Sticking Our Noses Too Far In

Yesterday, if can believe it, YKW called, and I couldn't believe it. Our phone had been on the blink and for whatever reason stopped ringing. I fiddled around with (i.e., started pushing assorted buttons) and before I knew it, I'd restored the ringer. This is good and bad. On the one hand, it's sort of nice not getting inundated with calls. On the other hand, it's not sort of nice missing certain calls. Either way, no sooner had I fixed the thing and YKW called.

Now for those of you who don't recall the whole YKW saga, I won't bore you with the details, I'll just say that we figured she was no longer interested in our kids as friends. Fair enough, kids should be free to choose their own friends.

The problem with the whole soap opera was that we, being the pathologically overbearing parents that we are, stuck out noses way too far into the whole affair. Kids are kids, and sometimes they can be mean to each other and treat one another poorly. We are all guilty of it, even our own darling angels, and in the end, they need to learn the hard lessons of friendship. We can't meddle in all of their affairs, no matter how hard we try.

While we couldn't help but cringe at seeing our kids being targeted for scorn, it's all a part of growing up, right? Well, we couldn't necessarily see things this way, and during the whole ordeal, decided that if YKW wanted nothing to do with A, then A should stop trying to contact her. The problem was, our daughter couldn't see what was happening, and continued to view YKW as her best friend, even though YKW did everything she could to tell our daughter to take a hike.

Anyway, to make a long story short (too late?), we regretted it. If A forgave YKW for past transgressions, then we should have, as well. We took things too personally, though how could we not? It's not easy seeing your kid being hurt. And even though kids need to learn these things for themselves, parents are there to lend guidance, right?

Whatever. The bright note is, YKW called, and we actually got together and had a playdate. And it was nice. Best of all, our kids were elated to see her again, and it was good seeing her dad, whom I like a lot but it was awkward while we were in the midst of all this drama. For the record, we really like the parents, it's just hard when the kids don't jive.

So we've bridge the gap once again, and are in communication, parents and children alike. Life is good. Who knows what the future will bring, we could very well see history repeat itself, but for now, we'll do our best to keep our noses out of it.

Yeah, right.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Lorenzo González for the pic.

Life on the Edge and Goodbye September

One thing about parenthood is that it is a true testament to perseverance and just getting it done. While there are countless classical examples of how a real-man's fortitude can be put to the test, I really don't think being a parent gets the credibility it deserves in this regard. Then again, that's only when you jump in head first and are involved. When you wash your hands of parental responsibility, then it's easy.

Having said that, we made out own choice of living life on the edge and wouldn't do it any other way, but that doesn't necessarily make it any easier. This becomes painfully clear to us on a daily basis. We have been rather busy trying to get it all done, especially now that "school" has started. It's the extracurricular activities that kill you, because everything requires transportation. A is taking a dance class in the big city, which means that we need the car. I go to work in the AM and ride my bike to the bus stop, which is more challenging now that the weather is getting cold and rainy. R meets me with the kids and we switch off.

Since I have the car, I have to get the things I need to get done while I can, which means a trip to LaValley's or Home Depot to get building supplies, then the Coop for food and Stern's for fruits and veggies, then home for lunch and study, though we managed to fit in making whoopie pies - they were a winner. After eating, there are tons of dishes to be done, floors to be cleaned so R doesn't tear me a new one, and then, if I can squeeze it in, an hour or two outside to mow the lawn or tear out siding or other manly activities.

Then, it's off to have fun, though all we do is have fun. Now that A is taking dance, we are wary of N feeling neglected, so we decided to take up racquetball since the dance class is located in the guy, which also houses the racquetball courts. I wasn't sure how N would like it, but he loved it. At least that's what he said, and a true test is when he later on asks when we're going to do it again. I have to confess, it was fun. I'd played racquetball a lot in high school and college, and thought it would be more fun for the kids because it requires less skill and finesse than tennis in order to just have fun. You can hit it as hard as you can, as well, which is a bonus, and it's good practice for tennis in terms of hand-eye coordination. AND, you can play in any sort of weather, with the only caveat (albeit a big one) being you need a racquetball court. Fortunately, Dartmouth has them.

