7/20/15: Looking for Lincoln

Dear Friends and Family,

We were originally supposed to go to Montreal for the weekend to see our friends. But, when they called to tell us that their daughter had a fever of 104, we decided to cancel the weekend. P was crushed because she was really looking forward to seeing her friend. So crushed we bought her a Lgeo set and took her out to dinner to try and make up for the lost fun. So crushed that she didn't want to go to either birthday party we originally declined for the weekend. So crushed she almost cried. So crushed we looked up other weekend trip options and found one in Springfield, The Land of Lincoln.

P's been reading a lot about Lincoln and the Civil War because we pretty much let her read what she wants even if we have to deal with the consequences. So, we've already had long talks about slavery, war, tuberculosis, typhoid, assassination, civil rights, and everything else that comes with learning about these topics. So, we thought a trip to Springfield would be a great way to see more Lincoln related things.

Our first stop was Lincoln's home. This wasn't the log cabin where he was born. It's the house he bought with Mary after they got married. We watched a movie learning a lot about Lincoln's pre-presidency life both as a lawyer, a politician, a father, and a husband. We walked through the house and saw his parlor and his bedroom and learned a little about life in the late 1800s. We really enjoyed it.

Our second stop was Lincoln's presidential library and museum. The library isn't open on weekends, but the museum is. We saw two more movies there - one about Lincoln's presidential years and the Civil War and the other about the library and why presidential libraries exist. We also got to walk through two dioramas - one of the log cabin and one of the White House. The first movie was a little scary for P. But, she enjoyed seeing all of the dresses at the White House Blue Room recreation. This was also a good place to buy souvenirs.

Our last stop was Lincoln's tomb. We were all a little hot and a little tired by then so it's a good thing that the tomb is a pretty low key stop. We saw several miniatures of statues of Lincoln including one P knows from Lincoln Park. And, we saw his final resting place.

After that, it was a quick trip home. Sunday, we all slept in. I got a text from a mom who I am Facebook friends with. She noticed that our trip had been cancelled and wanted to know if P still wanted to come to her daughter's birthday party. We jumped on the chance. P had a lot of fun. We had an afternoon play date as well. P enjoyed the weekend after all and soon it was time for bed.


Cheers!
mouse

Down Under

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday and I've got a little time. So, I think I'll write about Australia.

We went to Australia in March for spring break. Overall, it was an amazing trip. All of our flights (outside of our first one) left on time. All of our luggage made each connection. All of our hotels and rental cars were waiting for us when we needed them. The weather was warm and sunny with the exception of one day in Sydney. So, really, everything was lined up for an amazing trip.

Day 1, Saturday, we left home for the airport for our flight to Los Angeles. We had an intentionally long layover in LA to go shopping at P's favorite clothing store and to give us a chance to stretch our legs before the long flight to Melbourne. Unfortunately, our flight was delayed several hours so we had just enough time to race over to the store before it closed. We made it and bought some pieces to add to P's spring wardrobe. We had time for In-N-Out burgers for dinner. P surprised us all by eating three burger patties for dinner. We thought we were safe with two, but she must have been hungrier than we realized. Mr. mouse ended up eating one lettuce and tomato sandwich and one burger for dinner. Sometime late Saturday night we boarded the plane for Australia. We were all ready for bed which was perfect because it was evening in Australia.

Sunday, I'm not sure what happened to Sunday. I think the international date line happened to Sunday.

Day 2, Monday, we arrived in Melbourne well fed and well rested. We were all feeling a little grubby, but decided to skip the shower and headed out to Healesville Sanctuary, a zoo specializing in native Australian animals. En route, we picked up some cookies, some meat pies, some hot cross buns and some drinks. When we travel, we always pick up odds and ends to snack on and for breakfast. That way we're not spending all of our time and money foraging for food. At Healesville, we got to see kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, echidnas, and wallabies. We made it in time for a show on Birds of Prey that we really enjoyed and another one on platypuses that was fun. P had time to paint two rocks that we took with us on the trip and to play in the playground before we headed back to the kangaroo area for our kangaroo encounter. She was a little scared during the encounter, but afterward she said she had fun meeting the kangaroo. We bought a stuffed kangaroo at the gift shop and she named in Lacey after the kangaroo we met during the encounter. Monday night we checked into our hotel, Wyndham on William, and P promptly grabbed the first room with the king sized bed. We laughed and rolled the two twins together in the second room and called it good. The Wyndham has a lovely view from the rooftop, but the pool up there was a little too cold for a long swim. We came down and ate a combination of take out (spaghetti, soupy dumplings, regular dumplings and french fries) and meat pies for dinner. The shower felt so good.

Day 3, Tuesday, we packed our bags and checked out of the hotel. We spent the first part of the morning wandering around Federation Square. P and I went to an exhibit on local artists while Mr. mouse went to one on Australian cars. We took some obligatory tourist photos in classic tourist spots before heading out in search of fun neighborhoods in Melbourne further afield from the main tourist city center. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bit of a bust so we picked up take-out (chow fun and maybe something else) and headed to the airport for our flight to Cairns. We ate while waiting to board the plane and read and dozed on the flight. We landed in Cairns, loaded up the car and drove out to Port Douglas. We checked into our hotel, Sheraton Port Douglas Resort, carried P to the room, and fell happily asleep.

