xylie

Not sure what is up today. Feel down, stressed and tired. There are any number of reasons to feel tired. I've pushing myself like crazy in all directions, hoping take advantage of ever last minute of free time. House repairs, attempts at refinancing, Jakob's science fair project, Sean's Tiger requirements, and then there's work. Stress, stress, stress, but sadly all stress of my own making.

Did manage to wander over last night and invade on Cathy. We brought over a ticket to Scout-0-Rama and the boys stayed to play xBox a bit with Rory and Clara. Cathy had filmed a bear in her backyard up at Tahoe. The kids were extremely impressed. Also got to see Cathy's new car, which was a Benz GL class SUV. Absolutely gorgeous and enormous compared to her old Subaru. Apparently my advice on compromising on something slightly practical worked out for her. (Her ex wanted to buy her a sports car that matched his own so the kids could be in something "respectable." Also, he could get a discount from the Merc dealer.)

Took time to make a bird feeder with Sean. At the Tiger cub level, this means cutting some holes in a milk jug and adding straws. Sean liked the idea of hanging it up where it would be hard for James to mess it up. I was more shocked by the price of birdseed at Target. $11.50? Don't they carry a "stingy-man" size for $5? We'll be feeding finches long after the milk jug feeder is destroyed by squirrels.

Jake decided on a Science Fair project. M&M's, Does Filling Determine the Melting Point? He based this off of an experiment he found in a book on M&Ms and color. Not bad. Unfortunately I can only help him with the equipment. None of the setup. His teacher is determined that they do this in groups of students or all by themselves. Jake couldn't find anyone to group with, and I told him not to worry. It's much easier to keep your lab partner from eating the materials if you don't have one.

In a post where I will not grumble overmuch, I am having a hard time with being respected as a consultant and yet not able to get folks off of the ground. The most amazing part was when I was explaining how not to address an issue and they all complimented me on my passion and knowledge of the environment.

I prefer what Roger said to Don after their "impromptu" meeting with Dow Chemical:

"I'll take you to lunch if you'll wipe the blood off your mouth."

While I happen to personally like the customer but the sort of hammering we're going take meeting with them is unappealing. And I guess that shows.

Asked Jim to take the boys to camp at 8ish today. It's movie day and they need to take their lunches and $5 for a snack at the movies. I have to make an 8:30 meeting, so again I say, "Let's see how this goes."

Working on the refinancing paperwork. I'd like to say it's miserable, but it's small and I feel guilty for not attempting this sooner. There are so many things that I have wanted to do, but didn't have the energy.

Jim is growing concerned at the Milesian approach I have to getting stuff around the house done, but after four years here, there is a lot to do. It's certainly not to be approached with anything less than hyperactivity.

Plus exercising helps. Getting a lot of the stress out into the world instead of building up inside me is nice. Managed to bike around the neighborhood, despite flagging tires to see the usual urban joys of folks digging around in the recyclables and trash hoping and searching for goodies.

There are worse things in the world than being slow on refinancing paperwork.

Saturday we cleaned and as a reward headed up to the Boulanger baking facility. It's the only one that I know of where you can watch the breads being made while you eat. James was fascinated by the various machines and I was really glad there was a solid wall of plexiglass between him and the industrial mixers or he would have plowed headfirst into one.

Then it was off to Build-A-Bear. We tried last weekend to visit with James in tow, but the lines were terrible. This time, Jim took James to the play area while Jake, Sean, and I engaged in this new American ritual. Jake went once to Build-A-Bear with my mother and came back with Jack the Jedi Monkey. Mom complained of the expense. I had an $80 gift certificate from Kristin to take with me and braced for going over a bit. The kids were pretty reasonable, though and we managed to keep my contribution to only $30. All in all they had fun, and I had a bit of a Jack Benny collapse when I saw one parent leave with four bears for one little girl.

The adventure started out as ostensibly "making bears for James" but of course as soon as the bears had hearts and outfits, they boys began to make comments along the lines of "Let's put this where James can't reach."

The most amusing bit was Jim handing James off to me while he and the boys went to the Lego store. Jim said, "I've been really good, can I get some Legos." To which, I take it meant that he and James are not banned from any of our local stores or the playground.

Saturday night we stayed up waaaaay too late watching MadMen. Jim was trying to make up for a Starcraft coma and was holding James up to keep him comfy. The high winds make James congested and he likes to lie upright in my arms and drain when it gets really bad.

In the morning the kids and I hit services, making the most of our Easter wear from the Sunday before. Jakob spent too many years watching White Collar with me and likes to wear ties and even fedoras if I let him. Sean had to be convinced not to open up his shirt to mid chest. He did like my "Leisure Suit Larry" quip and repeated it happily.

We skipped out on riding due to my allergies and Fallesen's imminent arrival at our house, only to find that Fallesen was running behind. In typical me fashion I felt like I should have taken Jake to riding, but both he and I benefited from the break and some Benadryl.

When Fallesen did get there around 1:30 he and his brother and Dad were there too. They had cleaned up his grandfather's house a bit, trying to declutter so that his aunt and uncle could sell it.

Fallesen himself was very proud to have lost 50 lbs with Medifast. I recommended to Jim that he talk to his doctor about the same. Jim tends to be leery of diet plans because of his Grandmother's case. Usually people do not die of liver failure from a diet program. It can happen, but that's why you check with a medical professional first and see if it is sound.

Or we could just all ignore the issue. Grumble.

