Getting Home
The latter part was a bit more grueling than I had quite anticipated, but we're now home.
The boys had a great time playing in the morning with Grampa George, and Jet really knew it was the last morning for a while, so he had a blast and really tried hard to enjoy his time with George. That was very cool. John and I were then able to pack quite thoroughly. It was very odd to leave an immense amount of Stuff with the Eurovan and in our room at their house, but we managed to fill just one roll away bag that we'd bring back with the stuff we had to bring back.
A bit before noon, we went to the local Pho place for noodles and soup. I also had a Vietnamese iced coffee with plenty of sweetened, condensed milk. I need to do that at home, too, as I have a little Italian pressure pot that would be *great* over ice with plenty of the creamy canned stuff.
George was then quite nice and took us to the SeaTac airport in plenty of time. I was able to raid the Dilettante's stand and get some of their dark chocolate sauce for my mochas and ice cream. *happy sigh* I love things that are that *Seattle* to me, as the Dilettante which is an absolutely fabulous source for chocolates and desserts to die for.
The flight was good. The newest Alaska Airline plane, their 75th anniversary 737 was the new barebones type, no sound system as well as no video system and no movies for anyone. Just drinks and peanuts for anyone that wanted them. Jet resorted to crayons and paper airplane building for most of the flight and did just fine with it all. I'm glad he's learned to entertain himself in the car, while strapped into his seat, those same tactics worked here.
The luggage handling at DIA was, as usual, a bit nerve-wracking, when we had to catch a bus to Boulder. Things were, as usual, mildly delayed. They had one luggage load come in nearly as soon as we got there, so set up expectations that more would come, but only after a series of bathroom trips did the thing finally start up again, and our roller bag arrived. Jet's car seat was no where to be seen, there or on the ski racks, so I finally went to the oversize luggage area and asked, "Have the car seats come in from Seattle?"
The guy standing there said, "No. There's nothing."
Just as a guy walked in with a cart loaded with four car seats. Whew.
We made the bus. Got there as they were loading the luggage into the luggage compartment. When the driver was done loading up everyone that was there, he went into the bus and started collecting fares. Anyone that arrived after that had to wait for the next bus. So we got on at 7:30 Mountain time, and our tummys were just starting to rumble. After the hour-long bus ride, Jet was displaying all the tactics of a very hungry six-year-old, including everything from throwing his body back and forth while I was holding him to hiding his head under my arm when I wasn't.
There was only half an hour between our arrival and the bus going to Longmont from the Boulder Central station. Luckily, we were a bare block from the Pearl Street Mall, and the Flafel King was right around that particular corner. John and I got loaded gyros, Jet got lemonaide and pita bread without butter, as they didn't have any butter, but he ate like there was no tomorrow. We ate what we could, used the restroom as we were able, and then trotted back just in time for them to announce that our bus was about to load up. Whew.
We loaded up. Jet was much calmer and happier. He just sat in John's lap and they talked as they rode. For some reason my right eye's white had exploded into a very angry, irritated red while we were at the Flafel King (perhaps is had done so well before that, as my eyes had been irritated during the flight and I just hadn't had the time to look at them). It worried me.
But I couldn't do anything about it until after we were home, anyway. But it wasn't until 9:30 that we got to Longmont and they dropped us off across the street on the Diagonal from the Twin Peaks Mall. Nearly a mile and a half from home. John saw Jet and I and all our stuff off to the Diary Queen and then he started running for home. Jet and I got hot fudge sundaes and sat and talked for a bit. When we were done with the sundaes, a bit after 10, we walked out to the curb and because it was pretty cold out, he sat on my lap and I wrapped him up in my arms and he went, "Mmmm... you're warm." and he settled his little self against me and stayed warm and out of the wind.
A few minutes later John pulled up in the Passat with the windows Wide Open. Fast runner, that John.
Jet didn't get to sleep until nearly 11. I was exhausted, but I had to have a mug of herbal tea before I could settle. John then said that there seems to have been a high wind storm while we were gone, and, as a consequence, four of the six hanging tomato plants had snapped off right at the opening to the planter. Eek!
It was a little eerie, as the two planters just had nothing growing out of them any more. The third one now has big bushy plants that are quite happily hanging down and flowering, but the other two... nothing.
I was sad.
Those plants had probably been coming along since April, and I can't get that time back.
So, today, we went to the Farmer's Market and I found one of the organic farmers selling cherry tomato plants. It was hard to stomach the price, but I guess I *can* buy time when I have to. I just couldn't get *my* time back anymore. And while there are 30+ plants at the OUR center, none of them are going to fit in the planters anymore. *sigh* So we compromise and we'll see how these new, single plants work this summer.
But it was kind of a freak thing, and I'm not sure exactly what I could do to have prevented it as I would have thought they'd be fine even in a wind storm. Now, at least, I know.
Today was pretty quiet. We didn't even really get up and out until 10am, and then we all went to IHOP for breakfast, then did the Farmer's Market, and ended up at the grocery store. Then John got some time to write for tomorrow, and to help with the slide show he and the group that went to Biloxi are going to give tomorrow. Jet and I went with Tonya, Tanner, and Macy to the pool to cool off for a bit, and then I came home a bit earlier than the boys in order to spin and write and do pictures. I'll send some up to Flickr soon.
My eyes seem to be better now. Still mildly irritated, but with a Claritin look alike, they seem to be much better with sleep, food, and antihistime.
I'm supposed to be at a dinner party. *laughter* I'll see you. The next door neighbor is having a grilling, pick-up party, so I'll go eat...
