 | Don't ask. |
Pay attention people. This is a metaphor for life.
In other news (perhaps exciting only to this gardening geek), we've finished building our new compost corral. It's been a long time coming, but we wanted to put some thought into it and build something that a) wasn't going to cost a bunch of money, b) would last a long time, and c) would be effective and user-friendly. We feel good about this system. Shorty here can easily shovel the contents from one side to the other, stir, water, etc.
It looks like Lincoln Logs, doesn't it? Well, it kinda is. Landscape timbers held together by threading a piece of rebar through each joint. Simple and effective. And, no, those aren't munchkin-stairs for Shorty, just leftover pieces.
Everybody say it with me: "How hot is it?"
It's so hot, a squirrel deflated under my pepper tree.
It's so hot, bees set up a vacation resort in my pond.
It's so hot....
It's so hot....
Aw, heck, that's all I got.
Visalia: not exactly the vacation spot you think of first
I spent a few days in Visalia last week. Joel, somewhat overwhelmed with work, school, parenting, etc., welcomed the offering of maternal help to get his new house put in some semblance of order.
Joel's bought a really great house. It's a 1500 square foot home that was originally listed as a 4bed/2bath. As soon as escrow closed he knocked down a weirdly constructed wall that created the 4th bedroom, turning that part of the house back into the den it should be. He also tiled both bathrooms before moving in!
While Joel was at work Thursday and Friday, I had no shortage of tasks to keep me busy. There were carpets to clean, loads and loads of laundry to wash, and some minor electrical issues to be repaired (which explains the meticulous heart-shaped post-it note numbering system you see all over the walls in the slideshow). Since they just moved in and she has already moved out but doesn't yet have anywhere to put all of her worldly goods, the garage is chock full of stuff to be sorted/boxed/tossed/organized. Think of these as "before" shots...
Joel picked Landon up from Cindy on Friday afternoon and had him until Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately for me, Landon was napping when it came time for me to head back home on Sunday. I didn't get to snarfle him goodbye and missed him and his daddy by the time I got a block away!
Joel's bought a really great house. It's a 1500 square foot home that was originally listed as a 4bed/2bath. As soon as escrow closed he knocked down a weirdly constructed wall that created the 4th bedroom, turning that part of the house back into the den it should be. He also tiled both bathrooms before moving in!
While Joel was at work Thursday and Friday, I had no shortage of tasks to keep me busy. There were carpets to clean, loads and loads of laundry to wash, and some minor electrical issues to be repaired (which explains the meticulous heart-shaped post-it note numbering system you see all over the walls in the slideshow). Since they just moved in and she has already moved out but doesn't yet have anywhere to put all of her worldly goods, the garage is chock full of stuff to be sorted/boxed/tossed/organized. Think of these as "before" shots...
Joel picked Landon up from Cindy on Friday afternoon and had him until Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately for me, Landon was napping when it came time for me to head back home on Sunday. I didn't get to snarfle him goodbye and missed him and his daddy by the time I got a block away!
I can't see why
Why is it that when you pick up new prescription glasses the doctor has to put them on you? Do they think you can't be trusted to do it properly yourself? Don't they realize you always, always have to right away adjust them anyway? I think it's their way of saying, "It's so simple to examine eyes with that little 'this one? or this one?' giant batman eye mask machine, even a caveman could do it. Therefore, just to prove to you that I am a trained professional and worth every one of your 40,000 pennies, I shall put these spectacles on your face for you." *jab*
Grandma's not used to this (continued)
Day 5 - Monday
Landon spent this day with his Grandpa Dave, Aunt Laura and Uncle Daniel. He had a great time swimming for hours.
Day 6 - Tuesday
After my morning conference call, and after breakfast and a haircut for the boy, Dave brought Landon back here. I'm doing what grandmas do best and spoiling the kid rotten. Heh heh. Grandmimi likes to hold the baby and rock him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, until he releases that baby-sigh of relaxation and his little eyes close. This is how we spend every nap time and every nightly bed time.
Grandmimi had a nice conversation with her boss, who agrees she should not be concerned with work when Mr. Priority One is here. The rest of the week will be All About Landon.
Day 7 & 8 - Wednesday & Thursday
We have a little routine now, and Landon continues to be happy and extremely well fed and hydrated. All systems are operating as they should.
a period of general hyperactivity when Steve, who started out as Faux Grandpa but has devolved to simply Faux Pa, delights the child by throwing him around like a hackysack.
He's very careful, but sometimes Grandmimi just can't bear to watch.
Day 9 - Friday
Joel arrived right on time, late Thursday night. I waited up for him and was awake when he rolled in at 12:42 AM. The three of us spent Friday catching cat-naps, then trying to get through a small to-do list involving his new vehicle and air conditioning. We didn't accomplish very much.
Day 10 - Saturday
The air conditioning in the Explorer gets fixed by Joel & Koby. Unfortunately, their efforts to chill the Jeep aren't as successful.