Day 4, Wednesday, we didn't have anything planned for Wednesday. We left it free to ensure we had time to hang out and play in the pool since P loves playing in the pool when we travel. The pools at the Sheraton didn't disappoint. The pools were warm and empty and it was just perfect for spending the day relaxing. We went out to the beach briefly before heading back to the hotel for lunch. Mr. mouse and I got a beer and smoothie to go with the last of the meat pies while P feasted on the kid's fish and chips. Before we knew it, it was time for dinner. We headed back into the room and got clean before applying the bug spray and heading out. Chilly's Pizza has delicious pizzas and the pasta was yummy as well. We couldn't stop eating and we had leftovers to bring back to our room. We found an ice cream place, Wicked Ice Creams, for dessert before heading back to the room.

Day 5, Thursday, we had the first of our two snorkel trips planned for Thursday. Since P had become such a good swimmer, I thought it would be criminal to visit Australia and not take her to see the Great Barrier Reef. And, after much research, we decided to skip the pontoons that we had visited in 1999 because it seemed like they had become overrun and the reef had degraded as a result. And, we skipped the islands because I wasn't as impressed with the islands the last time we were in Australia. So, that left the smaller cruise boats. Our first one, Calypso, held 60 passengers and five crew. We sailed out to three points on Opal Reef. The first site was the most impressive, by far, and P lasted 50 minutes of our allotted 60 minutes in the water. She didn't do as well at the second and third sites because the waves were choppier and the fish were bigger. Added to that, we felt time pressure since we were at each site for only an hour. Ultimately, Mr. mouse kept her company while I snorkeled at one site and I kept her company while Mr. mouse snorkeled at the other. It wasn't ideal, but I was glad we got the first site in together as a family. I was worried about the next day because it would be a waste if she refused to get in the water. But, back to Thursday, we got back to the hotel, practiced snorkeling some more in the pool, got clean, and ate leftovers for dinner. At least that's what I think we ate for dinner because I don't have any dinner locations in my notes. Plus, I know we skipped on the bug spray and we got bug bites over the night in the room. I found the guilty mosquito the next morning. It was bloated. I squashed it.

Day 6, Friday, we had the second of our two snorkel trips. This time we sailed out on Synergy with nine other passengers and two crew members. P made fast friends with a boy named Finn who was a year older than her. Synergy goes to one location on Tongue Reef for three hours. That removed the time pressure since it was plenty of time to see the reef without feeling rushed to get back in the boat to get to the next site. We took our time getting in the water, maybe 15 or 20 minutes, and swam out to the reef. P had fun pointing out the different coral formations and we used our hand signals to check on each other and make sure everyone was okay. We were out about 40 minutes before coming back in for lunch. After lunch, P wanted a break, and fortunately for us, so did Finn and his mom. So, Mr. mouse and I headed back out to the reef while P played on the boat. Agatha, one of the crew, asked if she could take P out if P wanted to go out again and we said yes. At some point while snorkeling we looked up to see Finn and P and Agatha swimming back out to the reef. Agatha had promised P and Finn that she would find Nemo for them. And, she did. P was thrilled. Afterwards, we took P for one last round in the water before we all headed back to the boat. It could not have been a better day. Except it was because when we got back to the hotel for one last dip in the pool, we got to see a bunch of REALLY large bats head out after sunset for their nightly foraging frenzy. Dinner was peri-peri chicken pizza from Domino's and chicken for P from Dave's Take-a-Way.

Day 7, Saturday, we drove down at the crack of dawn for our flight from Cairns to Sydney. When we got to Sydney, it was grey and raining on and off. We checked into our hotel, the Radisson Blu, and walked over to see the Opera House and the bridge. It was wet, but we got P to record a video talking about the weather in Spanish and we found a tourist who we trusted to compose the picture and posed for a picture with the Opera House in the background. After a quick walk back to the hotel and our car, we drove over to Newtown. There P got to see where "Sky Full of Stars" was filmed. She walked down the main street pretending to be Chris Martin. It was precious. After our reenactment, we found lunch. P had sushi. I had tofu soup. Mr. mouse had a little of each. We picked up some meat pies and Clem's Fried Chicken for dinner. P and Mr. mouse bought me two purses. And, we went back to the hotel. The pool was super crowded, but we found a way to make it work.

