Larry noticed that I was climbing the walls with boredom and consented to take time off from work to take us all to the beach for the day. It's proof that I was bored out of my skull that I agreed to sit in the car for 3 and a half hours so that we could lug half our worldly possessions (or so it seemed) from the state beach parking lot to the one empty place on the sand and broil ourselves in the sun all day. Oh, and then drive all the way home that same evening. Anyway, it seemed like a good idea when he suggested it; and once we got to the hot, sunny beach and the children were cavorting in the waves and digging in the sand, both Larry and I felt repaid for our efforts. Until I couldn't see. I thought that my glasses were fogging up, so I took them off; but everything looked misty and weird still, and I was just deciding that I was suffering from some form of rapid-onset glaucoma when I noticed (with some relief) that the lifeguard was blowing his whistle and waving for everyone to come back to shore (not that anyone could see him that well). So there we were, sitting in the middle of a cloud and listening to the ocean and gazing at the first line of breakers (because that was all we could see) and trying to convince the kids that they should just enjoy playing in the sand, which is normally fun, but it isn't as much fun when it feels as though you are sitting in a small gray box. We decided to wait out the inclement weather (which Larry posited was brought on by global warming), since we weren't exactly going to pile back into the car at that point; and after an hour or so of waiting (with some moderate episodes of whining) and after eating some extremely expensive french fries, we decided to amuse the children by taking them for a walk down the beach. So we all stumbled down to the shoreline (I should have tied us together with ropes, for safety) and felt our way down the beach aways and half-heartedly played Frisbee as if it were bright and sunny out. It was pathetic. Then we felt our way back to our umbrella and blankets, with Larry and I saying to each other the entire way, "I think it's lifting" and "Say, isn't that a second line of breakers out there?" By 3:30 or so, the fog rolled back enough for the lifeguards to allow us back into the water and then the sun did come out and even Susie rebounded from her lack-of-nap slump and ran around giggling at the edge of the sea. Of course, the lifeguards all went home shortly afterwards, leaving us (literally) high and dry again. So we decided to call it quits and head home ourselves. A little disappointing, but I would like to think that the kids learned a valuable lesson: even a day at the beach isn't always....a day at the beach.
We only had to take one van, as Theo is away, so our whole day (including the french fries) cost a mere 65 dollars, which came to less than one dollar per person per hour. I think that is pretty cost-effective, don't you? I'm trying to watch our spending, which isn't hard to do, because there isn't much of it to keep an eye on anymore. That's what happens when you decide to increase your mortgage by 50 percent, you know? And I can't help wondering whether the sacrifice is worth it, just to live in a house where I still don't know where everything is and where all of Larry's free time and disposable income for the next, oh, 10 years is going to be spent fixing it up. Owning a home isn't all it's cracked up to be. I find myself fantasizing about renting a nice little 2-bedroom condo with a maintenance team on call. No, I don't know where I would put the kids. That's irrelevant. Sometimes you just have to look out for Number One.
Today was typical end-of-summer exciting (we start our summer vacation early, so we're near the end now - at least, it feels that way). We are sort of pooled-out, if you know what I mean; so we sat around and did a Hershey's Cocoa jigsaw puzzle (which made me hungry, of course) and then we went out and got our free ice-cream cones at McDonald's. They're free because nowadays all the public library systems bribe children to read books over the summer. Our local system hands out coupon books if the children read (or are read to) a mere 15 titles. So far we've gotten free Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas and the aforementioned ice cream cones. We're looking forward to our free boxes of real-fruit popsicles from Whole Foods, small pizzas from Jerry's Subs and Pizza (actually, I'm sort of dreading that one - the lady who runs the shop gets rather hostile when she finds out that you are actually going to eat your food at one of her tables), and free yogurt from the local grocery store. Cool! We also have to remember to collect our free books from Barnes and Noble (you only have to read 8 books for that one); I have to fill out a separate form, however. The paperwork involved with these freebies can be a little overwhelming at times. Oh, well, all in a day's work....
We're updating our car to the digital age by having a radio with CD player installed (my birthday present - thanks, Dad!). For no apparent reason, Honda was still putting tape decks in their lower end models back in 2004. Well, come to think of it, there was a reason - so they could try charging us 600 dollars to upgrade to a CD player. Or else to convince us to upgrade to the EX model that had the CD player included (which would have been a few extra thousand dollars, in which case that should have been one heck of an audio system). But we couldn't afford either option, so we've been driving around sticking cassette tapes into our radio, just like I'm sure those pioneers did in their covered wagons. Just try explaining the concept of a cassette tape to kids these days. Turn it over? Huh? Rewind? Auto reverse? How retro can you get?
