I have arrived
The trip up to Ellensburg was great. Bug & I talked the entire way, about everything from animals to dams to Lewis & Clark. I took every opportunity to explain things to him - and threw in some family lore when I could. I am sure that many of you have seen those road signs that read "Falling Rocks" or simply "Rocks." On the trip today, Bug asked me what the sign "Rocks" meant. My answer was a story my dad told my sisters and I on a road trip when we were little. It's not very PC, but it's family lore:
Well, Bug, you see - a very long time ago, there was a chief named Falling Rocks. He was traveling around with his tribe when he got separated from his wife, whose name was Running Deer. Falling Rocks was very sad because he missed Running Deer a lot. He really wanted to find her and help her find him, so he started leaving signs for her whenever he had a chance. Those signs you see that say "Falling Rocks" are his signs for Running Deer. The ones that just say "Rocks" are his too, but he was in a hurry when he did those so he didn't put his whole name. Running Deer made signs too - but she couldn't write. So, she just drew a picture of a running deer to show Falling Rocks where she had been.
He ate it up and spent the rest of the trip looking for the signs - and then looking around the signs for signs of Falling Rocks or Running Deer. It made me giggle.
In addition to the family lore, we drove to a teeny-tiny town about a mile off the main road that had a "historic locomotive" as the sign advertised. It ended up being a steam engine from the 1920's that was huge - and completely enclosed with a fence so you couldn't get more than 5 feet close to it. We also attempted to take a side trip to the Dalles Dam for a tour, but it was closed for the season. I now have a date with my son for a dam tour come the summer.
It was strange at times to be riding in the car just him & me, without another adult around... but it was almost better. I got to talk with my son for 4 hours.
It was even better to get to cheesepuppet's house. I haven't seen her in over 2 years, so I'm loving spending time with her. She has a son that is Bug's age, and when I used to live in Hillsboro 4 years ago, the boys used to play together all the time. They were best friends, and he called her "Holy" because he couldn't pronounce her name properly. The boys have now been reunited and were playing within minutes of our arrival. Bedtime came, and we got the boys in their pajamas, teeth brushed, books read... and left them in M's room with their beds pulled together and happily playing with M's leappad.
That was almost 2 hours ago. We assumed that they would crash out eventually, but their giggles kept drifting down the stairs, making all of us laugh. Finally, gregtitus and I went upstairs just now to shut it down. We went up to see M lying on the bed all tuckered out, with Bug lying next to him on his bed with the leappad. They seemed so happy and blissful.
I think this is going to be a great trip.
Well, Bug, you see - a very long time ago, there was a chief named Falling Rocks. He was traveling around with his tribe when he got separated from his wife, whose name was Running Deer. Falling Rocks was very sad because he missed Running Deer a lot. He really wanted to find her and help her find him, so he started leaving signs for her whenever he had a chance. Those signs you see that say "Falling Rocks" are his signs for Running Deer. The ones that just say "Rocks" are his too, but he was in a hurry when he did those so he didn't put his whole name. Running Deer made signs too - but she couldn't write. So, she just drew a picture of a running deer to show Falling Rocks where she had been.
He ate it up and spent the rest of the trip looking for the signs - and then looking around the signs for signs of Falling Rocks or Running Deer. It made me giggle.
In addition to the family lore, we drove to a teeny-tiny town about a mile off the main road that had a "historic locomotive" as the sign advertised. It ended up being a steam engine from the 1920's that was huge - and completely enclosed with a fence so you couldn't get more than 5 feet close to it. We also attempted to take a side trip to the Dalles Dam for a tour, but it was closed for the season. I now have a date with my son for a dam tour come the summer.
It was strange at times to be riding in the car just him & me, without another adult around... but it was almost better. I got to talk with my son for 4 hours.
It was even better to get to cheesepuppet's house. I haven't seen her in over 2 years, so I'm loving spending time with her. She has a son that is Bug's age, and when I used to live in Hillsboro 4 years ago, the boys used to play together all the time. They were best friends, and he called her "Holy" because he couldn't pronounce her name properly. The boys have now been reunited and were playing within minutes of our arrival. Bedtime came, and we got the boys in their pajamas, teeth brushed, books read... and left them in M's room with their beds pulled together and happily playing with M's leappad.
That was almost 2 hours ago. We assumed that they would crash out eventually, but their giggles kept drifting down the stairs, making all of us laugh. Finally, gregtitus and I went upstairs just now to shut it down. We went up to see M lying on the bed all tuckered out, with Bug lying next to him on his bed with the leappad. They seemed so happy and blissful.
I think this is going to be a great trip.