My nephew is just a couple of weeks shy of one and is in that stage of standing on his own for short periods of time but not really walking, except maybe a step or two by accident. Since I arrived a week ago, I have been taking him on walks. They started out small, and now they have evolved to a certain route, and a good 15-20 minutes at a time. He has reached the point where he just holds his hand in the air as a signal that he expects a hand to appear to walk him around. We have the main floor loop: living room, kitchen, living room; the upstairs loop: girls room, boys room, girls room, bathroom if the door is open; and the downstairs loop: behind the couch, over the treadmill, front of the couch.
Basically, I've spent a large chunk of my vacation bent over walking like a duck with a 1 year old hanging on to my fingers. He's gotten a lot of exercise, and I guess I have too (along with the weird posture). But, as soon as you hold out your hands, he just takes off running with joy, so what can you do?
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Weekend Highlights
And now it's time for our weekend highlights.
The weekend started out with a trip up to Idaho. Not surprisingly, there was a late departure, meaning I hit the weekend traffic. Fortunately, the roads were fairly clear weather wise and the timing of arrival still worked out okay. And it would have been even better if I had known I was supposed to go to my parents' first, not my brother's, but it worked out fine.
A quick meal at the parents' and then on to brother #3's house for a sleepover with the kids made for a bit of a late night, but breaking with custom, there was sleep.
The next morning got off to an early but rousing start with a sword fight--gotta love those foam swords. After such a great workout, we had a hearty breakfast of Costco muffins and a viewing of Psych the Movie. Nothing like dessert to kick off your day!
We also got lucky enough to get a snowstorm, so the kids played outside while I got ready, then I went outside for a few minutes and took pictures, and then we went back to my parents' for some craftiness. Meaning, making of crafts. Which was great because I got to see my other niece and nephew, and we played outside some more.
After that we all went our ways. I headed back home, because it seemed better to drive in daylight in bad weather.
Saturday night I went to my cousin's wedding reception, which was nice. I'm always kind of amazed at how great my extended family is, and a bit in awe in some ways, maybe. I also got my last Christmas packages sent out.*
Today's highlight was going to a friend's and making gingerbread houses. There were some very impressive feats of graham cracker and cookie architecture, but I don't even remember the last time I made a gingerbread house, so mine was pretty modest.
*But not Christmas cards. It is very weird to me to think that I am adult enough that I should be sending out Christmas cards. When did that happen?!
**Check in with me at 10:00 tomorrow to see how that situation has changed.
The weekend started out with a trip up to Idaho. Not surprisingly, there was a late departure, meaning I hit the weekend traffic. Fortunately, the roads were fairly clear weather wise and the timing of arrival still worked out okay. And it would have been even better if I had known I was supposed to go to my parents' first, not my brother's, but it worked out fine.
A quick meal at the parents' and then on to brother #3's house for a sleepover with the kids made for a bit of a late night, but breaking with custom, there was sleep.
The next morning got off to an early but rousing start with a sword fight--gotta love those foam swords. After such a great workout, we had a hearty breakfast of Costco muffins and a viewing of Psych the Movie. Nothing like dessert to kick off your day!
We also got lucky enough to get a snowstorm, so the kids played outside while I got ready, then I went outside for a few minutes and took pictures, and then we went back to my parents' for some craftiness. Meaning, making of crafts. Which was great because I got to see my other niece and nephew, and we played outside some more.
After that we all went our ways. I headed back home, because it seemed better to drive in daylight in bad weather.
Saturday night I went to my cousin's wedding reception, which was nice. I'm always kind of amazed at how great my extended family is, and a bit in awe in some ways, maybe. I also got my last Christmas packages sent out.*
Today's highlight was going to a friend's and making gingerbread houses. There were some very impressive feats of graham cracker and cookie architecture, but I don't even remember the last time I made a gingerbread house, so mine was pretty modest.
Even so, I really enjoyed unleashing my inner 5 year old, and am very proud of the Sour Patch kid floating on a life saver inner tube on the pond/lake.
All in all, a good weekend. Probably good that it's over, because I'm kind of sugared out!**
*But not Christmas cards. It is very weird to me to think that I am adult enough that I should be sending out Christmas cards. When did that happen?!
**Check in with me at 10:00 tomorrow to see how that situation has changed.
Friday, December 8, 2017
Sunday, December 3, 2017
The Roach Hotel
Today I went with some ladies from Church to deliver Christmas goodies to all the adult women in the congregation (almost 300 people). Other than the awkwardness of meeting a lot of people I don't know and feeling really bad at coming up with graceful chit chat on the doorstep* it wasn't too bad. Except for one apartment building we went to.
First off, I just have to complain about apartment buildings in general. It used to be you could take cookies to your neighbor without needing top security clearance or serious stalker skills to get in the building. But now everything is super locked down. Just to get to my front door you have to get through an outer gate to the complex (key required) and then through the door to the floor of my building. Seriously a pain when you are bringing home groceries.
This particular building was also locked down, so we snuck in when someone came out. This would have been the end of the story if the building hadn't been designed by a lunatic who was high on paint fumes (or something) when they designed it. A friend and I were assigned to try and find 2 apartments on the 4th floor, and then cover all the ones on the 3rd floor. So, we got off on the 4th floor and walked the hall, looking for B4--. This in and of itself was weird, because most of the apartments didn't have a B in front of them, and the ones that did vaguely resembled custodial closets or utility areas, the kinds of places only employees can access. But, we checked anyway. And whoever did the numbering either:
And, no joy. We were stuck in the elevator lobby/stairwell.
