I have just returned from Baltimore after visiting my friend Sonja and attending her baby shower. I really like Baltimore's character; it has all the nuances of an old friend with good and bad qualities, all of which make you love them. The neighborhoods are close knit rows of turn of the century homes with huge granite slab steps leading to the leaded glass transom doors. Sonja's block has a real "Sesame Street" feel with lots of families and outdoor types. Their home borders a huge, Central Park type green area called Patterson Park giving them the benefits of having a pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking trails and playgrounds in their immediate vicinity. Since they have a large dog who must be walked three times a day, Sonja and Steve really appreciate living so close to the park.
On the drive to Baltimore we decided to take I 26 to Bristol, then 81 to the crazy network of loops and beltways surrounding the D.C/Baltimore area. It was amazing how beautiful the drive was all the way up to the metropolitan area. Life was good and the drive enchanting until my air conditioning stopped working. It became unberable at times, and we actually considered stopping to have someone recharge the freon. When we decided to start looking for a place to stop, the sun began to set and the temperature became tolerable, so we just continued.
We arrived and clamoured into Steve and Sonja's air conditioned house, swearing that we would never leave it, moved our belongings out of the car, found a suitable parking space and called it a night. Air conditioning had never felt so good, especially since my clothing had been wringing wet a few hours before and still retained a good amount of moisture in them.
I awoke the next morning when Fox started calling my name from the window-less nursery. How can he know when 7am rolls around when there are no lights or indications of day break AT ALL? We got dressed and prepared breakfast looking forward to the big playground at Patterson park. After disarming the alarm I grabbed my phone, some water and the jogging stroller and Fox and I exited the house into the thickest, hottest heat this side of the Amazon. Immediately Fox's cheeks turned pink and my clothes stuck to me. I got him into the stroller and we made our way to the park.
When the playground was in sight, Fox forgot about the hellish temperature and began bouncing with excitement; plus there were no other kids on the equipment since it was so early, I supossed. When we were securly inside of the fence I let Fox out of the stroller, unleashing him into the brand new-to-him playground. The second he touched the climbing apparatus he gasped and turned to me with the bitter look of betrayel. His eyes were tearing up when I came over to assure him that he was safe, and that he could climb the faux rock wall all by himself like a big boy when my leg came into contact with the thick, plastic wall. The thing was ON FIRE. In fact, the entire playground was the temperature of the sun and it wasn't even 9am yet. I felt so bad for Fox! Just last week we were going to our "regular" playground in Knoxville (the Island Home Park) and as we rounded the bend to the playground we were horrified to discover that a massive Oak had fallen, taking out the entire play place. Danny, Cora and Adrianne were with us and the boys were ultimately confused. They kept running up to the ladder of the tower, then seeing that the ladder lead no where they would turn and look at us with those disappointed eyes!
Fox and I ended up just going on a walk around the huge park with Sonja and Gracie, her pup.
We had lots of fun around the town visiting the museum, going to a Cuban resturant, celebrating birthdays with Sonja's family, and just relaxing in the AC... The day before we were going to leave to return home I decided that my truck AC wasn't going to fix itself, so I made an appt with a place that was familiar to Sonja. It was the first time I had really driven in Baltimore, and I was shocked at the state of the roads there. Not that I'm into paving and paving till things are perfect, but at least filling in gaping pot holes and putting some warning signs when there is a bump the size of a fallen tree. There are better roads in developing countries.Blazing a trail through a forest would yield better roads.
I got the AC charged up and the return drive was much cooler. Now I am back in Asheville and the 85 degree heat feels cool and breezy to me.
Showing posts with label baby shower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby shower. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
4/30/2008 Guitar Hero
This weekend we went to Asheville to go to Heather and Josh's baby shower. Heather's friend Rachel had the party at her house in Oakley, and the weather was beautiful so we spent lots of time on the porch.
After opening the adorable, fleecy gifts, heather and Josh brought their "Guitar Hero" control in from the car to join with Rachel's for duo playing. People would go into the house two by two and play the game. A guy there named Greg had the hilarious idea of "Sitar Hero", but we decided it wouldn't do well in the United States. "Banjo Hero", "Mandolin Hero" or "Dobro Hero" might do well regionally.