Day 8, Sunday, we drove down to the Opera House for one last photo since it was bright and sunny in the morning. Then, we headed to the airport for our long ride home. In hindsight we should have napped Saturday night instead of sleeping the full night. But we didn't. So, it was a little tough when we got on the plane, ate "dinner" and tried to go to sleep. We all fell asleep, but with a full night's sleep behind us and loud people around us, there was no way we were going to sleep the bulk of the flight over from Sydney to Los Angeles. We watched a lot of movies. P journaled about the trip. We fidgeted. We rested. We made the time go by. We landed in LA not quite on local time, but not too far off either. After customs, we boarded our flight back home. We all dozed on it which gave me a bad feeling about jet lag since we should have been up. When we landed we knew we needed to stay up until bedtime or around 8 o'clock whichever came first. Fortunately we did and the day that seemed like it would go on forever (we crossed the date line in the other direction on the way back so somehow we had a morning in Sydney followed by 20 hours of travel followed by and afternoon and evening at home and it was still Sunday) came to an end. I almost forgot, P was excited to see that the Easter bunny had visited while we were gone. She had fun hunting down the eggs while we started unpacking.

Still with me? And, that, my friends, was our trip to Australia. It really was a special trip - one I will remember for a long time to come. And, now that P is older, one she may remember for a long time to come. We'll see.


Cheers!
mouse

05.11.15: Birthday Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Instead of a birthday party, we decided to celebrate P's birthday with a weekend trip to Cincinnati, the city's whose name I can never remember how to spell. I'd either drop the extra n or add one more n and t. But, that's just me.

We flew over on Saturday afternoon for an overnight at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and Science. The theme for the evenings was Caves. We had two guided tours, one of a recreation of a limestone cave and one of cave art exhibit. Then, we had time to explore the museum on our own. P was precious as she led us for our own exploration of the cave. It was just the three of us. She was so cognizant of being quiet we couldn't help giggling. As a last desperate measure to remind us to be quiet, she put her left index finger on her lips and the right index and middle finger in the shape of a V in the air, the sign they use at school to remind the students to be quiet.

She slept like a champ. I couldn't fall asleep, so I spent half the night watching her.

Sunday, we flew back from our overnight. The two men in row 20 reminded me why I believe America can still be a great country. They volunteered to switch seats with P and me so that we could sit together. They made my day. When we landed, we checked into a hotel and let P go swimming. After a lunch of sushi from P's favorite restaurant, P went back to the pool with Mr. mouse while I napped. We drove home and opened presents before turning in for the evening.

I can't end this post without first writing about my Mother's Day present from P. Friday night, P stayed up with Mr. mouse and made a photo book for me. She had the idea and picked out photos from her first six years. She cut them out, pasted them onto pages and bound it as a book. I love it! It was the best present ever.


Cheers!
mouse

Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm home again. My flight out to the Emerald City was delayed enough to make my connection an adventure. But, I made it and I felt like a kid on holiday when I walked out of the airport. It was my first trip away from Mr. mouse and P since a business trip I took when P was a little over a year old. Yes, it had been that long.

We went for coffee and then for pizza and then for a long walk. Just walking in the sun watching the glimmers on the water was enough to make me feel like a new person. There's something about seeing water. It's soothes my soul.

We went for ice cream and then went home to see the kids. We made ribs for dinner. On a whim we made peach cobbler for dessert. While dinner was cooking, we took the kids to swim class. Then, before we knew it, it was time for bed.

Since I got up at 2 in the morning and it was close to midnight my time, I slept like a rock. Well, I did, but I didn't because I knew I had an early morning flight to catch and I didn't want to oversleep.

Wednesday morning, the alarm rang at 3:50 and I got ready in time to go the airport for a 6 AM flight home. But, the flight was full and instead I found myself with a bonus day with my friends. We bought bagels. We walked the kids to school. We explored the University campus to see what kids nowadays are doing in school. My flight got delayed. We went out for noodles and then I went to see my friend's office which has a great view of downtown. We went to the airport and found a spot at the club to sit and talk.

And, before I knew it, it was flight time. My friend got home before the traffic got horrendous and I lucked out and got a window seat with an empty middle seat. I watched some TV and ate a snack on the way home. Mr. mouse picked me up and P was asleep in the back with her furry crocs on her feet and socks on her hands.

When I saw her I realized I was home again and my trip was over. While it was therapeutic to spend the time away from home it was also nice to be home again.


Cheers!
mouse

02.16.15: P and the Pool

Dear Friends and Family,

If P could, she would move into a Sheraton hotel and spend her days swimming until bed time. We were traveling this weekend and that is effectively what she did. I split my time between the hot tub and the pool, but P spent her time in the pool swimming, racing, and trying to reach the bottom. Her lips get thin and blue, her eyes get ringed with goggle lines and her fingers prune up like raisins, but I've rarely seen her happier.

And, now, it's back to another week. My mom is coming later this week. P is super excited.


Cheers!
mouse

01.12.15: Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

After a bummer week with no internet access, we're home and up and running and the weather is in the double digits. I am happy. I have also been sticking with my new year's resolution to do something each day to make our place more of an airbnb and me more of a happy soul on permanent staycation. No one change is monumental. Nor does it feel like I'm anywhere close to done. But, I am beginning to see signs of progress. And, that feels amazing.