Well, we took the stairs all the way down and finally came out on the opposite side of the building we'd come in on, looped back around to the entrance, and called someone in the building we were going to visit so they could buzz us in. And started all over. Fortunately, this time we had a resident accompanying us. And, yes, the 3rd floor was just as insane. 323 was next to 310 on one side and 301 on the other. 309 was across the hall from 301. The apartments at the end of the hall were the mid-teen numbers. And there were random B3--s sprinkled in, which may or may not have been actual apartments (some are and some aren't?). Making it all even more fun, there is no 2nd floor in the building. Just 1, 3, and 4. And there may be some numbers missing from the sequence; for example, maybe there is no 302. It's hard to say, because the whole place felt like a black hole. If you somehow managed to penetrate its defenses, it definitely wasn't going to let you out to reveal its secrets.
By the time we'd made our first drop off, the other team was done with their deliveries, so they helped us finish. I think they thought we were kind of dense for having gotten lost, but then they ran up to the 4th floor again, and when we met up in the lobby, they had come close to repeating our experience (except we'd had our experience and they learned from it). So, no, we weren't dense. The building designer was just a sociopath who thought it would be fun to create the most confusing numbering plan and lock system possible, so that normal people wandered around for days trying to find their way out. Definitely not us. It's the building.
So, the new rules of visiting apartment buildings?
*I've discovered most people are very kind and don't mind that I'm completely absurd in a lot of social situations. People are very understanding and I can't even remember the last time anyone looked at me like I had three heads and a chicken was sitting on one of them. They may have looked like that, but not while I could see it. Which is a good thing, because then I go and meet people and don't even worry that they think I'm weird. It gives a person a lot of confidence.
**We quickly learned. After the 4th floor, our rule was only one person through a door until you know if you can go back through it the other way. It shouldn't be this complicated.
First off, I just have to complain about apartment buildings in general. It used to be you could take cookies to your neighbor without needing top security clearance or serious stalker skills to get in the building. But now everything is super locked down. Just to get to my front door you have to get through an outer gate to the complex (key required) and then through the door to the floor of my building. Seriously a pain when you are bringing home groceries.
This particular building was also locked down, so we snuck in when someone came out. This would have been the end of the story if the building hadn't been designed by a lunatic who was high on paint fumes (or something) when they designed it. A friend and I were assigned to try and find 2 apartments on the 4th floor, and then cover all the ones on the 3rd floor. So, we got off on the 4th floor and walked the hall, looking for B4--. This in and of itself was weird, because most of the apartments didn't have a B in front of them, and the ones that did vaguely resembled custodial closets or utility areas, the kinds of places only employees can access. But, we checked anyway. And whoever did the numbering either:
- didn't know how to count
- was playing "pin the number on the door"
- was high on something
- or numbered the doors on take your kid to work day, when their 3 year old kid was with them, and they let the kid number the doors.
Because on one side of the hall was 411, 412, B451, B454, 417, etc. No rhyme or reason to it at all. We walked the entire 4th floor, and no B4-- that matched what we were looking for. At the end of the hall (which had a number of twists and turns) there was a door, and thinking that the door might lead to more of the 4th floor, we went through it.
It did NOT lead to more 4th floor. It led to an elevator, and a staircase. And once through the door leading to these things, you couldn't go back through it without an access card. So we were stuck. Logical thing to do? Move on to the 3rd floor and figure out the 4th floor at the end. Which we did.
Except we couldn't get into the 3rd floor, because it was the same setup as the 4th. To get from the elevator to apartments, you had to have an access card (never mind that you had to have an access card to get in the building. Or be sneaky. But being sneaky, you didn't need an access card to get to the apartments. No sense at all). So my friend stepped into the courtyard to see if any other doors would get us to the apartments without requiring a card. I stayed behind so I could let her back in.**
And, no joy. We were stuck in the elevator lobby/stairwell.
Well, we took the stairs all the way down and finally came out on the opposite side of the building we'd come in on, looped back around to the entrance, and called someone in the building we were going to visit so they could buzz us in. And started all over. Fortunately, this time we had a resident accompanying us. And, yes, the 3rd floor was just as insane. 323 was next to 310 on one side and 301 on the other. 309 was across the hall from 301. The apartments at the end of the hall were the mid-teen numbers. And there were random B3--s sprinkled in, which may or may not have been actual apartments (some are and some aren't?). Making it all even more fun, there is no 2nd floor in the building. Just 1, 3, and 4. And there may be some numbers missing from the sequence; for example, maybe there is no 302. It's hard to say, because the whole place felt like a black hole. If you somehow managed to penetrate its defenses, it definitely wasn't going to let you out to reveal its secrets.
By the time we'd made our first drop off, the other team was done with their deliveries, so they helped us finish. I think they thought we were kind of dense for having gotten lost, but then they ran up to the 4th floor again, and when we met up in the lobby, they had come close to repeating our experience (except we'd had our experience and they learned from it). So, no, we weren't dense. The building designer was just a sociopath who thought it would be fun to create the most confusing numbering plan and lock system possible, so that normal people wandered around for days trying to find their way out. Definitely not us. It's the building.
So, the new rules of visiting apartment buildings?
- Always go out in pairs.
- Always leave one person behind the door until re-entry capability is verified.
- Take some string. Tie it to the entry and unwind it as you go.
- Pack some food. You may be in there a while.
*I've discovered most people are very kind and don't mind that I'm completely absurd in a lot of social situations. People are very understanding and I can't even remember the last time anyone looked at me like I had three heads and a chicken was sitting on one of them. They may have looked like that, but not while I could see it. Which is a good thing, because then I go and meet people and don't even worry that they think I'm weird. It gives a person a lot of confidence.
**We quickly learned. After the 4th floor, our rule was only one person through a door until you know if you can go back through it the other way. It shouldn't be this complicated.
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