The boys had a great time playing in the morning with Grampa George, and Jet really knew it was the last morning for a while, so he had a blast and really tried hard to enjoy his time with George. That was very cool. John and I were then able to pack quite thoroughly. It was very odd to leave an immense amount of Stuff with the Eurovan and in our room at their house, but we managed to fill just one roll away bag that we'd bring back with the stuff we had to bring back.
A bit before noon, we went to the local Pho place for noodles and soup. I also had a Vietnamese iced coffee with plenty of sweetened, condensed milk. I need to do that at home, too, as I have a little Italian pressure pot that would be *great* over ice with plenty of the creamy canned stuff.
George was then quite nice and took us to the SeaTac airport in plenty of time. I was able to raid the Dilettante's stand and get some of their dark chocolate sauce for my mochas and ice cream. *happy sigh* I love things that are that *Seattle* to me, as the Dilettante which is an absolutely fabulous source for chocolates and desserts to die for.
The flight was good. The newest Alaska Airline plane, their 75th anniversary 737 was the new barebones type, no sound system as well as no video system and no movies for anyone. Just drinks and peanuts for anyone that wanted them. Jet resorted to crayons and paper airplane building for most of the flight and did just fine with it all. I'm glad he's learned to entertain himself in the car, while strapped into his seat, those same tactics worked here.
The luggage handling at DIA was, as usual, a bit nerve-wracking, when we had to catch a bus to Boulder. Things were, as usual, mildly delayed. They had one luggage load come in nearly as soon as we got there, so set up expectations that more would come, but only after a series of bathroom trips did the thing finally start up again, and our roller bag arrived. Jet's car seat was no where to be seen, there or on the ski racks, so I finally went to the oversize luggage area and asked, "Have the car seats come in from Seattle?"
The guy standing there said, "No. There's nothing."
Just as a guy walked in with a cart loaded with four car seats. Whew.
We made the bus. Got there as they were loading the luggage into the luggage compartment. When the driver was done loading up everyone that was there, he went into the bus and started collecting fares. Anyone that arrived after that had to wait for the next bus. So we got on at 7:30 Mountain time, and our tummys were just starting to rumble. After the hour-long bus ride, Jet was displaying all the tactics of a very hungry six-year-old, including everything from throwing his body back and forth while I was holding him to hiding his head under my arm when I wasn't.
There was only half an hour between our arrival and the bus going to Longmont from the Boulder Central station. Luckily, we were a bare block from the Pearl Street Mall, and the Flafel King was right around that particular corner. John and I got loaded gyros, Jet got lemonaide and pita bread without butter, as they didn't have any butter, but he ate like there was no tomorrow. We ate what we could, used the restroom as we were able, and then trotted back just in time for them to announce that our bus was about to load up. Whew.
We loaded up. Jet was much calmer and happier. He just sat in John's lap and they talked as they rode. For some reason my right eye's white had exploded into a very angry, irritated red while we were at the Flafel King (perhaps is had done so well before that, as my eyes had been irritated during the flight and I just hadn't had the time to look at them). It worried me.
But I couldn't do anything about it until after we were home, anyway. But it wasn't until 9:30 that we got to Longmont and they dropped us off across the street on the Diagonal from the Twin Peaks Mall. Nearly a mile and a half from home. John saw Jet and I and all our stuff off to the Diary Queen and then he started running for home. Jet and I got hot fudge sundaes and sat and talked for a bit. When we were done with the sundaes, a bit after 10, we walked out to the curb and because it was pretty cold out, he sat on my lap and I wrapped him up in my arms and he went, "Mmmm... you're warm." and he settled his little self against me and stayed warm and out of the wind.
A few minutes later John pulled up in the Passat with the windows Wide Open. Fast runner, that John.
Jet didn't get to sleep until nearly 11. I was exhausted, but I had to have a mug of herbal tea before I could settle. John then said that there seems to have been a high wind storm while we were gone, and, as a consequence, four of the six hanging tomato plants had snapped off right at the opening to the planter. Eek!
It was a little eerie, as the two planters just had nothing growing out of them any more. The third one now has big bushy plants that are quite happily hanging down and flowering, but the other two... nothing.
I was sad.
Those plants had probably been coming along since April, and I can't get that time back.
So, today, we went to the Farmer's Market and I found one of the organic farmers selling cherry tomato plants. It was hard to stomach the price, but I guess I *can* buy time when I have to. I just couldn't get *my* time back anymore. And while there are 30+ plants at the OUR center, none of them are going to fit in the planters anymore. *sigh* So we compromise and we'll see how these new, single plants work this summer.
But it was kind of a freak thing, and I'm not sure exactly what I could do to have prevented it as I would have thought they'd be fine even in a wind storm. Now, at least, I know.
Today was pretty quiet. We didn't even really get up and out until 10am, and then we all went to IHOP for breakfast, then did the Farmer's Market, and ended up at the grocery store. Then John got some time to write for tomorrow, and to help with the slide show he and the group that went to Biloxi are going to give tomorrow. Jet and I went with Tonya, Tanner, and Macy to the pool to cool off for a bit, and then I came home a bit earlier than the boys in order to spin and write and do pictures. I'll send some up to Flickr soon.
My eyes seem to be better now. Still mildly irritated, but with a Claritin look alike, they seem to be much better with sleep, food, and antihistime.
I'm supposed to be at a dinner party. *laughter* I'll see you. The next door neighbor is having a grilling, pick-up party, so I'll go eat...