I've been spending a lot of my time on the main room that we spend our time in. In most houses it would either be in the basement or in a separate room with closed doors. It's filled with P's toys and is mostly a playroom. It is also a dumping ground for all of the stuff she brings home from school... mostly artwork, but also sheets and cards and photos... I've been slowly going through things to figure out what we still play with and what we've moved on from. Today, I moved two bins of stuffies upstairs to P's room. That opened up space to put a bunch of stuff sitting on the floor (Lincoln Logs, Jenga, and blocks) into the shelf. It makes more sense to have the stuffies in P's room. Now, I just need to put some thought into their home in her room. But, still, it's one step closer.

I'm also happy because we got to spend the weekend with friends from the mouse winter cabin. It was cold, but it doesn't feel as cold because no one makes a fuss over the cold. P got to walk on a frozen lake. I got to sip wine by our neighbors' fireplace. I also got inspired by my neighbors. They've done some amazing things to their house. It's so well thought out and put together. But, they didn't do it all at once. It came in bits and pieces.

Well, enough about me and my general sense of bliss. I've got to go get some work done or tomorrow I'll feel like a wreck.


Cheers!
mouse

09.02.14: The Very Last Day of Summer Vacation

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Tuesday. We're back from vacation. And, it's our very last day of summer vacation.

It's been a great week. We spent a weekend back in our first work town visiting friends. It's been 20 years since that first summer in our first work town. It was fun driving along the same roads, remembering life in 1994 which does not seem all that long ago.

Then, we went on our end-of-summer vacation. This time, instead of going to a far flung location, we went to Seattle to visit a host of friends we have in the Pacific Northwest. We got to spend a lot of time with my cousin and my two year old nephew who is technically my first cousin once removed.

This was also a mile marker trip. A year ago, I quit old work only to be persuaded into staying on part time. While the money was good, I've realized many times over that I shouldn't have agreed to stay on part time. I didn't have enough time to do anything right, splitting my time three ways. And, ultimately, I spent a lot of time detoxing from what ultimately was a less that satisfactory transition from old work.

Still, in taking this trip, I realized two very important things. I only lost a year. I am, now, where I could have been last year. And, while a year lost is a year lost, I can take comfort in having lost only a year. I am so glad not to be splitting my time three ways going forward. And, the other thing I realized was that while there was a lot of toxicity related to old work, I still had a good year. P made new friends. I made new friends. And, we had a great summer together. There's so many happy memories. The year wasn't a total waste.

So, my friends, we're headed into our last day of summer vacation. P's bag is packed. We have orientation in an hour and half. Then, P and I have one last day together before we head off to kindergarten.


Cheers!
mouse

02.18.14: One

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Tuesday and after a monster snowstorm we're headed into a new week. This weekend was a long weekend because P had off from school. However, we split it into two weekends. Saturday, we had school and a play date. Sunday and Monday, we visited friends and the dentist.

I am really looking forward to this week. It is the first week of days above freezing in over a month. P has had cabin fever and it's been making Mr. mouse and me a little stir crazy. It'll be nice to have some outdoor time.

Well, Mr. mouse had to leave for work early today. And, I have drop off, so I don't have much time to write. Until tomorrow.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Down to one pile in the kitchen.

Mouse Takes Time Off

Dear Friends and Family,

So, what'd we do with 17 days off? That's an excellent question.

• Days 1 and 2: we spent the weekend at home doing nothing of note outside of the normal weekend routine
• Day 3: we opened Christmas presents, as a family, and took lots of photos with our tree
• Day 4: we spent with Mr. mouse's folks
• Day 5: we spent with my family
• Day 6: we spent with my cousins who are a riot
• Day 7: we spent with my mom's friends who are in love with P
• Days 8 and 9: we tackled all of the to dos that had built up over the week
• Day 10: we cleaned house and packed
• Day 11: we spent in San Francisco due to a cancelled flight
• Days 12, 13, 14, and 15: we frolicked in sunny Hawaii
• Day 16: we went sledding
• Day 17: I spent the day with P, in the evening, exhausted, she told me she enjoyed none of it
• Day 18: an unplanned day, Mr. mouse is staying home with P

And, that, my friends is where 17 days went. I'm glad I've got the flexibility to spend that much time with P. She's going to be four and a half for only another month or so. Then, she's almost five.

I enjoyed the day, yesterday, until about 5. Then, P got tired and I got tired of repeating myself. Then, by 5:45, Mr. mouse came home and rescued me. I napped for an hour while they ate dinner together.


Cheers!
mouse

12.17.13: Spending Time with Friends

Dear Friends and Family,

What a wonderful weekend! We got to spend time with all of our friends from the Winter Cabin. It was cold as all get out, but in a city that's prepared for the cold, with friends who just get on with business, no one seemed phased by it all.

We got to see our old neighbors and catch up with J & J who we don't get a chance to see all that often any more. I had lunch with a girlfriend from old work and we stuffed ourselves on Chinese food. I went to a girlfriend's housewarming party and fed the fire while catching up with old friends and meeting new friends. And, while I didn't get to see my old Turk, we did get to take P to a children's museum where she had a ton of fun.

