I spent a lot of time the other night reading up on the Gilded Age because I was thinking about writing up a political post. Found I don’t quite have the stamina to wade into that right now.
Instead, Chris and I spent a Kate-free weekend at home. Because Zipcar has removed virtually all Zipcars south of I-90 and I was driving Kate up to her dad’s,in honor of the rare sunny weather, I chose a fun little Mini Cooper car from a U District location. Chris met up with me when I returned the car and we had a nice walk and dinner out before heading home together.
Saturday the weather couldn’t have been more different! Unfortunately arm and shoulder injury prevent me from doing many of the things I normally handle solo, so Chris had agreed to spend Saturday helping me get our yard in order before the HOA “make sure you’re up to code” spring deadline this week. The day was rainy, cold, and windy and not at all good weather for handling our landscaping plan but it couldn’t be helped and Pramas was such a good sport. He pushed heavy carts, ran the lawn mover and trimmer, carried heavy bags of mulch, pulled up old weed barrier fabric, and anything else I needed. We removed weeds and nuisance plants, laid new weed barrier, spread a bunch of bark. This morning I was able to remove my formerly beautiful trailing rosemary bush that died after the winter storms and trim back a few bushes and trees in the back yard before I ran out of time. Chris and I spent a couple of hours together, had a little brunch and then it was time to pick up Kate.
Despite my previously stated desire to go to Belize for my 40th birthday this year, in order to do that trip the way I would really want to do it we’d have to spend far more than I’m comfortable committing to this year. I talked it over with Chris today and we’re going to spend our saved vacation money on putting in a proper patio and a barbecue so we can enjoy our house over the summer instead. Kate is only spending two weeks of her summer vacation (and not even consecutive weeks) with her dad this year and aside from Chris heading to Book Expo in a couple of weeks we personally have no convention travel booked until GenCon. I don’t don’t want to be all smarmy and say we’re planning a “stay-cation” but that does seem to be how it’s shaping up and I’m plenty happy with that. Belize can wait until I can do it the way I really want to do it.
i love the idea of a “stay-cation”… time with your SO, time to do all those projects that always seem to get back-burnered…
congrats on the accomplishments and quality time!
i love the idea of a “stay-cation”… time with your SO, time to do all those projects that always seem to get back-burnered…
congrats on the accomplishments and quality time!
It is similar for me and my “soon-to-be-wed-but-we-still-don’t-have-a-fixed-date-fiancee”. We have bought a house in February and have just moved into it.
We are living out of cardboxes, there is no kitchen (the agent making an offer will come on Friday), the garden is a jungle (and we can’t cut down trees until the end of September), our bathroom on the ground floor still needs to be constructed, the stairs to the roof, the roof floor needs to be insulated, the oven will be installed in June. Overall everything is in chaos. But… it is OUR chaos (we were living in a rented roof appartment before, that heated up during summer time to astounding temperatures where candles hung their heads), and the time spent on making things better together really forges our relationship.
I have tons of books, comics and board games. They are all in boxes in one room in the cellar (and fill the room to the ceiling). But I am totally content to let them wait there, until the place for them is ready (i.e. the roof, and that will take several months or even more than a year).
It is because the way together to get these things done is reward itself. Planting rapsberry bushes, seeding your first bed with salad and other vegetables. These accomplishments always come together with nearly back breaking heavy lifting and earth moving. But when you have done it, you stand before it together and say “Yes, this will become nice.” and you envision yourself picking these raspberrys and enjoying your own completely home-made salad.
For years (from 1996 on counting) I always wanted to go to GenCon, GenCon UK (and now PaizoCon or PaizoCon UK), but I always kept pushing it back. Because when I do this, I want it to be what I envision it. And that also means waiting for the right moment. Belize will come. And when it comes it will be how you want it to be.
It is similar for me and my “soon-to-be-wed-but-we-still-don’t-have-a-fixed-date-fiancee”. We have bought a house in February and have just moved into it.
We are living out of cardboxes, there is no kitchen (the agent making an offer will come on Friday), the garden is a jungle (and we can’t cut down trees until the end of September), our bathroom on the ground floor still needs to be constructed, the stairs to the roof, the roof floor needs to be insulated, the oven will be installed in June. Overall everything is in chaos. But… it is OUR chaos (we were living in a rented roof appartment before, that heated up during summer time to astounding temperatures where candles hung their heads), and the time spent on making things better together really forges our relationship.
I have tons of books, comics and board games. They are all in boxes in one room in the cellar (and fill the room to the ceiling). But I am totally content to let them wait there, until the place for them is ready (i.e. the roof, and that will take several months or even more than a year).
It is because the way together to get these things done is reward itself. Planting rapsberry bushes, seeding your first bed with salad and other vegetables. These accomplishments always come together with nearly back breaking heavy lifting and earth moving. But when you have done it, you stand before it together and say “Yes, this will become nice.” and you envision yourself picking these raspberrys and enjoying your own completely home-made salad.
For years (from 1996 on counting) I always wanted to go to GenCon, GenCon UK (and now PaizoCon or PaizoCon UK), but I always kept pushing it back. Because when I do this, I want it to be what I envision it. And that also means waiting for the right moment. Belize will come. And when it comes it will be how you want it to be.
That sounds awesome.
That sounds awesome.
OMG, Belize is one of the most beautiful countries. You may not go this year, but you definitely need to go soon.
Also if you’re going to go you’ll probably want to go cave tubing and that means not getting a crappy company. My wife and I went on our honeymoon and these guys rocked: http://www.cave-tubing.com/
Also if you get the time or chance go visit Isla Roatan off the Honduran coast. Half-moon bay has some of the best snorkeling and the Cannibal Cafe (and the little bungaloo hotel there) has amazing food. ^_^
OMG, Belize is one of the most beautiful countries. You may not go this year, but you definitely need to go soon.
Also if you’re going to go you’ll probably want to go cave tubing and that means not getting a crappy company. My wife and I went on our honeymoon and these guys rocked: http://www.cave-tubing.com/
Also if you get the time or chance go visit Isla Roatan off the Honduran coast. Half-moon bay has some of the best snorkeling and the Cannibal Cafe (and the little bungaloo hotel there) has amazing food. ^_^
I’d comment on your post, but I’m totally gobsmacked by the fact that you are turning 40 this year:)
I’d comment on your post, but I’m totally gobsmacked by the fact that you are turning 40 this year:)