Tried the new sushi place. They removed the sushi maru at Totoro's and added TV screens. James hated it as the areas are now more crowded. He was also sky-high on all the attention he received from our guests. The food was decent, but there were changes. The chicken Karaage batter was wrong. Way wrong. And our waiter brought a 19-month-old milk...in a glass. A glass glass. Either he's new or he hates his job already.

Stolen from Katy.

What have you just finished reading?

Finished reading Anne's House of Dreams. After about three chapters of Anna Karenina, I need a break or a train to throw myself under. Most LM Montgomery books run together in my mind. Anne of Green Gables and Anne's House of Dreams stand out as distinct stories with individual characters.

What are you reading?

End of Wasp Season. I liked the Author's previous book about a detective in Glasgow investigating a botched kidnapping of a local shop keeper. The characters were very warm, personable, even when they should have been alienating. End of Wasp Season is less endearing somehow as it explores boarding school children who decide to engage in a fairly hideous crime. Like modern mysteries it's not a "who-dunnit" but rather a "why-dunnit". Last time around I cared more, this time I'm just waiting for the detective to arrest the sick little jerks.

Also reading Anne of Rainbow Valley but not sure I'll finish it. I should grind to the end of this series seeing as I got it for free for the Kindle, but in reading it now I hear the echoes of LM's own unhappy life underneath all of the happy endings she writes for characters. It's discordant to say the least.

What will you read next?

Anna deserves my attention. I love Tolstoy's gift with phrases but having been unhappy with the company for so long and having a bit of my own back with contracting part-time, I just can't seem to face it.

Probably I'll pick up something in the sci-fi variation if I can after that. Although, I'm open to recommendations.

The place where you have to explain that the server, Green is actually green. On the upside, HopToad isn't.

On my laundry list of things to do now that I'm contracting part-time instead of taking on all the sins of MontaVista full bore is visiting. My neighbor is a lovely person, an Aussie transplant who used to be a motorcycle instructor among other things. Her husband got a job at Apple and they settled here.

Her son, Rory is a high-functioning autistic guy who loves Star Wars and X-boxes. The boys love him and adopted him Halloween night two or three years ago. It's Rory this and Rory that, much to the chagrin of Rory's younger sister Clara. She's a take-charge redhead like Sean and does not like being overwhelmed by hooligans.

Jake does his best to be nice to her.

At any rate, Jake was off to scouts and Sean needed to leave the house so we wandered by to say hi. Cathy was kind enough to invite us in and we stayed for a bit. She has a labrodoodle about James' age. The two of them have great conversations, but James is afraid of the larger dog. The only dog so far in the known universe to give James pause.

Poor Casey. James is not used to dealing with other unruly toddlers.

Cathy talked infectiously of skiing. As a SAHM she doesn't get out much. The kids and therapy is a big part of her schedule. But every weekend she's taken off with them to Tahoe and they've been having a grand time. The kids get lessons and she gets a lesson herself.

If her green card status can come through in the next few years, she wants to be an instructor. Her photography is good enough to get on for seasonal weddings so she stands a good chance of making it through the years.

Unfortunately Rory's chances of good school programs might be more limited. It's a tough call for any parent.

On the upside, Rory and Clara have outgrown their toy car. James was the happy recipient of said car and has been in it ever since. He took a break for sleep and a break for breakfast. That was it. He even "drove" the car to the TV so he could watch Top Gear with Dad drive-in-style.

Lucky guy.

Jim's birthday will be a day early this year so he can attend a conference call tomorrow for DSI. The boys are excited as usual. They like to find things "for dad" for his birthday. This year I instituted a strict no-Legos policy. My feet are too damaged.

We are however indulging him in a number of books, shirts, a board game, and a puzzle. There should also be Tsuro of the Seas, but due to a technical glitch, that game will have to wait. The guys will get to help me wrap presents this year, probably with hilarious results.

The other issue is cake. Jim himself prefers apple pie, but that will have to wait until not a weeknight/not a school night/not EASTER. Cake would normally be made at home as boys really do love Cake Boss and have taken to it like masters. But tonight I think, Aki's. Easy and fewer crying jags from the excluded toddler.

For about the time I spent in Singapore, I was in OC this weekend. We flew down, met my cousins at the country club, celebrated Kerri's birthday, got up waaaaaaay too early in the morning, hit Storyteller's for breakfast, and flew home.

I loved it. Jim, who is less fond of the Anthony Bourdain way of life, was tired. It was a lot of context switching and being places on time. That has never been his idea of vacation.

But for both of us, it was relaxing to travel without the kids. We missed them. There is nothing like sitting in a booth in any restaurant in or outside of Disneyland and seeing other people take their kids to meet characters to make you miss your own. Flights, however are really sane without small people. We even scored an exit row.

Our Southwest flight attendant on the way there was the next Wayne Brady. More than once we felt that we were on Whose Line is it Anyway. And this is the benefit of Southwest. They know that you are flying the bus and they do their best to make it easier.

Landing in John Wayne was nice if confusing. The airport where I spent my college years seems even more crowded. And seems they've added experience dining as well it seems. Neat, but we had to find the rental car and drive to our hotel. Going wrinkled and rumpled to visit the family was not in the cards.

The hotel was in a bizarre zoning area of Placentia that involved mobile homes, homes and a Denny's. Behind us was a campus of office buildings. Inside it was lovely and there was a jacuzzi tub in our room. All in all, acceptable.

The country club turned out to be my family's usual choice in such venues. Our Nissan Maxima, while sneered at by our Budget rental car agent, fit in quite well. It's not really all that snobbish. Anything near a golfing green will do it for them. The food was okay, the chance to see everyone was phenomenal. Everyone was in a fairly good mood.