I finally answered the siren song of "Guitar Hero" and went inside to play. The last times I had played the game I was really bad and it sounded like my character was playing a tin can, but this time I was able to get through a few songs without getting booed off stage. I became obsessed and played 20 times in a row; I played until I had a blister on my thumb from "strumming", and the posters appeared to be melting off the wall.
After opening the adorable, fleecy gifts, heather and Josh brought their "Guitar Hero" control in from the car to join with Rachel's for duo playing. People would go into the house two by two and play the game. A guy there named Greg had the hilarious idea of "Sitar Hero", but we decided it wouldn't do well in the United States. "Banjo Hero", "Mandolin Hero" or "Dobro Hero" might do well regionally.
I finally answered the siren song of "Guitar Hero" and went inside to play. The last times I had played the game I was really bad and it sounded like my character was playing a tin can, but this time I was able to get through a few songs without getting booed off stage. I became obsessed and played 20 times in a row; I played until I had a blister on my thumb from "strumming", and the posters appeared to be melting off the wall.
4/10/2008 Killer Shower
The other weekend Jason, Fox and I went to a baby shower in Monroe, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte. The place belonged to his college friend Jerome's family, and he and his brother had remodeled the family barns into their houses. Living in the barn: It is the cool thing to do. But really, Jerome's barn is palatial compared to 40 Houser Road; huge machines were able to park inside of his barn and the post and beam truss construction towered fifteen feet above the second story level.
Anyway,
The baby shower was an afternoon affair, and the weather forecast affirmed an outdoor dining area, so no one brought jackets and everyone was a little bit pissed at themselves for buying the "70 degrees and sunshine in March" crap. Meaning: it was COLD, and WINDY. Plus it was spitting rain and the sun never broke through the overcast ceiling. The hay ride was cancelled.
The beginning of the party consisted of my chasing Fox around the pond in an attempt to deter the anxiety I inevitably experience in situations like that, and thankfully when I snuck back into the party Gravy Donger and Jenny were there.
When we first arrived at Jerome's house I had noticed that the entire ground floor was a bar. Not like "bar theme", but an actual bar you would walk into from a small town city street. The only thing that separated Jerome's bar from an actual bar were the politically incorrect wall hangings and effects peppered among the equipment. Felt top poker table, CHECK. Big screen TV, CHECK. Domestic beer on tap, CHECK. Mirrored beer adverts, CHECK. Stars-n-bars, CHECK. I was really impressed and I longed to spend time perched atop a stool from the second I laid eyes on it.
The party continued with the usual rigamarole: presents being opened by the mom to be surrounded by a mass of ooohs and aahhs. I somehow avoided that ritual and experienced it only in passing through the living room into the restroom to change Fox or to rinse the residue from betwixt his little fingers.
Soon afterwards the nicer vehicles began leaving the premises and I found myself surrounded by people my age. Fox became tired and I cuddled him until he was all woozy, then placed him into his "Pack-n-Play" porta-bed, (no play, just pack). When he was fast asleep I returned to the party in the basement bar and found things as I had left them, but drunker.
Ever since Fox was born I have lost my drive to party into the early hours. As entertaining and exciting as it might seem, after a few minutes of projection into the future the idea becomes as tired as I am. It's one thing if Fox is sleeping at one of his grandparent's houses and will be proceeded in waking with bacon, eggs, and apple juice, but to be at a total stranger's house in a strange room is different. I could be convinced to stay up an extra hour if I knew that my or Jason's mom would be there to wake up with Fox, but I am too old to do both.
Back downstairs in the bar the noise level had risen, and people were taking shots of tequila on command. There was talk of going to a neighborhood speakeasy and eventually half of the crowd adjourned. One guy tried to convince me to go, and I had to really break it down for him. "I will not set my child down to bed in the house of a pregnant woman who I had never met until today, and then, shrouded in darkness, leave him to go to a bar to hang out with people who I do not know." I had to defend my case a few times before it was accepted, and finally the crowd diminished.