All in all, it was a most wonderful weekend. And, today, I'm off to work. #momoftheyear would take her kid sledding, but I'm going to let P play with her BFF while I get some extra hours in. That way, I've got more time with her while she's on winter break.


Cheers!
mouse

12.02.13: Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

We went on vacation for five days to visit my sister and my childhood friend. And, while it was great spending time with them, it's good to be home.

Originally planned as a combination beach vacation, family vacation, Thanksgiving with my sister trip, the trip turned into mostly Thanksgiving with my sister. We went to the beach briefly on Wednesday and Thursday. Friday, we went to a park to get some gross motor in. Saturday it rained. And, Sunday it rained. So much for beach. I feel like I've been denied beach for multiple trips now for multiple reasons. I think I may have to make it a point to spend more time in the water next summer so I don't feel so denied.

The family vacation piece was a little tough because my sister doesn't like venturing outside of the house. I mean she really doesn't like it. The real trials and tribulations and the perceived trials and tribulations would be comical, except I feel sorry for my nephew. There could be car accidents, people who can mug you, people who can break into your car, the sun, the possibility of a fall, rain, snakes, mulch to be eaten, sand to be eaten, slides to avoided, swings to be avoided, bugs, lack of food locations, lack of nap locations, I mean the list is endless. So, outside of a trip to the park one day and a visit to see my childhood friend, we were somewhat house bound.

So, we had lots of time with my sister and my brother-in-law and my nephew. P has a lot of fun playing Lego with her uncle. They built all sorts of things together. And, my sister had fun talking with P about all the things P likes to talk about. Mr. mouse and I had fun trying to engage my nephew. We tried to get some colors and numbers into his head. I'm not sure how much of it stuck.

Still, there's much to be thankful for. As always, there's Mr. mouse and P, I can't imagine life without them. I'm thankful for the health and happiness of my family and friends. We're fortunate to have food on the table and a roof over our head. With my work change, I'm thankful for having time to get somewhat involved in P's school. Of course, there is also having time to get the house somewhat back in order. Thirdly, there's having time to work on my idea. We're making progress on our retirement funding. There's time playing with P. And, there's being happy with what you have even if life sometimes seems a little unfair when viewed through the eyes of a four and a half year old.

P was trying to tell us that life was unfair because someone else had more of something than she did. We told her it was important to be happy with what you have and to not always compare. I think the lesson sunk in when she learned that someone else who is older than her only gets $1 a week for allowance and she gets $4. We suggested dropping hers to $1 and she told us it's important to be happy with what you have and to not always compare. I guess she is listening and some of it is sinking in.

Happy Thanksgiving.


Cheers!
mouse

11.18.13: Race Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

We flew down to Austin for the F1 race. It was tiring, but fun. We flew in Friday, got take out barbecue, and talked the night away with our old neighbors. Then, we woke up Saturday, ate a giant breakfast, watched qualifying, and lazed the afternoon away. We took P to the park. P and I slept while Mr. mouse went to the supermarket. And, we talked to another old friend we ran into on our way out to dinner.

Saturday night, we met up with a group of friends for more barbecue. It was great catching up with old friends. I talked the night away, again, with my old neighbor. She's such a good listener, it's hard to keep track of time.

Sunday, we woke to another giant breakfast. And, we watched the race. It was warm, but not too bad considering the temperatures. We drove to the airport, picked up more barbecue and flew home.

We were all exhausted this morning. Still, it was good to see the race and great to see old friends. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we need to work around P's school schedule now.


Cheers!
mouse

07.29.13: Frenetic, but Happy Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Not a weekend I would have planned for in any way, shape, or form, but in addition to having our neighbors over from the winter cabin, we flew home for my cousin's wedding and saw Book of Mormon. Oh, and this week counts down the second to last week before I give notice. See? Not a weekend I would have planned for in any way, shape, or form.

The wedding itself was fun. The food at the cocktail hour was better than the food at the dinner. The highlights were how happy my uncle and aunt were that we could make it, learning that one of my favorite cousins has moved back to the states, catching up with my brother, watching P dance, and taking photos in the photo booth with P.

I think she wants more photo booth pictures so Mr. mouse and I are trying to figure out how to manage that one... Unfortunately, we didn't get one of the strips that P and I took, but I'm going to focus on the positive with the one we did get. I think the guy manning the booth didn't realize we did two of them. Sigh.

Then, we came home and Mr. mouse took P to the park while I went to see Book of Mormon with my neighbors. It was so funny, I laughed until I cried. We came home and I had a chance to catch up with the Mom and Daughter while Mr. mouse went out for wine, steaks and baguette with the Dad.

It was a little brisk, but we enjoyed time on the roof. And, that, my friends, is a perfect way to finish off a happy weekend.


