Although I wholeheartedly apply the FreeRangeKids lifestyle at home, I can't help but find my heart in my throat today. Today, 27 elementary school kids were killed by two gunmen in CT, making it the worst (by #s) school massacre in history. While these incidents are rare and the news tends to overly report on them when they do occur, it's the first one I've heard of since Jonathan has been in school. So, my brain started to wander, and I realized that I don't know what the school's emergency (for any emergency) plans would be. I know they have had practice drills, but I don't know how the parents play into the school plans. If this had been his school, I don't know how/where/when I would have found him. Very sobering. And, now do I talk about it with Jonathan; not sure there's much to discuss with him, unless they talked about it in school first.
On a lighter note, Elise and I visited the zoo today. We had the whole place basically to ourselves. We were so bundled up that Elise couldn't actually climb on things and had a hard time getting up when she fell down. But we were warm! She rode the dolphin on the carousel. We heard one wolf howl and the other three chime in; it was cool. She told me that "Jonathan has a donkey, mom. It's his stuffed animal on his bunkbed." She wanted to see the reindeer (aren't any), elephant (statue), donkey (for Jonathan), alligator, peacocks/hens (found 2 small feathers for J), and bears (which weren't out). She still isn't a big fan of the pteredon in the reptile house. Mildly successful, but the girl sure did run her heart out.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
2012_12_10 Monday
I spent last evening getting Jonathan's old Tag Jr reading device transferred to Elise and updated. I gave it to her today at breakfast. And, she was shocked that it said, "Hi, Elise" (or whatever). That's all she can talk about when she's playing with it: Mommy, it knows my name! She's figuring out that the machine scans over the book to read to her -- sure didn't take her long to figure that out.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
2012_12_08 Saturday
Gosh, it's been awhile! It's hard to believe that life is calming down now as we ramp up for Christmas! After the Superstorm came a nor'easter, then Thanksgiving roadtrips, and another snow"storm" (which I'd call more of a sprinkling). Dave was also in ATL for some of those times. I'll have to backfill the blog once I upload pictures.
Today, Santa and Mrs Claus came to town via fire engine. We waved them in, and then the kids sat on his lap for a short chat. Elise seemed to be in awe, but she was fully on board. Then we came home; Jonathan and I decorated our false holly shrub that Dave plans on planting in our yard in the spring. We put a bunch of old, family balls into vases to display around the first floor and hung less fragile things on the shrub. I discovered that the dough ornaments have molded and broken apart; I presume from wetness in the basement (outright water or dampness). He and Jonathan also hung lights outside (a first in the Hardwick household). In fact, they are off to my favorite box store to get more.
Today, Santa and Mrs Claus came to town via fire engine. We waved them in, and then the kids sat on his lap for a short chat. Elise seemed to be in awe, but she was fully on board. Then we came home; Jonathan and I decorated our false holly shrub that Dave plans on planting in our yard in the spring. We put a bunch of old, family balls into vases to display around the first floor and hung less fragile things on the shrub. I discovered that the dough ornaments have molded and broken apart; I presume from wetness in the basement (outright water or dampness). He and Jonathan also hung lights outside (a first in the Hardwick household). In fact, they are off to my favorite box store to get more.
Monday, November 12, 2012
2012_11_12 Monday
Best day in two weeks: we have full power restored again. I turned every light on; set the fridge on max; ran the dishwasher, and did a little dance.
Elise told me, as I was changing her diaper, "Mom, Opa ate deer poop!" Opa teased the kids at the Barony when we found deer poop, and it apparently stuck with Elise!
Off to stock the fridge before I head out of town.
In an attempt to forget about Charlotte's Web and death, I thought Stone Fox would be a great distraction. Ugh, not so. I actually welled up and my voice cracked when the [spoiler alert] dog drops dead and the boy carries him across the finish line. Woah, was that a tear jerker. I've got to get a grip on good bedtime stories!!
Elise told me, as I was changing her diaper, "Mom, Opa ate deer poop!" Opa teased the kids at the Barony when we found deer poop, and it apparently stuck with Elise!
Off to stock the fridge before I head out of town.
