Then Goes Out for a Cup of Tea

Already barely a month has gone by, and I can feel all this change. Crazy.
Another poor intro into the ski season. These are not fun times. The plan was that I would be on my own...with the ski team...for T-day (again), and the kids and Sarah would spend the time with her Dad and all those who made it to Bellingham. Turns out, I was able to spend my time with them.
It all started with some business we had to attend (Molly, and her minor surgery) in Ephrata, so we were there at the top of the week. The kids enjoyed the drive, and were happy to find things to do in the "Ephrata house" -mostly involving sleeping bags, soccer ball, and rough housing. I broke another pole tip on a workout. That nixed workouts for a while. Birthday dinner was at Don's, just Sarah and I, as the kids watched Wall-e with a sitter. Ethan received his first Leggo's. They are a Rebel Alliance "scout transport", and an Imperial transporter. He has not ventured into creating new vehicles, but he has found the joy in destroying them. These are small ships- with few pieces, still we are finding ways to loose parts.
On the way to Bellingham, we stopped at Auntie Bekah, and Joh's. The kids like that visit, and expect it when we descend into Issaquah from Snoqualmie. There, we broadened their minds with exposure to the Thanksgiving Charlie Brown specials. The next day, we ferried Bekah to Bellingham with us.
T-day was a full house at Nat and Donna's. Ethan (especially) and Rileigh enjoyed having "cousin Sky" to play with. I enjoyed having energy burned off and I could sit back and not have to do anything. Also, I think the kids really benefited from mingling with that side of the family-the music seemed to impress them. Rileigh, more than Ethan, seemed enthralled when the piano, guitars, and banjo were played. -She may be the musician... we will just have to see.
The last day, saw us "loafing" around until after mid day (which is perfect day after Thanksgiving planning). That led to a short excursion to Fairhaven, where Gramma Donna was showing some of her art, and the kids perused the cool toy store. We also experienced the rain of Whatcom County. I think that is the wettest area of the Northwest. Right up there with the Hoh rain forest. -just a complete wetness, it does not rain hard, but somehow it is really soaking.
Then it was drive home, with a overnight stay in the "Ephrata house". From this I learned that the kids need to get better at unpacking. Riles changed shoes three times, and attempted two outfit changes during the unpacking today. Somehow she just could not understand that unpacking is not a shoe changing scenario. Whatever you have on is fine! Actually don't change, as you may get dirty, thus changing will occur after the unpacking is over. She could not understand why the vein was popping on Dad's forehead. "What's his deal?" "I am unpacking! sheesh! Just let me get on my red shoes." At least that was the tone, and the looks I was getting. Meanwhile, Ethan took each trip out to the van and back as a race, but seemed to forget that the purpose for going out to the van was to pick stuff up and bring it inside. He was also easily distracted with the remnants of snow, the glider riders, his Mach-5 hot wheel, etc.
Grammie did the cooking for us tonight. We went over and had some "left overs" there. I guess we are really utilizing our resources.
I need somethin' to slow me down.

Pull Yourself Back Together

-I'm away from the family for the weekend. I came to Denver to work on my ski frame and seat with Joe at Aspen Seating. Tomorrow I head to Park City to do some phisiology testing with the ski team. Then home on Monday evening. presently it feels like a long weekend. I guess I get to go to Ephrata when I get home.

-Friday with Joe was productive. Never the less, it is only a step. That means: I have something that will work, but there are still things to do to make it better. As these days usually go, there was a lot of talk, networking, and ideas thrown around. I talked with a guy who has been on the disabled alpine team, and I was able to discuss issues that go with being a disabled athlete and such. I also talked with Kendra some, and it would be nice if i could solidify some of the things we talked about, but I am not optomistic. And of cousre Joe and I discussed my seat, the frame, disabled sports equipment, Minnesota summers on the lake, and the state of disabled sports equipment development and competition.

The road may not be all that long, still I am weary.

Cmon sort your trash

Went back to the raging metropolis of Ephrata this past weekend. -The booming cultural and economic titan of the Northwest. I'm not sure if our readers were aware of Ephrata's stature, and I must say that the community does a fine job camouflaging their success. None the less, I hold fast to my inclination, as it is the County Seat, and that means the Internet is fast fast fast!
Anyway, the kids were glad to see Chesty, Sam, and Molly. And I think the cats and dog appreciated us invading their serenity. I wish we had a place to keep them over here. Rileigh was more gentle with Chester, and he let her hold him. But then there was also the incident, where she thought she could carry him, and she kinda started to lose her grip, and he started to struggle, which ended in a little claw mishap. With the clawing and the biting and the crying, and the running and the jumping, a-hey. Nothing serious, but feelings were hurt some, and the progress which had been made, took a few steps back. There also seemed to be a big push to go to the "toy store" (which is kid code for Walley World). Why they got so attached to that store, I will never know. In the end, they were ready to head back to "the condo" -directly.
The kids and I are ready for a little more snow. But their concept and mine are different in many ways. This is OK with me ....and them.... but so far we have only been enticed by a light dusting and cool pictures from "THE" Halsted family.
I have reinforced my "bunker" (of sorts), with the results from the poles, and from letters to the editor in the local paper. I am not talking about the obligatory physical bunker, which comes when we start building our house. See, living in Idaho comes with some stipulations, and more are tacked on for Northern Idaho, or "The Panhandle" for short. Building permits are not handed out for free! Oh no, there are some requirements that go along before they get approved. One is the bunker, but as I said, we won't get ours until spring. No, I started this topic -before you got me off on that unnecessary tangent- with my personality bunker. Think Pink Floyd if I am losing you. Anyway, keep up with me here, you're built too low, things keep flying over your head! We are part of about 30% of the Idaho population (the ones that voted anyway). Also there were a few items on the ballot that required a little sharing of funds for the "good" of the population. Well, we were in the minority with those issues as well. Then there was a local issue, where a council person wanted to get a community pool/sport complex going. That was nixed emphatically, with the reasoning that we the people don't have $20 to waste, a year, on such frivolous political trivialities. So, I tallied that up, made some assessments, and put another brick in the wall ...so to speak. I have to be careful though, because walls are not always a good thing. I build up misconceptions about a person before I meet them, and soon there will be no bridging the gap. And all because I made some opinions about someone before I get to know them. I can't assume that I am the minority and that everyone is out to get me because of it. For example, someone could have voted against the sport complex, but is not adamantly opposed, they just did not feel it necessary. It is just easier to hunker down, than to open up and work things out.

You've Got to Pick Up the Pieces

I love how daylight savings time comes and goes, and the kids could care less. Where does the free hour go? We certainly do not get the benefit of it. I had to explain it to Rileigh this morning, but I know it did not sink in. I recognize the look. Oh, and I know, time is not something easily grasped. Especially when we put artificial values to it. So, Rileigh and I used up some time, that just blew away in the wind with that hour we deposited last spring and were supposed to reap this morning.
For Halloween, we helped Grandpa answer the door. Ethan enjoyed the job immensely. He jumped up at every ring and knock. However, he was a bit stingy, in that he gave each bag one piece of candy. So we had to help him with his dispersal. Riles was not impressed with the masks and costumes. Having said that, she was interested enough to view from behind a few people: peeking from around corners, and people. Safely viewing the visitors from behind the shield of others, and walls.