Cheers!
mouse

07.16.13: Home Again

Dear Friends and Family,

We had a fabulous weekend visiting with our Motor City friends. We drove out Saturday afternoon and got to Ann Arbor in time to play in the playground before going out to dinner.

Sunday, Mr. mouse took P down to the hotel pool. Then, we went to see a Tigers game. It was a scorcher. We didn't even make it one full inning in our seats. Fortunately, we caved before everyone else did and found a table and three chairs in the air conditioned lounge and watched the game from there. In one sense it was sad to be at the ball park watching a game on television, but in another sense, we enjoyed ourselves more, which, I guess, is ultimately what matters.

Sunday night we saw our friends, Auntie Lisa and her family. P had so much fun coloring her rocket ship. And, we had fun catching up with the grown-ups. P's begun playing by herself more. It's nice she's showing her independence, but I hope she doesn't leave Mr. mouse and me altogether. I still like playing with her. I'm not ready for her to grow up yet.

Monday, we had our dentist visit. Mr. mouse got a chipped tooth fixed. I apparently had a cracked tooth that the dentist fixed. And, P went through her exam with flying colors.

We spent the afternoon with our friends D and D. D played Legos with P building a fire truck filled with fire fighters while D, the other D, and I spent the afternoon talking. We drove home through some miserable rain, but got home the same time flights would have.

And, now it's Tuesday and I have three more weeks until I give notice. And, this week is a short week to boot. Hooray!


Cheers!
mouse

Day 6: Travel Day

Dear Friends and Family,

Day 6 was a travel day.

We had two options, we could leave Cairo late Wednesday night, fly to Amman late Wednesday night, land in Amman early Thursday morning, rent a car, check into an airport and crash. Or we could wake up in the middle of the night Wednesday night, get to the airport by the crack of dawn, and fly to Amman early Thursday morning. Frankly neither option sounded too appealing. We picked the first option and I'm glad we did. Sleeping in is nice.

What We Did

We woke up around 10 AM. We packed what little we had unpacked. We checked out of our hotel room. We did a little shopping for souvenirs at the hotel. We ate lunch at the hotel. We left for Petra.

The drive to Petra is a three hour drive from Amman to Petra. It's an easy drive on a well marked road. Totally doable by rental car. Our biggest debate was where P should sit since for some reason we could not get a car seat for her. Ultimately, we decided to put her in her own seat, behind one of the front seats, with just the lap belt on. I wanted to hold her belted, but Mr. mouse convinced me that in a crash, I would end up crushing her against the belt with my body which I could see happening and that didn't feel like the right thing to do.

We got to Petra late afternoon. We checked into the hotel. We discussed Petra at night. And, on a whim, we bought tickets. We ate a quick dinner and we headed out.


Petra at night. They light the Siq (the way to the Treasury) with candles in little paper bags. They light the Treasury with a bunch of candles in little paper bags. It's about a mile walk in either direction. P wanted to ride in the sling so it took us about 20 minutes to walk to the Treasury in the dark. P fell asleep on the walk. I guess she had skipped her nap.


Once we were at the Treasury, the had us sit in rows and offered us mint tea. We listened to two musical presentations and then we took a bunch of pictures. P woke up during the pictures so we got to take some with her. We walked out. We went back to the hotel and opted for a slightly later start the next morning to offset the unplanned activities that evening.

What We Ate

We went easy on P.

We had sandwiches for lunch. We had chips in the car. We had pizza for dinner.

What I Learned

Sometimes it's nice having a day off while travelling. We could have tried to squeeze in a site or two on the drive down. But, it was nice sleeping in. P and I had fun playing in the car. A low key day isn't necessarily a waste of time.

Petra at Night would be amazing with a full moon. We didn't plan our trip around a full moon, but I could see it being an even more amazing walk with a full moon. I love full moons and nightscapes.


Cheers!
mouse

Day 5: Cairo

Dear Friends and Family,

Cairo, our second stop in Egypt, gave us a lot to think about. Two weeks before our trip, cars were being torched, hotel lobbies were being looted, and the presidential palace was being stormed. Mr. mouse was watching twitter and instagram and the news to see how the situation on the ground was evolving. One week before the trip, it seemed more quiet. And, while we were there, it was manageable. Plus, we were in Giza to see the pyramids which is like being in Disney World. It's its own bubble of a world focused on tourism.

What We Did


We stayed at a hotel with a view of the pyramids. We could see their outline when we checked in at night. But, there's no describing that first moment in the morning when you open your eyes and look and see the pyramids. Originally, I wanted to do the pyramids in chronological order. Our guide recommended doing Giza first and I'm glad we did. By staying at a hotel close to the pyramids, we beat the rush of tour buses that crowd Giza. And, we also got to enjoy the cool breeze the morning air provides.

Great Pyramid of Khufu

Sphinx and Pyramid of Khafre

Pyramid of Menkaure


After Giza, we headed to Saqqara to see the step pyramid of Djoser. It was the first pyramid built. It was undergoing restoration, as you can see in the photo. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the restoration. I think they're going a little too far towards fixing. A little bit of crumble is nicer, at least for me, than seeing smooth concrete. Still, as the first pyramid, I'm glad we got to see it.