And just to prove that I am not a complete sound system ignoramus, I'll let you know that I made sure that Best Buy is installing the cable that will make our new car stereo IPod compatible. Not that we own an IPod. But it's best to be prepared...in another 3 years, who knows? Compact discs may be on their way out.
Anyone need some old cassette tapes?
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Of Kids and Zucchinis
I was having one of those lovely moments with my 2 little girls the other day. I actually forgot about the housework and the unpacking (yes, we're still living with boxes all around) and sat down to just cuddle them in the armchair. Lovely...until Rachel affectionately confided in me, "Mommy, you look just like a grandma!" This move is taking its toll, apparently.
Larry just returned from yet another working retreat. He had a bag of potato chips and a bag of pretzels in his luggage. "Oh, we just had a little party," he claims innocently.
Now he is up in the attic attempting to install some space-age-looking radiant something-or-other that is supposed to lower the heat in the attic by thirty degrees. Looks like a big roll of tinfoil to me. David's eyeing it jealously - I think he wants to use it to build a space shuttle.
I sure hope Theo remembers to return from camp. No one here has had a decent meal since he left. I just keep throwing some form of bread and cheese at the hungry hordes (pizza, quesadillas, grilled cheese) and they stay happy. This can't be healthy. Theo reports that all is quiet at camp, aside from various unexplained fires - including one melted toilet seat in the campers' latrine. I'd like to point out that girl scout camps do not have this problem. Girl Scouts only light fires to cook s'mores.
In case anyone is wondering how the garden is doing this year, I was wondering the same thing. Somehow, I haven't found time in the past month or so to go check on it (yes, it's only half a mile down the road - but multiply that by several children and it makes it much farther). Anyway, since today was predicted to be in the 90's, I decided that it would be a great time to mosey on down (with the 4 youngest in tow - Larry was working) and see if anything was still alive. We found the tomatoes desperately trying to bear fruit while being strangled by morning-glory vines, the basil throwing in the towel and going to seed, and the zucchini thriving on the neglect (are we sure zucchini aren't weeds?). I immediately threw myself into trying to rescue the tomato plants while urging the children to go for water (and hurry!), for all the world as if I were a trained EMT happening upon a train wreck. (That might make a good TV show for hapless gardeners like me - Gardener 911 or Plant EMT.) The kids were extremely excited to discover the 4 baseball-bat-sized zucchini in the plot. We ended up spending almost an hour there (Susie only cried for the last 30 minutes or so), and I think we managed to convince the basil to hang in there and we propped up the thirsty, traumatized tomatoes and we gave everyone a good drink. So maybe we'll have a successful summer - if I ever make it back there again. Stay tuned...
I get to host the neighborhood Bunko club here tomorrow night. Yes, I'm turning our new house into a suburban gambling den. I hope everyone likes the stacked-boxes look - it's the latest thing in interior decorating...and so inexpensive!
Anna hates me. Oh, but you knew that already. So did I, actually. But she keeps repeating it to me, so I thought I would repeat it to you.
That's all my addled brain can remember to report - someone out there write to me - I want to know what people with normal lives are doing.
Larry just returned from yet another working retreat. He had a bag of potato chips and a bag of pretzels in his luggage. "Oh, we just had a little party," he claims innocently.
Now he is up in the attic attempting to install some space-age-looking radiant something-or-other that is supposed to lower the heat in the attic by thirty degrees. Looks like a big roll of tinfoil to me. David's eyeing it jealously - I think he wants to use it to build a space shuttle.
I sure hope Theo remembers to return from camp. No one here has had a decent meal since he left. I just keep throwing some form of bread and cheese at the hungry hordes (pizza, quesadillas, grilled cheese) and they stay happy. This can't be healthy. Theo reports that all is quiet at camp, aside from various unexplained fires - including one melted toilet seat in the campers' latrine. I'd like to point out that girl scout camps do not have this problem. Girl Scouts only light fires to cook s'mores.
