Elspeth's Desert

Photography by Elspeth (we lost the cord to her camera, and it is proprietary, so we have finally caved and let her use ours - with supervision and a cord attached).

Startling but unrelated truths

Addie sometimes talks in a voice that sounds familiar. I just placed it. It is the voice of Stuart, the annoying re-occurring sketch on Mad TV (I don't know if they still have it or not).

I just took some trash out (3:45) and was pleasantly surprised that the heat didn't about strip my skin off. I am going to let the girls play outside, it feels reasonable. I also just looked at the thermometer, it is 96 degrees out. Our coolest day yet, but still, have I already gotten to a place where 96 feels cool?!?!

Week 1

Locked the kids out in the elements with no water

Got a note from the IRS that we owe them $1,200 for 2007 taxes

Dog nearly died after eating entire bottle of pills

Subaru is making signs that it will follow mechanics prediction of eminent failure.

Despite it all, I am having a good week. As Michele pointed out, if I hadn't locked the kids out, I wouldn't have known Gretchen when I needed hydrogen peroxide NOW to induce vomiting on dog (which the vet firmly credits for saving dog). The kids are happily preparing a surprise party for Jeremy (don't tell him until after 5:00 our time tonight ;0), I am blogging.

After nearly 3 weeks of not being able to communicate with anyone outside my home, I hooked up VOIP (thanks to my brother in law who is nicer to me that I deserve) today. I got my first phone call this morning, from Robin letting us know the arrival and departure times for their trip to visit (yeah, ETHAN AND MAX ARE COMING!!).

Holly and I took a walk this week. It started to rain, I Know because it was hitting my head and shoulders. But it is so dry and hot in the desert, not one rain drop made a mark on the pavement. That is dry. The rain can't make it to the ground. If the temp is in the upper nineties, it is so dry, you are cold coming out of the pool. It is so dry, we get temp indexes LOWER than actual temps in the summer (temp 92, feels like 87). That NEVER happens in the midwest, at least until it is cold.

So some bad things happened this week. Really good things are happening too.

The Score

Elspeth starts creative dance tomorrow, she gave us a preview. She is creative. Whether they will call it dance . . .
We were so excited to wake up to a steady rain one morning. I let the girls go out and play in their PJs. Addie really got into the spirit of things.

They made me a hot tub. Elspeth said she washed her hands and feet in it. She didn't understand why I carried her straight to the bath tub . . .

We got a family membership to the Sonoran Desert Museum (its a zoo, but they don't like to be called that). The Red Bird of Paradise are beautiful in the field pictured above.
Addie was more interested in the flaps to get into the hummingbird aviary, than any of the actual hummingbirds.
Elspeth models her sun hat and sun glasses, we don't go anywhere without them these days.
These photos are not doctored. That is the color of our backyard at sun set. We keep the house closed so tightly, we missed this at first. Now we know to start opening up around 5:30 to catch the show.

Which brings me to today. Jeremy started today. I don't think he will get to do much in behavioral health, this is the cattle call orientation for all new employees. He is probably hearing a lot about health care choices and where to park.

Since this is my first day flying solo, I have recalled that Jeremy's first day at home with the girls was fantastic. I don't like to keep score, but, well I have felt the pressure to equal his first day (don't ask him about day 2).

What I have done right:
1 - I set the timer for 1 hour of free play so I could get some boxes unpacked. That way, I called an end to free play before the girls crashed and burned. They are still excited to have the toys back after 14 weeks of respite, they loved it.

2 - Went to the pool this morning. I haven't heard a peep from their room in over an hour, pool = nap.

3 - I fed them a nutritious and balanced lunch.

What I have done wrong:

1 - After we left the house for the pool. I locked up (good), I started the car to get the air conditioner going because it was in the upper 90s (still good). I heard the cooler of water bottles I was taking for post-pool drinks hit the lock as I was getting in and thought to myself, the car has just locked, be sure to unlock it before you get back out to let the girls inside. I stepped out of the car, and the door slid closed behind me (bad, very very bad). I walked around the car to make sure ALL the locks had engaged (they had). Locked outside in the upper 90s with no water and no way to get into either my house or my car (phone locked in car). We started knocking on doors until we met Gretchen. Who smiled, let the kids pillage her 8 year old sons room while I called AAA, and gave us each a cold bottle of water for the wait. For the record. When it gets that hot, AAA will try to rush the call if you mention the small children. Before that, you are just the stupid woman who locked her keys in her running car, THEY are innocent bystanders.

2 - Despite Holly's clear signals that she needed to go OUT, I thought I could get Addie down before I took the dog out. I was wrong. At least we still have a carpet cleaner.

3 - I meant to give them baths before nap, but we were late to the pool, late to lunch, and late to nap. I was in danger of missing my window. But my saving grace is I haven't changed their sheets yet today, so at least they are greasing up the dirty sheets that I will pull off after nap. I am going to have to figure out a plan B, or give up some of my ideas about clean. The desert is dusty and dirty. If I bath them after the pool, but before the walk up to the neighborhood park at dusk, they are filthy. Actually, so am I. I have scrubbed my tub 2 times a day for 3 days, but I can't get rid of the perfect footprint in the bottom of the tub. Because it is so perfect, it is obvious that it is mine and not Jeremy's. The desert may not be the place for open toe. I am going to start polling the other moms at the playground about how to get things CLEAN again. . .

So, am I winning?

On the fence? I tried to "educate" my older child about how we live in the Sonoran Desert. She took this well, I thought. Today she asked me if our friend Ethan was going to visit us in the "Snoring Desert." *sigh*

Don't Cry Because it's Over, Smile Because it Happened.

Quote (title) attributed to Dr. Seuss.





















We are in recovery. Coming off our most bittersweet summer. We got to live with some of our dearest friends (I still catch myself thinking, I'll ask Sylvia about that next time I see her whenever I find something I would like to mull over with someone). We got to spend time with our church, we got to celebrate people we love.

We miss everyone.

Whenever I catch myself feeling sad, I remember how lucky I am that we got to spend all those years in such a great community. We are not unlucky to have left, we are blessed that we got to be there at all.

Road Show