Technically, we saw the Red Pyramid first and the Bent Pyramid second, but I wanted to show the Bent Pyramid first. You can't actually get up close because it's not open to the public, but you can get close enough for pictures. It's the next evolution from the Step Pyramid to a smooth side pyramid. You can see the adjustment that needed to be made on the angle and you can still see a lot of the original smooth limestone facing.


This was the highlight of my day. The Red Pyramid is the first pyramid built with the classic proportions of the pyramids we all think of when we think of pyramids. It's the third largest of the pyramids. You can go inside. And, we had the whole thing to ourselves. Not another soul in sight if you don't count our driver, our tour guide, and the lonely guy collecting tickets. Unbelievable. Magic.

What We Ate

We went easy on P.

We got room service for breakfast. We got room service for lunch when we got back from our day tour. We went down to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

What I Learned

It really helps to have a guide in Giza if you're pressed for time. Our guide didn't spend a lot of time talking about the sites. But, she did take us unerringly to every perfect photo venue so that I would enjoy the view while Mr. mouse clicked away to capture the moment.

Dahshur should be on every pyramid lover's list. It's a long drive away. But, it's beautiful. And, for now, you'll have the whole place to yourself.


Cheers!
mouse

Days 3 and 4: Luxor

Dear Friends and Family,

Luxor, our first stop in Egypt, was originally only a tentative on the trip itinerary. A colleague at work made it seem like such a chaotic and dangerous place I was a little scared to go and to bring P. It turned out to be an amazing place with a very laid back vibe. I think I saw the most and learned the most while in Luxor. I'm glad we spent two days here.

What We Did


First stop was the Valley of the Kings, a must see in every guide book. Armed with a list of tombs in order of build with little plus and minus signs next to the names of pharaohs based on state of their tomb, we approached the ticket office to see which tombs were open for the day. Our ticket got us entry to three tombs. We picked Merneptah, Ramsses III and Ramsses IV. All three tombs were amazing in the level of detail you can see. Just thinking that the tombs are over two thousand years old and that you're still allowed to walk in them and marvel at the carving and the color made me realize how fortunate we are.

Sarcophagus of Pharaoh Merenptah

Tomb of Ramesses III

Tomb of Ramesses IV


Next on our itinerary, Temple of Hatshepsut. Temples are nice because there's daylight and you can bring your camera. But, because it's exposed, most of the colors are faded or washed away. It's still amazing to walk through the temple and see the carvings.

We made a quick stop afterwards for some souvenirs and lunch. Then, we headed out for our afternoon adventures.


Next on our itinerary, Tombs of the Nobles. Not as highly rated by the guidebooks, we opted to see the Tombs of the Nobles instead of the Valley of the Queens. And, are we glad we did. The tombs are in excellent shape. You have the place to yourself. And, you get to see a different style of tomb. Instead of religious carvings, the tombs are painted with scenes of everyday life in Ancient Egypt.

Tomb of Rekhmire

Tomb of Sennefer


Also not as highly rated in the guide books, Medinet Habu was our last stop for the first day. I can't imagine what the other temples must look life because this one took my breath away. Yes, the text was repetitive, talking repeatedly about the wars Ramesses III won. But, still, the state of preservation made it the best temple on my list.


Day 2 in Luxor started with the Temple of Karnak. Another must see Luxor site, you can't take in the full scope of the detail in one trip. Recognizing that, and recognizing our time limitations, we saw enough of the temple to get the general idea down, but this is a place I could explore for a week and still discover new things.


After Karnak, we went to another classic East Bank site, the Luxor Museum. Any piece in this museum, in any other museum would be behind glass with a long queue of people waiting to see it. Here, you almost have the place to yourself. It feels almost criminal.


To finish off, we went to the Temple of Luxor. Just the right end to a perfect two days in Luxor. It left us enough time to go back to our hotel, relax on the balcony, and finish packing our bags before heading to the airport.

What We Ate

We went easy on P.

Day 0. When we arrived, we went down to the hotel restaurant and ordered pasta for P. Mr. mouse and I shared a plate of Middle Eastern dips followed by a plate of fish and chips.

Day 1. We ate breakfast at the hotel. We had chicken with eggplant and rice for lunch. We ate dinner at the hotel. I don't remember what.

Day 2. We ate breakfast at the hotel. P had pizza for lunch. We ate pizza at the airport. We had pasta and another plate of Middle Eastern dips for dinner in Cairo.

What I Learned

Egyptians are truly generous. Our guide kept us stocked with water and snacks. Outside of restaurants, we didn't have to buy water on our entire trip. We had water left over when we were done.

It's completely safe to visit the tourist sites. There's the usual swarm of people trying to sell you postcards and trinkets, but nothing like what I encountered in India.

A guide really helps. They know where to buy tickets, who to give the tickets to, and they keep ad hoc guide offers at bay. They also explain things I would have missed if I was looking on my own.

