Month: September 2007

On the way to work, I knit for about 45 minutes and I listened to the iPod for about 5 minutes. Jeremy said that I should take his noise canceling headphones and use them, but I just felt foolish with all these wires swirling around my shirt. I did not find it compelling. On the way home, I had the company of a coworker and we chatted almost the whole commute.

I’m afraid of the iPod. Everyone I’ve talked to about the long commute has told me to get an iPod and listen to podcasts. I just think of it as one more thing to charge and keep track of. I had my knitting plan, I was going to knit on the train. That was feasible on the way down – I got a seat – no problem. On the way back, it was SRO, so I couldn’t do anything. Jeremy even spent some time today downloading knitting podcasts for me. I guess I’ll have to try it tomorrow.

Did I mention that my commute is 90 minutes each way? I know it’s kind of crazy, but I’m assured that in 2 years, I should be able to work from home. That’s what I’m counting on as I have committed myself to getting up at 5 am for the next 2 years. So today, I practiced getting up at 5 am by volunteering to be a course marshal for the local half marathon.

This was my intersection, these are my cones, that’s my police dude. We blocked traffic at this intersection (mile 7.5) for about one hour and 15 minutes. I got to wear an orange vest and wave a red flag. Groovy. I’ve never volunteered for a race before, it’s really organized. I showed up at 6 am, got directions to my intersection and got a detailed sheet with cone placement diagrams and a timing schedule. We got the cones out 1 minute before the first runner and the cones were stowed right after the last runner and 30 seconds later a truck appeared to take the cones (and my orange vest) away.

Vince wailed again at having to go to Chinese school. We tried to bribe him with a trip to McDonalds and ice cream afterwards. Did not make it any less painful.

Edda had a great time at Sunday night dinner, I don’t know what was up, but she giggled all night up until 9pm when she finally fell asleep.

The new camera I got for my birthday actually has fewer megapixels than the point and shoot camera I’ve been using for the past 2 years, but it has many, many more buttons and more controls. I know this means I have more control over how I take pictures, but it also means that I am much more likely to take bad pictures. I think we took about 300 photos today, mostly of Edda and the dog and only after I downloaded them all to the computer did I realize I overexposed 90% of them. Oh well, there is much to learn.

One of my favorite features is that I can hold the shutter button down and it will just keep taking 2.5 pictures a second.

It was beautiful weather here, 70 and windy. We took out kite out for a spin. Spent 15 minutes flying and 30 minutes untangling string.

I also went to 2 Rett Syndrome events today. One was a kick off meeting for the stroll-a-thon in Fairfax, VA on October 21 and another was a dinner/gala/silent auction/casino where I learned how to play craps – kind of. It’s been a long day.

Happy birthday to me! I’m getting to be a pretty big number, it’s a little scary. Jeremy made a blueberry crunch coffeecake for me last night and ran out early this morning for vanilla ice cream, so we celebrated at 7:30 am right before the kids left for school. I got a new camera – funded by my parents, my in-laws and Jeremy. Thanks for the gift, I hope it repays itself in some nice pictures here on the blog.

Once the kids were off safely (Vince had to run to catch the bus, it’s been coming early for a few days now), Jeremy and I walked on the C&O canal and talked about how our leisurely life is coming to an end. My commute is 90 minutes each way, I’m going to be away from the house a lot starting Monday. Jeremy is still freaking me out by asking each day, “so tell me again, when does Vince’s bus come?”

He made me arroz con pollo for dinner.

Today we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. Some of the other Jewish holidays have a dark undertone which I don’t find very festive, but the new year is just full of good wishes for the upcoming year. Jeremy is half Jewish through his father’s side, so that makes him a non-Jew because one’s Jewishness is claimed through the maternal line. But I take what I can get, I count the kids as 1/4 Jew, so we celebrated in our own way.

This kids had no school today because of Rosh Hashanah. There is a large Jewish population here – I grew up attending a number of bar mitzvahs. I wonder why we don’t get Chinese New Year off – certainly there are the same number of Chinese as Jews here. Oh well, what do I know?

Started the day with pancakes. (Not a Jewish tradition, just a Kappa tradition.)

Then we went to the river for a morning hike. Apparently throwing pebbles into running water symbolizes casting away ones sins. Jeremy, Vince and I threw many stones trying to skip them across the surface of the water. Edda threw one tiny stone.

Then you are suppose to eat apples dipped in honey – this symbolizes a sweet new year. Vince wanted to change it to apples dipped in peanut butter. I wonder if this mean we are in for a nutty new year?

We feel much better today. I walked a little bit outside in the beautiful weather. Jeremy spent all afternoon chopping, dicing, mixing, boiling and spicing making the most fabulous Indian dinner – all vegetarian to boot! The dishes included aloo gobi, a cauliflower dish much mentioned in the highly entertaining movie Bend it Like Beckham. In the film, the mom wants her daughter to give up playing soccer and learn to make aloo gobi like a proper Indian woman.

I am wrapping up my duties as a stay-at-home mom because as of Monday I join the masses in the morning commute. I just have a few more of Edda’s therapy sessions that I can personally attend. I really enjoy watching Edda’s relationship with her therapists grow as well as my own fondness for people who are dedicated (and patient) in finding the best in Edda and nurturing her skills and talents.

Yes, she’s not thrilled about the tape on her hands, but she can push it, especially on the linoleum.

We’ve got the grumps. Bah humbug! Come back tomorrow.