So far, so good. Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Retroactive Travel Post - Day 10 - Yellowstone

I'd never been to Yellowstone before, so I was a excited to check it out, even though I'd been warned that it is big and overwhelming and crowded. Even still, the place is beautiful. The ranger at the gate commented that we had the extra-cool park pass that R got and gives us entry into all the national parks in the country. It's good for a year and we most definitely got our money's worth.

Now the rest of Yellowstone was a bit of a blur, because we were racing against time. On our way to our campsite, we wanted to see Old Faithful, because that's what everyone has to see in Yellowstone. In retrospect, we were told that Yellowstone is best appreciated either camping off the trail, which is serious, hardcore camping and something we will work towards, or during winter, when you have to drive snowmobiles to get in.

Whatever be the case, we were going to see Old Faithful first. The drive took us awhile, what else is new, and we got there in late afternoon. Just in time, it turns out, to see Old Faithful go. They give you a rough estimate as to when she'll blow, and it's amazingly accurate. In fact, the tour buses time their arrival accordingly, and just as the time approaches, loads of people start pouring in, mostly elderly tourists from the Midwest and Asians (the Chinese are the new Japanese tourist, just louder).

And of course, while we were waiting, lots of big nasty dark clouds rolled in. With just about ten minutes to go, a freezing rain began to fall with strong winds, and we were freezing in our t-shirt and shorts. Luckily we had rain coats, we were more prepared than some of our compatriots, but even still, we got soaked. At some point, just as we were about to give up for fear of hypothermia, she went, and we were glad we stuck it out. It was cool, though R also wanted to walk around and check out the adjoining area, which had a lot of cool things to see, but it would have been hard while we went into hypothermic shock.

After seeing the geyser, we sought out shelter with the masses under the atrium and then went into the lodge. It's a beautiful place, warm and dry, and we looked into getting a room. We figured there was no way we were going to camp in these stormy and wet conditions, and I was all for having a shower and an internet connection. When we inquired, however, they told us the entire park was booked up. Everything in Yellowstone is run by a private corporation, so Big Brother knows the status of everything.

To get a hotel room, we would have had to have left the park, which meant hours of driving, and then we would have missed out on all the beautiful scenery. We decided to give it some time and walk grab a bite to eat. The cafeteria served this amazing buffalo chili that was awesome, but it's hard to screw up chili. It's like Indian food, enough spices will hide anything.

After dinner, the rain had calmed down a bit, and we went and checked out the grounds. While most people think of Old Faithful, there are hot springs all over the place, and they are really worth checking out. They've built a platform that you walk around, and you can get up close and personal with the springs. It's really cool, like walking on another planet, and there are other geysers that are not as big and reliable, but just as impressive. We saw several of them blow, and we all got huge kick out of it.

We cruised for a couple of hours, and by the end of our wanderings, it was not only dark outside, but cold. On the bright note, the rain had stopped. Now I was all for getting a room, but the downside would have been missing out on our camping and Yellowstone experience, and R was having none of it. It was decided that we would camp, and we headed out to the campgrounds. We weren't even sure if the grounds were full, but went for it anyway.

Just for the record, what made this trip affordable, and thus possible, was that we camped and spared ourselves the expense of hotel room and restaurant meals. You save a lot of dough camping, and the kids prefer it because it's so much fun. Who wouldn't love hot dogs for breakfast?

We arrived at the campgrounds after 9:30PM and set about finding a spot, which actually wasn't hard because it seems there are mostly two types of Yellowstone visitors. Those that stay in hotels, and those in RVs. The actual "sleep on the ground and eat beans" campers are fewer and far in between. We found a site, pitched a tent in the dark, and put the kids to bed. While they were sleeping, I set out to find firewood for the next morning, which proved to be an adventure in and of itself.

