you need one. Luckily, I liked my maiden name so when I got married I switched it to my middle name and now I no longer have people giving me a hard time about the whole thing.

But for years, it was really annoying. Also the whole, my name is not Jessica thing threw people for a loop and the fact that I had a different last name then the rest of my family. I think my parents were just screwing with me when they named me, now that I think about it.

Liz
Liz
17 years ago

That last pic cracked me up. I’d love to know the inspiration for the… er… artistry.

Libby
Libby
17 years ago

I think if someone kills a bear with a knife, you have to say and spell it “kilt” as if you were speaking with a Beverly Hillbillys accent – I kilt me a bear, he kilt him a bear, etc.

Ang
Ang
17 years ago

Gives new meaning to “snorting coke.”

Julie
Julie
17 years ago

Hey, at least your second name isn’t “Gay”. You’re waaaay ahead of the game!

m
m
17 years ago

Birds scare the crap out of me, especially birds in confined spaces. My heart sped up just looking at that photo.

As for the whole Lee middle name thing, my middle name isn’t Lee, but a good friend of mine’s was. But when she became an adult she legally changed her name so that Lee was her last name. (She had her father’s last name and he was never a part of her life.) She now has a very sassy name, in my opinion, just like her.

Emblita
17 years ago

Ha ha ha, if my husband was photoshop savvy he’d do the same to my photo :þ
Here’s to diet coke addiction- You’ve gotta die from something, right?

Ali
Ali
17 years ago

Well, my folks got really creative with my name. My father’s name is George and my mom’s middle name is Ann, put ’em together and slap an “A” at the end and you have the wonderful 10 letter mouthful of Georgianna. Thank God they opted for Kay for a middle because I’ve ALWAYS ran out of room in forms that make you fill out your full name in those little blocked out sections. Elementary school years were pure hell due to the fact that I went by the nickname “Georgie”. I HATE that Georgie Porgie nursery rhyme. When I hit middle school I changed everything to “Georgia” and since then have heard every “Georgia” related song/joke that exists. And I have an Aunt Virginia to boot.

I ramble sorry lol.

Anyway, I named one of my daughter’s Jessica Kay. :o)

Marie as a middle name is big in my family. My sister/neice and at least 4 cousins have Marie as their middle name.

MRW
MRW
17 years ago

Just writing to second Libby’s suggestion regarding the necessity of using the word “kilt” when one kills a bear with a knife.

Oh and also to complain about being named Maggie. It seems fine until you have to do the name game every goddamned first day of music in elementary school for years – let’s see “Maggie Maggie, bo baggy, banana, fanna, fo faggie…” enough said.

Carrie
17 years ago

HEh. At least Linda Lee is so much better than Carrie Jo. That’s just asking to be queen of the trailer park.

Christina
17 years ago

Mine’s Lea (pronounced Lee though). Mom figured with a long first name, the middle one ought to be short.

Apparently it was going to be Lee, but a grandma (my dad’s mom) had a fit, ’cause that was the first name of grandpa’s dad who was A Very Bad Person. Or something.

victoria
victoria
17 years ago

I LOVE the parrot! Parrots are cool

Joanna
Joanna
17 years ago

I’m a Pepper too! Joanna Lee! Represent!

christen
17 years ago

My middle name is Lee, it’s not so bad. You can just say your middle name is in honor of my grandpa and feel better, because he was a cool guy. :)

Sonia
Sonia
17 years ago

We have your Grandfather’s brand of tow hitch on our travel trailer ‘The Beach House’!

jen
jen
17 years ago

My sister is Robin Leigh, pronounces the same as Lee. I got the generic middle name Marie. Pssh.

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[…] As I was looking for a little trailer hitch trivia, I came across a blog (here) where I found this tidbit: […]

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17 years ago

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16 years ago

Excuse, and what you think concerning forthcoming elections?

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16 years ago

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