Piano Recital

Yesterday was Bailey's first piano recital! - and since she was apposed to me taking the video I thought I would post it, instead of her... It was very exciting, and it was interesting to finally be able to be on the other end of the show (after all my recitals) - it's not so nerve wrecking when YOU don't have to go up to play. There were some really great performances, but Bailey's was the one with the least amount of mistakes (I think she only played one note wrong).
Enjoy the videos.

From Jeff, long ago

Since the blog has been quiet as of late, and we don't get to hear from Jeff at all, I thought I would post something from the original Cottle Family newsletter, The Cottle Family Quarterly. This particular article was from the first quarter in 1997. It is interesting to go back now and read some of the things that were going on in our lives 10 or 11 years ago.

And now, from Jeff:

News from Jeff
By Jeff Miller

I am into playing basketball. Sometimes I even play center so I can guard the other team's biggest player. They get the ball most often, you know. My best skill is dribbling. I am low to the ground and pretty quick on my feet, so I am able to dribble down around everyone's knees and cut right through to the basket.

Yesterday (Feb. 1) I scored 8 points with this move in about 5 minutes. About 2 months ago we won a game 56 to 2, but in this last game we played the same team and they beat us by 15 points! What did we do wrong?

At our school we got some 3-man crazy carpets. On Thursday, my friend Judd and I almost hit the fence that is approximately 30 feet down the hill. That is some speed.

Randy has been teaching me a rhythm on the drums that's really complicated.

Great news to share

Hey all
Just thought I'd share the good news--I have accepted a full-time continueing faculty position at Grant MacEwan College and will be starting July 1. (Don't worry--I still get my vacation so will still see you all at Meadow Lake in August). For this upcoming year, my primary responbility will be developing a community nursing course for 3rd year nursing students. I'm very excited--this was the whole plan when I went back for my Masters' Degree eons ago, so it's nice that it's working out. One of the prime perks for this job, that really appealed to me, is the 9 weeks of paid vacation! Works perfect with Bailey's schedule. So, everyone have a little celebratory toast in my honor tonight, but remember to drive carefully afterwards!

Holly

Hey holly,

The 6230 on my cake, was because doug, my father in law was turning 62 and I was turning 30.

Hello

Hello everyone,

How are you doing? It has been a long time since we have heard from anyone. The summer is almost near, and I am very excited to be finally having warm weather. I can not wait to see you all this summer. At the rate gas is going though, I hope we can still make it. It's crazy!!! Our gas is up to 3.80 what is yours up to? I put some new pics up on my blog, make sure to check it out. Hope you are all doing well.

Where have all the bloggers gone?

I can't believe it's been a week since somebody posted. So I thought I would break the silence, the only problem is I don't have anything to break the silence with. I can't think of really anything exciting that's been going on. I'm just biding (is that the right word? or at least the right spelling) my time, waiting for some time off. It's finally feeling more like spring/summer here in Edmonton so I'm getting restless to get outside and do... stuff. I've already got my first sun burn of the year, which surprises me because I go rollerblading all the time during the summer and I never get burnt. Anyway I guess I could say Happy Victoria Day for those of you with a long weekend and I want to here what kinds of things everybody else is up to. Especially Addy.... aren't you next in the Blag?

South Carolina? And You Thought We Were Going To California

So my second year of Law School is Over! And to celibate, Theresa and I went on a little impromptu road trip. You all already know about the Radiohead concert in Charlotte NC that I've been talking about for months, but one of the friends we went with hails from the other Carolina, and invited us to spend the weekend.

The concert was amazing. Radiohead truly is the greatest band of our generation and they proved it last Friday.

But the Weekend didn't end there, South Carolina was a blast. We went to the swamp (or should I say 'floodplain forest') and then to the famous "Shealy's Bar-B-Que" (a favorite of George W, from the pictures on the wall) Now, if you've never been to a real Southern BBQ, than you are missing out! The food was indescribably good, and the ambiance was unlike any other restaurant you've ever been to, with long communal tables covered in plastic tablecloths. I found out that each area in the south has its own BBQ flavor, and South Carolina's is mustard-based. The yellowish meat looks disgusting, but tastes heavenly. Mmm Mmm, I was almost convinced to forget California and start looking for a job in Columbia.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy mother's day to all you mothers, young and old, out there. Remember you are doing a great work and someday you will reap the rewards of your labors! Can't wait to see all of you in the summer.

New e-mail

Just to let everyone know, we are back in Cardston and Grandma's e-mail has now changed to mjcottle@shaw.ca My e-mail is still mel.cottle@westwind.ab.ca I enjoy all the posts (fancy medal J'Neil and when I looked at Randy and Theresa one of them looked just like Tarzan - but I won't say which one. P.S. This is not Cardston (In the picture)

Math Olympiad

This weekend, my team (Alexis and Elizabeth Hooper, and Julia Griffith) and I drove to Connell (small town about 40 miles away) to participate in the Math Olympiad.
The Math Olympiad is a math competition where many teams work problems; 1 hour long big one, then 5 shorter ones with 5 questions each (20 minutes for each short one). Then the teams are scored on them all. If you get higher than 3.6 out of 4 then you get a "superior medal" and 3-3.5 an "excellent ribbon"
There were four teams from our school. After waiting a while in the Connell High School Gym, we left to find our rooms and start the big problem. We though it was fairly easy and were done with it with 10 minutes left. We had a break and then being refreshed attacked the smaller problems... finishing a half an hour early so we got to eat lunch early and wait for the award ceremony.
At the award ceremony, the woman seemed to have no real strategy to handing out the awards but she appears to have gotten them all out. My team had the highest score tied with another team, 3.8, We did not win first place because there were no real "places" but we did get medals...

See? isn't it cool?

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Randy

Just as we are about to leave...

all the leaves are back in Virginia. These pictures were taken today on a trail that we can walk to from our apartment. I didn't know that people could actually swing on vines. I guess Tarzan was on to something.

Clark, the Canadian Hockey Goalie

Here's my new hero!





(Thanks go to Rusty Walker for bringing this one to our attention!)

This blog is being shut down...

Just Kidding! May Fools! As is the tradition, the blog banner has been changed - I love this picture of Addy Ben and Matt, so I had to put it up.

Once again, April has flown by to quickly to really get a good sense of it. Our lives here have been pretty busy this month. I've finished my second year law school classes, I pounded out my seemingly endless research project on Open Source Biotechnology, we worked out all of our California living arrangements, and Theresa's completed here internship at CVS pharmacy. But even with all of these important goings-on, we've had a pretty fun month as well: spring is in full bloom (with its requisite BBQs and lawn games), we had one last outing with Grandma and Grandpa before they left the Old Dominion behind, and we've begun our mini concert series by going to great performances by Okkervil River, Ten New Pornographers, and Feist (and coming up next week: Radiohead!). All and all a great month. What have been your April highlights?

Okkervil River: Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe
The New Pornographers: Myriad Harbor
Feist: I feel it All

And May will be no sleeper either. All I have to do is finish my exams, and we are off to California! The only bad part is having to drive all the way across the country by myself. I am thinking of downloading some audiobooks; any suggestions for a road-weary traveler?