Being the short-sighted person I was, I set out looking for the manager's spot, where they usually stock wood and sell it. Of course, I didn't take into account that it was pitch black outside and had to remember how to get back. I just started walking. I got the front office and it was closed, and the wood had been pillaged. Bummer, but the bigger bummer was that I hadn't paid attention and didn't know how to get back. I had a moment of panic and just buckled down. I tried to remember the best I could, but the funny thing is, when it's dark out and you are in a campground, everything looks the same.

It took me about 15 minutes, but I found my way back. R must have been wondering where the heck I'd been, but we were too tired to discuss it. We climbed into our bags and crashed out, looking forward to the next day. One thing fun about campgrounds is seeing your neighbors, so we had something to look forward to the next morning. That, and campfires and hot dogs for breakfast.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Family Rollerblading and the Space Station

We spent a nice day in the big city doing fun family stuff. R has been working furiously to collect data for a big meeting she has coming up, which entails working on some weekends. This is not a problem because it usually means a trip to the big city (Hanover) and dinner out, so it works. Also, we can hit the library, which we love. This time around she had a big chunk of time waiting for an incubation, so we packed up our roller blades and found a big empty parking lot and practiced our skating. It is a lot of fun, and good practice for ice skating come winter. Then again, blading is really nice because you can pretty much go anywhere, whereas with ice skating, you are, for the most part, relegated to going in circles around the rink.

When I lived in NYC, it was my primary mode of transport throughout the city. I used to blade everywhere, and when the weather is nice, you can stop in a cafe and get some refreshments and sit at an outside table. And, of course, there's Central Park. We took our blades to Cape Cod and rode the bike path, but when I needed to replace a part, I learned that rollerblading is no longer en vogue, so you can't find the parts. It's hard to imagine that people would give up rollerblading just because it wasn't trendy anymore, but such is the world we live in.

After blading, we hit the library and got our weekly allotment of books. It was quiet and nice, I'm guessing because people were out enjoying the beautiful day. For whatever reason, they are doing a bunch of programs on the Civil War, which just happens to be a topic we will be covering this year in homeschooling. Nice coincidence.

Also, the children's librarian told us about the space station and how you can see it pass by at night. It is apparently 120 miles above the earth's surface, and as it gets dark, it appears in the sky not unlike a satellite. Say no more.

We had pizza for dinner, then went home in time to see the space station. It was supposed to show around 7:12PM, and we had some time. We got home around 7:00, parked the car and walked across the street to the flower farm and kept our eyes peeled. It was slated to approach from the west, whichever way that was, and we stood in the field and waited. It was cold, and we weren't even sure if the sky was clear enough, but it was N who saw it. He called out and we looked up, and sure enough, we could see the light across the sky.

It was bigger, brighter and clearer than a satellite, if you've ever seen one of those. In fact, it was very clear, and there was no mistaking it for what it was. Kind of cool. Actually, really cool. If you are interested in checking it out, NASA's website that will tell you when it is going to fly over your house. Check it out if it interests you. And be patient, if you do.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to David Kirby and Marcin Rybarczyk for the pics.

Homeschool Update - Extracurriculars and the State

By some miracle, I don't use that term lightly, we have managed to get all our regulatory stuff done for homeschooling in terms of the state. We've submitted next year's curriculum for both A&N, though we have not heard back regarding one of them. We have finished with the assessments for the previous school year. We wave obtained next year's materials for the school year, and we have our extra-curricular activities lined up, which include pottery, horses, dance, tennis, and racquetball. That should keep us busy, but more importantly, keep the state happy. Not an easy thing to do.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Reflections on Travel - Food

Some quick thoughts on eating on the road. It's really hard to eat healthy at home and under the most ideal circumstances, but when you're traveling, it's a huge conundrum. Not only are healthy foods in short supply, but you don't have a refrigerator or a facility to prepare them. When we're at home, we eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, and have fresh fruit smoothies every day, something we missed on the road, but we managed.