In case anyone is wondering how the garden is doing this year, I was wondering the same thing. Somehow, I haven't found time in the past month or so to go check on it (yes, it's only half a mile down the road - but multiply that by several children and it makes it much farther). Anyway, since today was predicted to be in the 90's, I decided that it would be a great time to mosey on down (with the 4 youngest in tow - Larry was working) and see if anything was still alive. We found the tomatoes desperately trying to bear fruit while being strangled by morning-glory vines, the basil throwing in the towel and going to seed, and the zucchini thriving on the neglect (are we sure zucchini aren't weeds?). I immediately threw myself into trying to rescue the tomato plants while urging the children to go for water (and hurry!), for all the world as if I were a trained EMT happening upon a train wreck. (That might make a good TV show for hapless gardeners like me - Gardener 911 or Plant EMT.) The kids were extremely excited to discover the 4 baseball-bat-sized zucchini in the plot. We ended up spending almost an hour there (Susie only cried for the last 30 minutes or so), and I think we managed to convince the basil to hang in there and we propped up the thirsty, traumatized tomatoes and we gave everyone a good drink. So maybe we'll have a successful summer - if I ever make it back there again. Stay tuned...
I get to host the neighborhood Bunko club here tomorrow night. Yes, I'm turning our new house into a suburban gambling den. I hope everyone likes the stacked-boxes look - it's the latest thing in interior decorating...and so inexpensive!
Anna hates me. Oh, but you knew that already. So did I, actually. But she keeps repeating it to me, so I thought I would repeat it to you.
That's all my addled brain can remember to report - someone out there write to me - I want to know what people with normal lives are doing.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Happy Father's Day!
I managed to be the first in the family to wish Larry a Happy Father's Day, as Susie decided to wake us up at 4 this morning by puking in our bed. Being seasoned parents, our reflexes kicked in immediately - Larry leapt out of bed and started throwing towels at me to try to minimize the damage, while I traumatized the throw-up-ee by trying to clean her up while holding her at arm's length. While we were stripping the sheets off the bed, I commented that it was just as well - I was going to wash the bed linens today anyway. Larry responded with "Cool! That's just perfect! I'm glad this happened then!" Some people are sort of sarcastic when they're woken up too early, don't you think? So I let him sleep in a bit (all the way 'til 7) while I took Susie downstairs until she fell asleep in my arms an hour or so later. I hope Larry didn't expect a present on top of that.
While I was sitting there, martyring myself by forgoing sleep, I realized that today is the 17th anniversary of the day that Larry and I met. I resisted the urge to wake him up just to tell him. Sometimes I am able to act somewhat mature, you know. But sitting up with the baby gave me time to ponder, "Gee, if I could have foreseen this day 17 years ago, would I have acted differently?" Of course not. I mean, I don't think so. When Larry did wake up, I had to ask him the same question. "Would you have acted differently? Would you have run like hell?" His answer, of course, was, "Certainly not." That man hasn't been married all these years for nothing, you know. He knows the right answer, even when he's barely awake.
Theo has run away from home to spend the summer working at Boy Scout camp. I hope he decides to come back. Someone has to cook dinner around here. Larry took him down there on Saturday; so I got to spend all day amusing the little ones (with not too much help from Anna, who was not at all pleased on Friday to learn that she would not be returning to public school next year). Anna was shocked, shocked, to learn that her behavior was nowhere close to meeting our expectations these past 9 months - apparently, we were speaking Urdu all those times that we warned her to shape up.
The new house is a mess - full of boxes of camping gear, handyman tools, and I don't know what-all. Someday we'll get the attic planked over and be able to hide this stuff up there; in the meantime, however, this house feels smaller than the old one. But we're paying more for it. Which isn't a good feeling. The new windows arrive tomorrow (thanks, Grandpa!) - so Larry had to spend a lot of time today moving the boxes around to provide access for the window installers. He's not really been having the best of Father's Days, I guess. Tough. This move was all his idea anyway.
My birthday is coming up this week, which provides me with a nice excuse to sit around and eat bon-bons all day (and no, that's not what I do normally - normally, I sit around and yell at the kids all day). I'm not exactly expecting a present from Anna, though. Maybe she'll decide to refrain for the day from telling me how much she hates me. That would be nice.
While I was sitting there, martyring myself by forgoing sleep, I realized that today is the 17th anniversary of the day that Larry and I met. I resisted the urge to wake him up just to tell him. Sometimes I am able to act somewhat mature, you know. But sitting up with the baby gave me time to ponder, "Gee, if I could have foreseen this day 17 years ago, would I have acted differently?" Of course not. I mean, I don't think so. When Larry did wake up, I had to ask him the same question. "Would you have acted differently? Would you have run like hell?" His answer, of course, was, "Certainly not." That man hasn't been married all these years for nothing, you know. He knows the right answer, even when he's barely awake.