In an attempt to forget about Charlotte's Web and death, I thought Stone Fox would be a great distraction. Ugh, not so. I actually welled up and my voice cracked when the [spoiler alert] dog drops dead and the boy carries him across the finish line. Woah, was that a tear jerker. I've got to get a grip on good bedtime stories!!
Friday, November 9, 2012
2012_11_09 Friday
The nor'easter snow is basically melted now. The storm was unpleasant, and the backyard neighbors left their flood lights, so I saw every stinkin' flake and wind. No damage anywhere that I could see. I took the kids outside at 5pm last night to get some energy out; they loved it. Jonathan tried to build a snowman and snow angels.
Today, temps are warming, which is bad for my outdoor refrigerator system. BUT, neighbors stopped an electric co. pick-up truck to 'report' our electricity problem. After explaining it to them (repeatedly) and them denying it was their issue to fix, and even telling me I was pointing to a telephone wire (!!), they finally saw the wire (with binoculars!) and issued a work order. Then, they backtracked about how hard it was to see that wire and that it was wrapped incorrectly so it looked like part of the street light, etc. etc. Maybe theirs will be more of a priority than what I called in. Or maybe it won't...who knows.
Last night, Jonathan and I finished up Charlotte's Web. Great book, but not at 9pm on a school night. He was pretty upset that [spoiler alert] Charlotte dies. Rather than harping on her dying, I tried to focus on what a good friend she was to Wilbur. Poor kid was pretty sad going to bed. Our local community theater did a casting call for K-9 grader for the play recently. I want to see if they got enough Ks and see the production in early Feb. Better that than watching a movie version!
Today, temps are warming, which is bad for my outdoor refrigerator system. BUT, neighbors stopped an electric co. pick-up truck to 'report' our electricity problem. After explaining it to them (repeatedly) and them denying it was their issue to fix, and even telling me I was pointing to a telephone wire (!!), they finally saw the wire (with binoculars!) and issued a work order. Then, they backtracked about how hard it was to see that wire and that it was wrapped incorrectly so it looked like part of the street light, etc. etc. Maybe theirs will be more of a priority than what I called in. Or maybe it won't...who knows.
Last night, Jonathan and I finished up Charlotte's Web. Great book, but not at 9pm on a school night. He was pretty upset that [spoiler alert] Charlotte dies. Rather than harping on her dying, I tried to focus on what a good friend she was to Wilbur. Poor kid was pretty sad going to bed. Our local community theater did a casting call for K-9 grader for the play recently. I want to see if they got enough Ks and see the production in early Feb. Better that than watching a movie version!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
2012_11_07 Wednesday
Life is slowly returning to nearly-normal:
We actually only have partial power right now. We have heat and hot water; we have lights; we have some outlets (1/2 of the living room and kitchen, and none in the master and basement); we have the microwave, a small college fridge, and our large freezer. We do not have power to the stove, the refrigerator, the disposal (although I ran an extension cord to fire it up b/c water/gunk was backing up), or the entire basement -- including sump pumps (which I jerryrigged to working outlets) and watering system -- nor any lights/heat in the master bedroom (I'm sleeping on a fold-out couch in the guest room! gee is that uncomfortable. Sorry, past guests!!!) or power to the front porch fan or outside lights. I realized that we do have power in the den, but our ceiling fan/lights were turned out by the pulley rather than by the power switch, so I had thought there was no power in there (still no TV, though). doh.
I had been meaning to clean out the fridge/freezer for awhile, so I did that yesterday (lovely furries growing in there!). Luckily, it's cold enough outside, that I can leave some things inside the front porch overnight.
Our neighbors are experiencing the same problems. I saw some power guys in town last night, and they said it must be a faulty connection to our house (and our neighbor's too), but don't expect it to be repaired for awhile since we do have some power. Power guys told our neighbors today that it's an internal problem. Our electrician said (over the phone and in person) it's an external problem. Gesh, I love the pass-the-buck going on here. We are now in the queue for the power guys to come back to hook up that one wire.
Jonathan went back to school today. His backpack was laden with papers from a week ago! Everyone gathered near the old stop today, so it was nice to see so many faces again. During breakfast, I told him about the election results (we all voted together yesterday), and he said: "Oma and Opa are probably really sad today, right?" What a smart kid.
