Uncle Fun and Sparky Land

     We have an announcement.

     First, an apology for the lack of activity in this space during the past couple of weeks. They’ve been busy for all concerned, due to the new arrival.

     New arrival, you ask?

     Yes—new arrival. This past April 2, Mr. and Mrs. Cousins welcomed their daughter Ruby Frances Cousins into the world. Not wishing to bore the entire internet at one fell swoop, the proud parents have been sagely regulating the dissemination of photographs of their offspring. Nonetheless, they have consented to release an official portrait, executed at a fraction of his standard commission fee by The Fortress of Funitude’s house artist:

 

 

     Hm…perhaps the likeness isn’t everything it could be, but it’s the thought that counts.

(I claim artistick license…b’sides, she wooden sit still fer me. –Sparky)

     As an April 2nd baby, Ruby shares a birthday with such literary lights as Hans Christan Andersen and Emile Zola, as well as other pillars of the arts and culture—to wit, the surrealist painter Max Ernst, and renowned thespians Sir Alec Guinness and Buddy Ebsen (who figured in a recent posting which you can familiarize yourself with by clicking on these letters which are roughly the colour of Miss Ruby Cousins’ eyes).

     While the first-time mommy and daddy settle into their new roles, Sparky, Miss Moose, Milady Madeira M’Dear and I have been helping out around the sumptuously-appointed Casa dos Cousins (which is now technically Casa Tres Cousins, if you’re of a mind to keep your Spanish grammar up to snuff). Sparky’s generous offer to register little Ruby online with various government agencies was followed up by Miss Moose’s generous offer to call the customer service lines of these same government agencies, to correct the numerous typographical and factual errors brought on by Sparky’s enthusiasm and general laissez-faire attitude towards accuracy. M’Dear offered to use her magic so that Mrs. Cousins gave Brandy Alexanders during feeding time, the better to calm and soothe the baby, but this suggestion was rejected out of hand. M’Dear and I have had to content ourselves with the more mundane task of infant supervision in the interest of warding off our hosts’ fatigue.

 

     It’s a small price to pay for the chance to watch a new life begin. Having reached my platitude limit of one per day with that statement, I bid you all a fond but temporary adieu. If the sounds coming from the vicinity of Ruby’s crib are anything to go by, it’s changing time, which means I’m off to see what I can get Mama and Papa Cousins from the store. New parents need to experience some of the joys of new parenthood, after all.

Uncle Fun