Theo has run away from home to spend the summer working at Boy Scout camp. I hope he decides to come back. Someone has to cook dinner around here. Larry took him down there on Saturday; so I got to spend all day amusing the little ones (with not too much help from Anna, who was not at all pleased on Friday to learn that she would not be returning to public school next year). Anna was shocked, shocked, to learn that her behavior was nowhere close to meeting our expectations these past 9 months - apparently, we were speaking Urdu all those times that we warned her to shape up.
The new house is a mess - full of boxes of camping gear, handyman tools, and I don't know what-all. Someday we'll get the attic planked over and be able to hide this stuff up there; in the meantime, however, this house feels smaller than the old one. But we're paying more for it. Which isn't a good feeling. The new windows arrive tomorrow (thanks, Grandpa!) - so Larry had to spend a lot of time today moving the boxes around to provide access for the window installers. He's not really been having the best of Father's Days, I guess. Tough. This move was all his idea anyway.
My birthday is coming up this week, which provides me with a nice excuse to sit around and eat bon-bons all day (and no, that's not what I do normally - normally, I sit around and yell at the kids all day). I'm not exactly expecting a present from Anna, though. Maybe she'll decide to refrain for the day from telling me how much she hates me. That would be nice.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Movin' On Up
We're moving! The fun...has begun! Ha, ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha! (I'm not sure, but I think that is how one would spell out hysterical laughter.) We're fine, really. We just have to figure out how to get everything that is in this house, into that other house. No problem. Especially with all the help we're getting from Anna, the one-armed mover. She keeps the other hand in her pocket, to illustrate just how much she doesn't care about the outcome of this whole process. Larry foiled my plans for an easy move by returning from his working retreat (oxymoron if I ever heard one) before I could manage to get the Salvation Army to show up with a really large truck for all of his junk. Whatever happens, that crap is not going back into my laundry room. Because it's even smaller this time. Bigger house, smaller laundry room, fewer storage closets - get the picture? More space for living, less space for junk. Now that's my kind of house.
The kids are all quite excited, except Anna of course, whose brain is still in some hormone-addled fog. Susie was so excited that she tried to help me paint our new hall closet while I wasn't looking. Serves me right for trying to get something accomplished. I won't attempt that again, that's for sure. Instead, I'll just take the kids to the pool. We had our inaugural 2007 visit yesterday, and being at the pool was just as wonderful as I remembered its being. I mean, until someone's kid (not mine, thank goodness) threw up into the splash pool. But I figure 48 hours will be enough time for things to become decontaminated enough for us to go back. If I'm wrong, everyone here will be throwing up next week while we're trying to move. Let's face it, we're not going to get off easy on this relocation thing. Something is going to happen, it's just a matter of what. At least it won't be chicken pox like last year. Hurricane, maybe? Who knows?
Of course, it doesn't help to have the carpet layers informing me that the outside wall of the basement bedroom is rotted out. So Larry tore out all the dry wall - somehow, it doesn't seem like my dream house with the exposed cinder block and studding. I'm trying not to look until he gets it fixed. Burying my head in the sand is what I do best.
David turns 10 next week, and I'm just praying I don't forget. And that I can find the cake pans in time.
So, if anyone is feeling bored this Wednesday or Thursday or Friday and happens to be in our area, and maybe feels the need for a little exercise, feel free to come on by to help out. Or you could just bring a chair and some snacks and sit and watch the fun. We live to entertain.
The kids are all quite excited, except Anna of course, whose brain is still in some hormone-addled fog. Susie was so excited that she tried to help me paint our new hall closet while I wasn't looking. Serves me right for trying to get something accomplished. I won't attempt that again, that's for sure. Instead, I'll just take the kids to the pool. We had our inaugural 2007 visit yesterday, and being at the pool was just as wonderful as I remembered its being. I mean, until someone's kid (not mine, thank goodness) threw up into the splash pool. But I figure 48 hours will be enough time for things to become decontaminated enough for us to go back. If I'm wrong, everyone here will be throwing up next week while we're trying to move. Let's face it, we're not going to get off easy on this relocation thing. Something is going to happen, it's just a matter of what. At least it won't be chicken pox like last year. Hurricane, maybe? Who knows?
Of course, it doesn't help to have the carpet layers informing me that the outside wall of the basement bedroom is rotted out. So Larry tore out all the dry wall - somehow, it doesn't seem like my dream house with the exposed cinder block and studding. I'm trying not to look until he gets it fixed. Burying my head in the sand is what I do best.
