Archive for the ‘Life List’ Category

22 Mar

Life List: Go to Disney World With My Mom and the Kids

Posted by jaysaint in family travel, Life List. Tagged: .

Writing this one up was a long time coming. We did this last fall, when life was flying at me pretty fast and I was flush up against a total writting logjam.

The whole trip, that whole season, was one long lesson in how there are plans and there is what happens. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

In the run-up to the trip I said the same thing to everyone who asked: “I’m looking forward to watching my kids at Disney. And I’m looking forward to watching my Mom watch my kids at Disney.” I made enormous emotional and financial investments to make it happen.

We had a great trip, but it was not the trip I anticipated.

It was hotter than we thought it would be. Herding both kids proved a big challenge. Elliot was not impressed. Mom didn’t like the crowds or the waits. The best way to cope was often to leave Elliot and Mom to play at the hotel (which was fantastic) while Damon and I took Alden on rides.

It is possible that both Alden and my Mom’s favorite part was riding the monorail. They had a routine down where she would act confused as to when it would start and where it was going, allowing him to guide and reassure her. They had lengthy debates about whether it had wheels (It does. He was right, he would like you to know.). We did many recreational circuits, Alden perched on the back of the seats.

It is possible that my favorite part was the day Mom kept both kids and let me and Damon run around Epcot Center and ride big-kid rides together.

So no, not at all what I imagined.

I did manage, though, to let go of what I was hoping for and enjoy what I was getting.

Also, indulge me in a little before-and-after:

Disney World, February 2009

 

Disney World, September 2010

2009

2010

6 Nov

Life List: Get a Fish Tank

Posted by jaysaint in Life List. Tagged: , , .

All it took was one afternoon out with Alden, sans Damon’s supervision.

When I was a little girl my dad put a huge saltwater fish tank in my room. It sat up on high wrought iron legs and had to hold at least 75 gallons. We had seahorses and starfish, along with clown fish and angel fish and other fish I could never identify.

Now I do know the difference between my dad’s skill level and my own. He had a deft touch with living things. All his plants were lush and happy. Sometimes my coworkers come take my office plants away to give them a break from me.

So the other day Alden and I went out to pick him up some new winter pants. We went to Once Upon a Child and snapped up a ton of cords (There are always lots of cords. I am the only one who wants them.) but were still feeling frisky. So on the way home I was looking around for something interesting and then up on our right came Fins and Skins. One hour later we drove off with a 10-gallon tank, some pretty rocks, a fake ship wreck and one goldfish.

So far little White Orange (as Alden insists this is his name) seems content, although I fear he’s lonely. If he continues to not die I will get him a goldfish companion.

Although, when I fed him today he was kind of… non-responsive. Maybe he was sleeping?

Also, having a goldfish is a pain in the ass when you’re going out of town.

18 Sep

Life List: Progress Report

Posted by jaysaint in Life List, Uncategorized. Tagged: .

That c25K program that I’m supposed to start Monday? Yeah, , I need to talk to you about that.

We’re friends here, right? Promise you won’t try too hard to picture me if I tell you I have a raging infection in both eyes. Odds are middling that I’ll even be able to leave the house as soon as Monday, and nil that I can go get my running shoes by then. One week deferral?

I’ve never had pinkeye, corneal scratch, detatched retina, or anything else occular I can muster. Why now? Who knows? I place the blame on preschool. What I do know for sure is that it’s gross and when Damon sees me standing in the shadows (which is always since the light hurts my eyes) he says I look like a vampire or a demon.

There are two other Life List items pending. The herb garden, I confess, is dead. I did grow the herbs, but then I got discouraged when I learned that the cilantro has such a short life. And more discouraged when I started harvesting basil leaves and soon wound up with a little stick plant. I did something wrong there.

It leads to the question: How do I consider an item on my list complete? I know I don’t think I did the garden thing properly. I think I need to start over and trust that I’ll know when it’s accomplished.

As for the recipes, I have a documentation issue. I started by just recording the recipe, the cookbook, and the date. That’s not very satisfying. Do I take a picture of each one? Do I record who ate with me? Tell a story? I don’t know.