The Egyptians love P. Several asked if they could take pictures of her. They were constantly petting her and trying to get her attention. They also all assumed she was a boy.

$4.50 gets you pictures inside of a tomb. Sad, but true, it's still a country that is developing infrastructure around how to preserve it's unique history.

And, last, but definitely not least, I learned that human beings are capable of amazing things. The scale of the ruins, the beauty of the artwork, the fact that it's all lasted this long, it made me realize what we can do when we set our hearts and minds to any task.


Cheers!
mouse

P.S. all of the indoor pictures were borrowed from wikipedia

Days 1, 2, and 9: The Big Travel Days

Dear Friends and Family,

If you haven't guessed yet, we've been travelling for a week now. We went to Egypt and Jordan to see the sites. I'll get to those parts of my trip throughout the week this week, but, today, I'll talk about our travel days.

What We Did

On the way out, we flew from home to Frankfurt. We had a long layover in Frankfurt. It was just enough time to shop for some clothes for P, some muesli for Mr. mouse, and for some groceries for the trip. We continued on to Cairo in Egypt. And, from there to Luxor which was the first stop on our trip.

P was great on the flights. She colored. She read. She played a memory game. She ate. She slept. We couldn't ask for anything more.

On the way back, we flew from Amman to Frankfurt. We originally had a tight connection to our flight home. But, due to a flight delay in Amman, we missed our connection. Fortunately, we were able to get a flight a couple of hours later. It was just enough time to check in, get our boarding passes, eat a snack, and head to our gate.

P was great on the flights. She colored. She waited patiently for her dessert. She ate her gummy bears. She napped.

What We Ate

Nothing of note. It was standard airplane food while we were travelling.

What I Learned

The Germans love P. They showered her smiles and the flight attendants gave her all sorts of toys on the flights.

No scissors on international flights. Not even kid scissors.

The Egyptians are a generous people. They couldn't stand the sight of P's tears and let us take the scissors through security. We checked the scissors on the way back to avoid the issue altogether.

On the way back, because we missed our connection, we got three seats that we needed to barter to get seats together. Mr. mouse had an aisle nowhere near P and me. The German man in the aisle seat across from P switched with Mr. mouse, no hassle, no questions asked. No fuss. No muss. This is why I love Germans.

The woman who had the seat next to P is a totally different story. I had the window in front of P. I asked her to switch seats with me and she didn't want to. She wanted the aisle next to an unaccompanied minor rather than the window next to a sleeping adult. I was tempted to let her have the seat next to P for nine and a half hours. Instead, I offered up Mr. mouse's aisle seat and we had the window with the window and aisle behind instead.

Seriously? She didn't get up at all during the flight, so I don't know why the aisle seat was so critical. I wonder what she would have done with P if I took my originally assigned seat since she refused to switch with me. I learned I want to be like the German man. No fuss. No muss.


Cheers!
mouse

12.31.12: Getting Ready to Say Goodbye to 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

It's nice to have time off, not because I hate work because I don't really hate work. But, I do hate my commute. And, not driving for a week has been nice. And, sleeping instead has been great.

We spent a couple of days at home before leaving for the holidays which translated into a little less chaos when we got back. We spent a couple of days with each set of grandparents and P got to spend some time with my brother. By the end of the trip, we were all ready to come home.

And, now, today, we're dropping P off at school today while I get some much needed time at home without P. On the list? Insurance for my new company, clearing out portions of the basement, and finishing another school application.

Yesterday, we took down one of the railings on P's bed converting it from a crib to a daybed. She handled the change fine. I think I'm the only one who got sentimental over it. I know she's closer to four than three, but it was one of the last vestiges of babyhood we still have in the house. I didn't realize when I picked her up out of it yesterday morning that it would be the last time I was picking her up out of her crib. Fortunately, I've been savoring it since I knew the end was near, so I wasn't completely crushed by the change.

I looked at my master "to do" list now vs. two months ago and we've made progress. I look forward to the day when I can convert it into a largely discretionary list of fun to dos instead of the current mundane list of required to dos. Progress.


Cheers!
mouse

12.11.12: Busy Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Want to hear about our weekend?

We got a haircut. We dropped off dry cleaning. We packed our bags. We went to the symphony. We went for a walk in the rain. We went to lunch. We went to the airport. We went to have dinner with a friends. We went to the hotel to check in.

That was Saturday. Sunday?

We went to the hotel pool. We went to a friends' house for lunch. We went to another friends' house for the afternoon. We went to a third friends' house for dinner. We went to the hotel to crash.

Monday?

We went to the dentist. We went to lunch. We went to the airport. We picked up last minute presents. We unpacked and played.

Exhausted? Yes, it was good sleeping in our bed last night. But, even if it was exhausting, it was absolutely great catching up with all of our friends. I'm not as anxious about school. I'm not as anxious about my thyroid. And, I'm several days closer to 12/21 when, by definition, the holiday rush will be behind us.


Cheers!
mouse