David turns 10 next week, and I'm just praying I don't forget. And that I can find the cake pans in time.
So, if anyone is feeling bored this Wednesday or Thursday or Friday and happens to be in our area, and maybe feels the need for a little exercise, feel free to come on by to help out. Or you could just bring a chair and some snacks and sit and watch the fun. We live to entertain.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Reality Sinks In
Well, I guess I was feeling a bit giddy when I was writing the last newsletter. Now reality has sunk in and Larry and I are realizing that even though we sold the house, that means we have to buy the other, bigger, more expensive house. So we're not quite as giddy as we were a few weeks ago. Still relieved, but not giddy. I've explained to Larry that I simply do not work with numbers in the 6 digits because they make me nervous and then I'd have to consume more chocolate and then that nifty bathing suit I treated myself to last year after I lost all that weight would no longer fit. And that wouldn't be good. So he's handling the financing and I'm signing whatever anyone puts in front of me without looking at it. This is a worrisome situation, as I am supposed to be the math brain around this place. Too bad. I quit.
Anna has misplaced her sense of humor and cannot find it anywhere. Tonight at dinner I noticed that she had drawn a few small hearts on her bare upper arm (shades of a tattoo?) and so I asked her if that was akin to wearing her heart on her sleeve. She looked at me as if I had just thrown up all over her dinner. You know, I didn't expect her to be rendered helpless with laughter; just a small smile would have been enough.
Susie, believe it or not, is figuring out how to whistle by watching Rachel. She's brilliant. She is also brave. She doesn't even flinch when Rachel stands directly in front of her and screams into her face (at absolute top volume), "I told you not to drink from my cup!" Susie knows who Mommy is going to side with. I told you she's smart.
Theo thinks he can write a research paper in a week. How did he learn to act like a college student already?
All the kids went to the dentist today (why are you reading this? I don't know). I love that place - 5 kids for cleaning and checkups and we were still out of there in under an hour. With balloons. Rachel was trying to tell Alison (only the world's greatest dental assistant - didn't you know?) how to take x-rays. Which is odd, as Rachel has never had x-rays taken before. Anna was there, too; she managed not to die of embarrassment during the whole ordeal of being seen in public with us.
Larry thinks he is going away again next week, on another (ahem) management retreat. How stupid does he think I am?
Don't answer that.
Well, I've got to go figure out how to pack up all the stuff in this house; although I really cannot understand how there is anything left here, what with all the boxes we stuffed in our neighbor's house before the house sale and the bags and bags of things I threw out or gave away. But there are still a lot of items to deal with. Luckily, I can get rid of all that junk Larry insists on holding onto while he is away next week. All of it. Every last piece. Are you reading this, honey? Good.
Anna has misplaced her sense of humor and cannot find it anywhere. Tonight at dinner I noticed that she had drawn a few small hearts on her bare upper arm (shades of a tattoo?) and so I asked her if that was akin to wearing her heart on her sleeve. She looked at me as if I had just thrown up all over her dinner. You know, I didn't expect her to be rendered helpless with laughter; just a small smile would have been enough.
Susie, believe it or not, is figuring out how to whistle by watching Rachel. She's brilliant. She is also brave. She doesn't even flinch when Rachel stands directly in front of her and screams into her face (at absolute top volume), "I told you not to drink from my cup!" Susie knows who Mommy is going to side with. I told you she's smart.
Theo thinks he can write a research paper in a week. How did he learn to act like a college student already?
All the kids went to the dentist today (why are you reading this? I don't know). I love that place - 5 kids for cleaning and checkups and we were still out of there in under an hour. With balloons. Rachel was trying to tell Alison (only the world's greatest dental assistant - didn't you know?) how to take x-rays. Which is odd, as Rachel has never had x-rays taken before. Anna was there, too; she managed not to die of embarrassment during the whole ordeal of being seen in public with us.
Larry thinks he is going away again next week, on another (ahem) management retreat. How stupid does he think I am?
Don't answer that.
Well, I've got to go figure out how to pack up all the stuff in this house; although I really cannot understand how there is anything left here, what with all the boxes we stuffed in our neighbor's house before the house sale and the bags and bags of things I threw out or gave away. But there are still a lot of items to deal with. Luckily, I can get rid of all that junk Larry insists on holding onto while he is away next week. All of it. Every last piece. Are you reading this, honey? Good.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)