Meanwhile, Elise and I raked all the leaves off the driveway and front yard. It's a massive pile, and we sure got our exercise for the day (and we found a dead bird!) At the end, it started snowing. Certainly, nothing to accumulate, but enough to see.
One nice thing about all this is that we've spoken to our neighbors more in the past two weeks than in four years! We've built a little community because of the storm.
We actually only have partial power right now. We have heat and hot water; we have lights; we have some outlets (1/2 of the living room and kitchen, and none in the master and basement); we have the microwave, a small college fridge, and our large freezer. We do not have power to the stove, the refrigerator, the disposal (although I ran an extension cord to fire it up b/c water/gunk was backing up), or the entire basement -- including sump pumps (which I jerryrigged to working outlets) and watering system -- nor any lights/heat in the master bedroom (I'm sleeping on a fold-out couch in the guest room! gee is that uncomfortable. Sorry, past guests!!!) or power to the front porch fan or outside lights. I realized that we do have power in the den, but our ceiling fan/lights were turned out by the pulley rather than by the power switch, so I had thought there was no power in there (still no TV, though). doh.
I had been meaning to clean out the fridge/freezer for awhile, so I did that yesterday (lovely furries growing in there!). Luckily, it's cold enough outside, that I can leave some things inside the front porch overnight.
Our neighbors are experiencing the same problems. I saw some power guys in town last night, and they said it must be a faulty connection to our house (and our neighbor's too), but don't expect it to be repaired for awhile since we do have some power. Power guys told our neighbors today that it's an internal problem. Our electrician said (over the phone and in person) it's an external problem. Gesh, I love the pass-the-buck going on here. We are now in the queue for the power guys to come back to hook up that one wire.
Jonathan went back to school today. His backpack was laden with papers from a week ago! Everyone gathered near the old stop today, so it was nice to see so many faces again. During breakfast, I told him about the election results (we all voted together yesterday), and he said: "Oma and Opa are probably really sad today, right?" What a smart kid.
Meanwhile, Elise and I raked all the leaves off the driveway and front yard. It's a massive pile, and we sure got our exercise for the day (and we found a dead bird!) At the end, it started snowing. Certainly, nothing to accumulate, but enough to see.
One nice thing about all this is that we've spoken to our neighbors more in the past two weeks than in four years! We've built a little community because of the storm.
Monday, November 5, 2012
2012_11_05 Monday
Around 8pm tonight, power finally came back on at home!! Of course, it was way too late for us to head home, but we'll pack everything up in the AM and head back. It's been a fun week:
Jonathan and I have been playing with numbers a lot, though: we went bowling today; we play war and solitaire cards; and he/Elise/Oma/Opa made chocolate chip cookies -- all with a focus on math and numbers before/after. We also went ice skating yesterday and talked about how slippery the ice is and watched/discussed the Zamboni afterward. He had a lot of fun slipping and sliding on the ice. After our bowling adventure, he decided that he'd like to go ice skating again first, then bowling. A trip to the Arboretum got some energy out but the Creamery refueled him with lots of sugar. He helped Opa recycle and earned a quarter for his help. Plus, we spend each day outside climbing trees, examining fossils, kicking milkweed pods, and searching for deer footprints.
While we aren't looking forward to leaving, it's time, and we do need to get home to get back into our normal life routine at some point!
Jonathan and I have been playing with numbers a lot, though: we went bowling today; we play war and solitaire cards; and he/Elise/Oma/Opa made chocolate chip cookies -- all with a focus on math and numbers before/after. We also went ice skating yesterday and talked about how slippery the ice is and watched/discussed the Zamboni afterward. He had a lot of fun slipping and sliding on the ice. After our bowling adventure, he decided that he'd like to go ice skating again first, then bowling. A trip to the Arboretum got some energy out but the Creamery refueled him with lots of sugar. He helped Opa recycle and earned a quarter for his help. Plus, we spend each day outside climbing trees, examining fossils, kicking milkweed pods, and searching for deer footprints.
While we aren't looking forward to leaving, it's time, and we do need to get home to get back into our normal life routine at some point!
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