Meet the family: Auntie Sarah "Toddy", "Todd" Bunnell

Hey Scooter Boy, 

Today, I'd like to introduce you to your primary, non-family relative, Auntie Sarah Bunnell. Sarah is your mother's best friend and has been since childhood so, while not related to either your mom's family or my family, she is your aunt nonetheless. Auntie Sarah, or Bunnell as I will now refer to her for the remainder of this post, will also honor your mother and I by acting as your godmother (unless she wrongs Mom or I in the next two months in which case we will cut her both from being your godmother and literally, with a blade).  

Your aunt in her current patriotic (and un-lacerated) state.

 Bunnell lives with her fiancee, Tim in Colchester, Vermont, which is a lovely town in which she went to college and now works. It is just a stone's throw from our house if the person throwing the stone can throw it several hundred miles. To those with an average throwing arm, it is several hundred stone's throws away. You and I will always make Mom drive to Bunnell's so that we can take naps over the course of the 3+ hour drive. I may sit in the back with you and we can make Mom wear a chauffeur's hat just to set the right mood. By the time you are born, visits to see Bunnell will hopefully be to the new house she is buying with Tim! 

So, if you're keeping score at home, Bunnell just recently got engaged, is planning a wedding, buying a house, her godson will be born in March AND Tim and her are getting a dog. Compared to that, having a baby sounds easy!  

Bunnell celebrating her skillful kill and subsequent hat making of a raccoon with Tim.

 Bunnell grew up on the same block as Mom in Holyoke and they have been friends as long as they both can remember. They are quite funny together and I always enjoy my time with the two of them immensely. When I first moved in with your Mom, the three of us were roommates for a short time. It was mostly fun but Bunnell will never go to a Blockbuster with us again due to your mother's and my bickering about what  to watch (NOTE: Blockbuster was a chain of movie rental stores when movies were primarily on VHS and DVD. They failed to anticipate the changing market and now they are a cautionary tale for other businesses. I will explain what a VHS is to you in person someday). Anyway, your Auntie Sarah is one of my favorite people and has become a great friend to me. 

This is a VHS. Also, called a "tape", a "cassette" or "archaic"

What is obvious is that Bunnell is one of the many people who cannot wait to meet you. What is not so obvious is why your mother and Bunnell call each other "Toddy" or "Todd". I will let your mother explain this one to you as I am not intimately familiar with (or particularly interested in) the origins of why your crazy mother and crazy aunt call each other a gentleman's name. I'm sure the rationale is as solid and sensible as that behind why you are called Scooter Baby.  

All sorts of "Todds"

 In closing, I haven't highlighted Bunnell's fiancee, Tim yet but he is a wonderful guy who makes your aunt very happy. Not that I would say otherwise in the blog (I just wouldn't say anything because if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it. And definitely don't put it on the internet) but your mother and I very much approve of Tim for our little Bunnell and are looking forward to ditching you for an evening or two in 2014 to celebrate their wedding! Visits to see them and visits from them will almost certainly always be warm, enjoyable affairs.

Keep it real,

Dad