but I'm allergic to mangos

Every year, in charming Coconut Grove, Miami, people gather for a satirical parade of sorts that pokes fun at current events and political figure heads. And yes, this year was full of people to poke fun at. The King Mango Strut originated 27 years ago when two men were denied participation in the Orange Bowl Parade. Instead of feeling bitter about it, they concocted quite an amusing display of talent. Nothing is sacred here. This year there was a Joe the Plumber Drill Team, a moose hunting Sarah Palin, a Foreclosure Fairy & of course, a barrage of shoe throwers. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any of this because somehow I managed to get the honor of riding on the Little Miss Mango float with my little Miss & Little Mr and THE most annoying man in the world. I cringe even typing about it.

Talk about doing damage to a child with words. My sister in law was with me and I think we came to the conclusion that the man in question was NOT the father of the Little Miss Mango he accompanied. That is the only good news I can provide. See this little girl was dressed to the nines. Princess costume, wand, jewels, ballet slippers. The works. He was on that float for over an hour before it started to move to secure the best possible seat. (OK, this float, as you can see from the pix below, is a junky flat bed truck. There are no good seats.)

Anyway, the premise of this float is to judge the best Little Miss Mango. Each kid gets a crown, a wand and a sash. And then there is no judging and everybody wins. Even their five year old brothers. It's a joke. Like everything else in the damn parade.

Needless to say this man thought his little lady was the best thing since sliced bread. Really, he was as bad as that analogy. He was telling her things like.... "Oh, baby, everybody is here to see you. You are making everyone here so happy. You are definitely going to be on TV...look, you are on TV again. What do you want to wear when this is over?..I'll buy you anything you want so you can look pretty all day. Next year we'll bring my Mercedes and we'll lead the parade." Yeah. He did. And did I mention that she was about four and a half years old? Talk about the damage parents can do to their kids. It was like watching a really bad movie. Really bad.

heat, addiction & a whole lotta attitude

For some bizarre reason, Zuzu finds it necessary to slip on a pair of rain boots when it hits 95 degrees in Northern California. Here, she and a friend tend to the lawn while adorned for swimming in imaginary puddles.


At first I thought Grandma spent so much time looking over Gage's shoulder while he played his lego star wars video game to provide support and encouragement to the impressionable four year old.
Now, I'm beginning to think differently.




Tonight Zuzu chose "time out" over "dinner at the table" with the family. In fact, she relished in the decision and actually excused herself from the meal and put herself in time out. When I went in to take a picture for the blog the little devil was in there hanging on the sink. These shots are of Zuzu as she mocks me AFTER I've asked her NOT to hang on the sink. Yes, she's two and she's already mocking me. Can't wait for them pre-teen years!

dinner theater

may you rise

Rise they will. The Mason's Brothers latest album The Sun, the Moon & the Sea with headliner "May You Rise" has arrived on itunes. Exciting to think about what's next!

Here's the album review from itunes. Check it out yourself...and better still...buy some of their music...

"The Mason Brothers are indeed just that - James Mason on lead vocals and guitars, Christian Mason on additional guitars and occasional vocals, plus other performers here and there - and on their pleasant debut album The Sun, the Moon and the Sea the duo creates a series of songs that are more or less exactly what they're intended to be, contemplative modern folk with an overt nod back to smoothe 1970's deliveries and country/rock fusion roots. James's singing is often little more than a calm whisper, and if anything that helps place them in the 21st century than the previous one; there's that sense of understated conviction that defines (not always successfully) any number of sensitive-guy singers and bandleaders currently out there. Similarly his playing and that of his brother's is competent and enjoyable, if extremely unsurprising most of the time, though once or twice they do cook up something notable. On "Hands on Fire", the gentle addition of a few simple Rhodes piano notes adds a flowing richness to the performance, making it sound much more epic - thought the actual solo itself, though equally simple, ends up disrupting that mood much less than the full band arrangement at the end. AS that song indicates, they do have a good sense for a sudden twist - the opening "May You Rise" is winning enough but the conclusion, springing a full but not overpowering drum punch on to the listener, helps send it higher. Meantime, the production and sound of "In the Canyon" gives it a good field-recording sensibility - slightly muffled and trebly - without pushing it fully, a careful blend of past and present."

good morning?

This is how our day began today. I suppose when your only air conditioned vehicle gets towed away at 7:30am during a record heat wave things can only get better. It's debatable.

Somehow during mom's morning madness, Zuzu decided that rain boots and an umbrella would be fitting attire. Did I mention the heat?

the perks of evolution

This is my beautiful family at the zoo today:


This is what they are watching:


Can't quite make it out on the bad phone photo through the chain fence?
It's two black monkeys and one of them is picking bugs out of the other's butt. Now that's an education you just can't get at pre-school.

oh the drama

This morning Gage closed himself off in his room and was singing, presumably in front of the mirror, for a good 20 minutes. All original music. It was lovely. When he emerged, I told him how much I'd enjoyed it. He thanked me and told me that his classmates liked his performances as well. That led him into a "Gage rant" in which he compared his pre-school to High School Musical and left him seriously wondering which school he would rather attend. He finally spun on one foot and turned away from me with both hands on his forehead and a very dramatic, "oh, this is getting so hard!".

I am so NOT looking forward to the teenage years.

gas prices hit all time high

I've been thinking lately that Gage was outgrowing his Batman bike that we got him nearly two years ago...until I saw this.



Poppy, if you're checking in...I'm sorry for exploiting you, and I know you still have issues with giving up that convertible Caddy, but it's time to give Zach his bike back. You're far too big and overdressed.

dear daddy,

We had so much fun celebrating your birthday this weekend. Cupcakes for breakfast? Whoa. We loved the bike ride to the park and being outside by the bay. (By the way, that thing with the crazy coach, mommy didn't want us to tell you...but you're going to be on some show called 'Punk'd?!)

Sorry we both fell asleep in the car but we were just wiped out. Plus we needed our rest for the slip n' slide. Thank you, thank you daddy for setting it up and sliding on your tummy with us. You're silly!

Here are some of our favorite pictures so you can always remember what an awesome day we had. You are the coolest and funnest daddy EVER.
Gage & Zuzu

is that French?

No. Apparently it's Russian.

I can't tell you how frequenly people ask me about the history of the name Duchon. "Is that French?" they always ask. Over the years I've inquired to family members so that I'd have an intelligent answer. But until now, I've never gotten a clear enough answer so that I was able to retain the information long enough to reiterate. Thus, this latest description from Scott that I received yesterday via email from New Hampshire is to be published. Here. For all to see and for me never to forget.

The Duchon side of the family is from Russia and were Priests (Kohanim)...we believe their names were "Dukhan" which if you read below is part of the altar area in a synagogue where the Ark resides. This jives with what I've always heard that his side of the family were Holy people/priests.

Here's an excerpt from something I found online:

We have spent quite some time on the ceremony of what is usually called in Yiddish Dukhenen. This is a hybrid term derived from the Hebrew dukhan which means 'platform' or 'stage'. Our sources usually refer to the ceremony under discussion as 'the kohanim [priests] ascending the dukhan'. This is a reference to the area in front of the ark which is raised in most synagogues. The term itself is actually derived from the fact that in the Bet Mikdash when they invoked the divine blessing the priests would stand on the flight of steps that led from the Priests' Courtyard into the main Sanctuary.