I spend the afternoon rolling sarma. Brooke and Bill keep me company at the counter, uttering small noises of empathy and appreciation at appropriate intervals. Steve gets home and I have all my favorite family around me.
Later, after dinner, and nanoseconds before I'm getting the boy to bed, Laura and Hurricane Daniel arrive, putting a whole new spin in the evening! Daniel > (Baby Landon x 6) + (Baby Koby x 12). Bill decides to call it a day, and Steve and Brooke retreat to quieter corners of the manse. Daniel and Landon tear it up for an hour or so, while Laura perches on the sofa looking painfully cute with her little baby-bulge. Finally it's decided Landon may just explode if he doesn't get some sleep, so I spirit him off to Grandma-lap-time in the bedroom. The kids end up in the back yard playing guitar until well past the time Grandma has to yell "Uncle!"
Day 11 - Sunday
It's really hot here today. About 104. I'm so glad Joel's a/c got fixed. He and Landon are now packed off back to Visalia. I gave Koby a haircut,
then he and Brooke went back home. No one wants to do anything but veg in the cool house. Steve, however, is up at Dad & Margaret's, helping around their little ranchero. I hope it's not as hot in the hills.
Although the hum of the a/c in my house is lulling me to a long overdue nap, I miss my little grandson already. Oh wait - what? My next vacation starts July 2?? Hmm.....
Post Scriptum
So what's the deal? Why did I have the pleasure of such a long visit with my grandson? Well, in case you haven't heard, the Visalia Mussos have decided to split. Joel and Cindy are going their separate ways and it's not happening as amicably as one may like. I do hope that changes, and peace and courtesy can dwell once again in the valley as they go through the never-pleasant process of disentangling their lives...but I'm not holding my breath. Right now it's not pretty. That's why it was decided that Grandmimi would take the baby until, hopefully, the storm settled. The storm has not settled, but lives continue and jobs must be attended to, so Landon is back home, being shuttled between Visalia and Bakersfield for the time being.
Landon spent this day with his Grandpa Dave, Aunt Laura and Uncle Daniel. He had a great time swimming for hours.
Day 6 - Tuesday
After my morning conference call, and after breakfast and a haircut for the boy, Dave brought Landon back here. I'm doing what grandmas do best and spoiling the kid rotten. Heh heh. Grandmimi likes to hold the baby and rock him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, until he releases that baby-sigh of relaxation and his little eyes close. This is how we spend every nap time and every nightly bed time.
Grandmimi had a nice conversation with her boss, who agrees she should not be concerned with work when Mr. Priority One is here. The rest of the week will be All About Landon.
Day 7 & 8 - Wednesday & Thursday
We have a little routine now, and Landon continues to be happy and extremely well fed and hydrated. All systems are operating as they should.
 | There are walkies in the stroller every day, and, in the evening, sprinkler-play, fish-feeding time, and... |  |
a period of general hyperactivity when Steve, who started out as Faux Grandpa but has devolved to simply Faux Pa, delights the child by throwing him around like a hackysack.
He's very careful, but sometimes Grandmimi just can't bear to watch.
Day 9 - Friday
Joel arrived right on time, late Thursday night. I waited up for him and was awake when he rolled in at 12:42 AM. The three of us spent Friday catching cat-naps, then trying to get through a small to-do list involving his new vehicle and air conditioning. We didn't accomplish very much.
Day 10 - Saturday
The air conditioning in the Explorer gets fixed by Joel & Koby. Unfortunately, their efforts to chill the Jeep aren't as successful.
Ford Repair: So easy, even cavemen can do it.
I spend the afternoon rolling sarma. Brooke and Bill keep me company at the counter, uttering small noises of empathy and appreciation at appropriate intervals. Steve gets home and I have all my favorite family around me.
Life is good.
Later, after dinner, and nanoseconds before I'm getting the boy to bed, Laura and Hurricane Daniel arrive, putting a whole new spin in the evening! Daniel > (Baby Landon x 6) + (Baby Koby x 12). Bill decides to call it a day, and Steve and Brooke retreat to quieter corners of the manse. Daniel and Landon tear it up for an hour or so, while Laura perches on the sofa looking painfully cute with her little baby-bulge. Finally it's decided Landon may just explode if he doesn't get some sleep, so I spirit him off to Grandma-lap-time in the bedroom. The kids end up in the back yard playing guitar until well past the time Grandma has to yell "Uncle!"
Day 11 - Sunday
It's really hot here today. About 104. I'm so glad Joel's a/c got fixed. He and Landon are now packed off back to Visalia. I gave Koby a haircut,
then he and Brooke went back home. No one wants to do anything but veg in the cool house. Steve, however, is up at Dad & Margaret's, helping around their little ranchero. I hope it's not as hot in the hills.
Although the hum of the a/c in my house is lulling me to a long overdue nap, I miss my little grandson already. Oh wait - what? My next vacation starts July 2?? Hmm.....