Dried fruits like raisins and prunes (my personal favorite) help in the fiber category, and fresh raw veggies during meals worked well, especially with a little ranch dressing. Apples were probably the only fresh fruit option, and a good one, because they have to travel well, and you can't beat them for convenience and value.

There were plenty of chance to buy food in whatever town we visited. There was usually a grocery store, and the small convenience stores carried dried fruit and usually an apple or two. We generally avoided bananas.

Either way, we managed, and ate fairly healthy meals. If we couldn't pull it off because of limited access, we followed the following mantra: if you're going to eat unhealthy foods, don't eat them for two meals in a row, and always follow them up with something healthy. Words to live by.

I will say this-it ain't easy. The world is simply geared towards cheap, processed, and unhealthy foods. They are everywhere, and you cannot escape them, and they make them seductive and tasty. And then people wonder why there's an obesity epidemic. It takes a lot of work to buy and prepare healthy foods, but you do what you gotta do. Otherwise you become the poster child for the Rachel Ray diet.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to Rob Owen-Wahl for the pic.

Retroactive Travel Post - Day 9 cont. - Big Horn

From S. Dakota, we headed north-west towards Yellowstone, though we first stopped in Big Horn National Forest to camp. Being the inexperienced camper that I am, I didn't realize that you can stop in any National Forest or Campground and camp, as long as there is room. It was an educational experience for me, and cool one at that. When we landed in a new state, R would scour the map for campgrounds, and we'd check a few out before deciding on one.

We chose the first one we could find in Big Horn, and you could tell right away that it was different from the National Campgrounds, and much different from the state grounds. First off, it was more remote. You had to drive off the main road for a few miles before you got to the site. This meant it was a more genuine experience. There was no running water, and no flush toilets. And, of course, a greater possibility of running into wildlife in the form of deer, rabbits, coyotes, and bears. I was hoping we wouldn't see the latter.

We chose a spot and set up camp, and it was a really nice location. Beautiful and uncrowded, so much so that at one point I wouldn't have minded a neighbor or two. We were literally the only ones in our section, and that made me a little uneasy. Eventually a guy pulled in a set up nearby, which set my mind at ease, until my neurotic mind began wondering why he was alone and whether or not he was a serial killer. When he registered his space with the manager, it made me more comfortable.

We walked around and gathered firewood and built a fire. It was really cool. We explored the area, played with the fire, and made dinner, which consisted of killer black bean soup and hot dogs. We supplemented with raw veggies and ranch dressing. At one point, the camp manager stopped by to collect our fees. He also sold us some firewood, which I was beginning to learn was quite the racket. Even still, it was nice to have wood, which we would need as it got later because it got really cold. In fact, high 30s was the forecast, and we had packed for summer camping! Luckily, our sleeping bags were designed for it, so we didn't suffer... sort of.

We went to sleep all bundled up, and the owls and coyotes were howling. It was cool and eery at the same time. Before sacking out, we walked to the ridge and watched a lightning storm across the valley, and that was really cool. The lightning was spectacular, and we felt lucky that it wasn't coming down on top of us, though our time was coming. No room for complacency when you're on the road.

Just a quick note, our good friend at work used to work for the National Park Service. He is currently a logger/sugarer in Vermont and just the coolest guy, a devoted family man. Like us, he and his wife opted for part time work so that they could be at home for the kids, though they do not homeschool. Anyway, he told us not to waste our time with places like Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. He said the National Forests are the way to go, and avoid the National Parks, which would include Yellowstone. I understood what he was saying. National Parks are less developed and thus less spoiled. You get the more genuine experience, if that's what you're looking for.

For the record, Big Horn and The Black Hills were my personal favorite spots, and the highlights of the camping experience.

More on this later.

Until then, thanks for reading.