Post Scriptum
So what's the deal? Why did I have the pleasure of such a long visit with my grandson? Well, in case you haven't heard, the Visalia Mussos have decided to split. Joel and Cindy are going their separate ways and it's not happening as amicably as one may like. I do hope that changes, and peace and courtesy can dwell once again in the valley as they go through the never-pleasant process of disentangling their lives...but I'm not holding my breath. Right now it's not pretty. That's why it was decided that Grandmimi would take the baby until, hopefully, the storm settled. The storm has not settled, but lives continue and jobs must be attended to, so Landon is back home, being shuttled between Visalia and Bakersfield for the time being.
dichotomy
I sometimes have to resist the urge to blog about how irritating it is that everyone blogs about everything nowadays.
Grandma's not used to this
Day 1 - Thursday:
Landon is here. I had him to myself today from about 1:30 on. Did this afternoon really last three days? Cuz I'm exhausted. This little pistol kept me running and my reward at the end of the day was to get peed on.
Day 2 - Friday:
Thank goddess Brooke is out of school and is willing to come and help! I bought a little stroller so we can take Landon for a walk in the evenings.
He's like a little greased-up water-weenie in the bathtub.
Day 3 - Saturday:
Today we went to Shingle Springs to visit Great Grandpa and Great Margaret.
Even with two of us to share the Landon-wrangling, we're both exhausted at the end of the day. Landon has had a great time splashing in the sprinklers and the bathtub. The wiggling stops only when he's sleeping!
Day 4 - Sunday:
Brooke's gone home. Landon's gone to Grandpa Dave's. This week will be interesting. Landon will come back Tuesday afternoon, giving me time to get through a few conference calls and get some work done. Then he'll go to Koby and Brooke's place for a day or two. Joel will be up on Friday to retrieve his son and spend the weekend with family. I'm looking forward to that.
The house is quiet now. I'm exhausted, but miss the little stinker already. Heck, I missed him as soon as I handed him over to Dave!
Landon is here. I had him to myself today from about 1:30 on. Did this afternoon really last three days? Cuz I'm exhausted. This little pistol kept me running and my reward at the end of the day was to get peed on.
Day 2 - Friday:
Thank goddess Brooke is out of school and is willing to come and help! I bought a little stroller so we can take Landon for a walk in the evenings.
He's like a little greased-up water-weenie in the bathtub.
Day 3 - Saturday:
Today we went to Shingle Springs to visit Great Grandpa and Great Margaret.
Even with two of us to share the Landon-wrangling, we're both exhausted at the end of the day. Landon has had a great time splashing in the sprinklers and the bathtub. The wiggling stops only when he's sleeping!
Day 4 - Sunday:
Brooke's gone home. Landon's gone to Grandpa Dave's. This week will be interesting. Landon will come back Tuesday afternoon, giving me time to get through a few conference calls and get some work done. Then he'll go to Koby and Brooke's place for a day or two. Joel will be up on Friday to retrieve his son and spend the weekend with family. I'm looking forward to that.
The house is quiet now. I'm exhausted, but miss the little stinker already. Heck, I missed him as soon as I handed him over to Dave!
ADD + OCD = MOM
There is a point, while packing for a trip, when I'm pretty sure I've got everything in the suitcase, yet I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting something. It's completely maddening, like being caught in a cycle of lather-rinse-repeat.
I'm headed to Spokane early tomorrow morning, returning Friday afternoon. Then, after a week at home, I fly north again for three days. I dread the travel. Every time, I wonder if there's some bargain I can make with the clock, the calendar, the travel arrangement gods, so that I can go by car or train instead of by air. It never works out.
Flying in the 21st century is about as fun as birthing an overweight porcupine. Backwards. Not that I've ever birthed an overweight porcupine, forwards or backwards, but I'm pretty sure the analogy would hold up in a court of law.
Mother's Day was quiet this year. That means I had only 50% of my kids with me. (To the 50% who were here, please don't think that indicates any depreciation of the importance of you being with me on that day.) (To the 50% who weren't here, your guilt bomb has been delivered. You're welcome. Sarma's in the mail, just to put the final sheen on it.)
PS - Happy MD, Mom. Even though I didn't call you, you didn't send me a guilt bomb. Kudos for that.
I'm headed to Spokane early tomorrow morning, returning Friday afternoon. Then, after a week at home, I fly north again for three days. I dread the travel. Every time, I wonder if there's some bargain I can make with the clock, the calendar, the travel arrangement gods, so that I can go by car or train instead of by air. It never works out.Flying in the 21st century is about as fun as birthing an overweight porcupine. Backwards. Not that I've ever birthed an overweight porcupine, forwards or backwards, but I'm pretty sure the analogy would hold up in a court of law.
Mother's Day was quiet this year. That means I had only 50% of my kids with me. (To the 50% who were here, please don't think that indicates any depreciation of the importance of you being with me on that day.) (To the 50% who weren't here, your guilt bomb has been delivered. You're welcome. Sarma's in the mail, just to put the final sheen on it.)
PS - Happy MD, Mom. Even though I didn't call you, you didn't send me a guilt bomb. Kudos for that.
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