I retired at midnight, unable to maintain the game face needed to fuel the party atmosphere, but not before the "bar-goers" had returned. They were real drunk and talking crazy. I slipped away without notice.
The next morning I awoke to silence; Jason had taken Fox into the living room when he woke and acquainted him with his college pals. I joined them and finally had the opportunity to speak to Elizabeth, the mom-to-be. She seemed ready to have the baby and was clearly tired of her pregnant state; she had done tons of work preparing their house by setting up the cutest nursery I had ever seen. When Fox was due all we did was vacuum, and I told her that. She told me about the renovation of the barn and how dusty it was for the first few months. She said they had purchased a "Rainbow" vacuum cleaner after a particularly moving display of it's powers. She showed it to me and so many questions were answered about the machine. Essentially it is a two thousand dollar water bong for your carpet. Worth every penny when you see how dirty the water is afterwards!
After noon we began our trip back to Knoxville through the budding Saluda Gorge, and then through the Smokies. It was such a beautiful, early spring weekend for such a kick-ass baby shower.
Anyway,
The baby shower was an afternoon affair, and the weather forecast affirmed an outdoor dining area, so no one brought jackets and everyone was a little bit pissed at themselves for buying the "70 degrees and sunshine in March" crap. Meaning: it was COLD, and WINDY. Plus it was spitting rain and the sun never broke through the overcast ceiling. The hay ride was cancelled.
The beginning of the party consisted of my chasing Fox around the pond in an attempt to deter the anxiety I inevitably experience in situations like that, and thankfully when I snuck back into the party Gravy Donger and Jenny were there.
When we first arrived at Jerome's house I had noticed that the entire ground floor was a bar. Not like "bar theme", but an actual bar you would walk into from a small town city street. The only thing that separated Jerome's bar from an actual bar were the politically incorrect wall hangings and effects peppered among the equipment. Felt top poker table, CHECK. Big screen TV, CHECK. Domestic beer on tap, CHECK. Mirrored beer adverts, CHECK. Stars-n-bars, CHECK. I was really impressed and I longed to spend time perched atop a stool from the second I laid eyes on it.
The party continued with the usual rigamarole: presents being opened by the mom to be surrounded by a mass of ooohs and aahhs. I somehow avoided that ritual and experienced it only in passing through the living room into the restroom to change Fox or to rinse the residue from betwixt his little fingers.
Soon afterwards the nicer vehicles began leaving the premises and I found myself surrounded by people my age. Fox became tired and I cuddled him until he was all woozy, then placed him into his "Pack-n-Play" porta-bed, (no play, just pack). When he was fast asleep I returned to the party in the basement bar and found things as I had left them, but drunker.
Ever since Fox was born I have lost my drive to party into the early hours. As entertaining and exciting as it might seem, after a few minutes of projection into the future the idea becomes as tired as I am. It's one thing if Fox is sleeping at one of his grandparent's houses and will be proceeded in waking with bacon, eggs, and apple juice, but to be at a total stranger's house in a strange room is different. I could be convinced to stay up an extra hour if I knew that my or Jason's mom would be there to wake up with Fox, but I am too old to do both.
Back downstairs in the bar the noise level had risen, and people were taking shots of tequila on command. There was talk of going to a neighborhood speakeasy and eventually half of the crowd adjourned. One guy tried to convince me to go, and I had to really break it down for him. "I will not set my child down to bed in the house of a pregnant woman who I had never met until today, and then, shrouded in darkness, leave him to go to a bar to hang out with people who I do not know." I had to defend my case a few times before it was accepted, and finally the crowd diminished.
I retired at midnight, unable to maintain the game face needed to fuel the party atmosphere, but not before the "bar-goers" had returned. They were real drunk and talking crazy. I slipped away without notice.
The next morning I awoke to silence; Jason had taken Fox into the living room when he woke and acquainted him with his college pals. I joined them and finally had the opportunity to speak to Elizabeth, the mom-to-be. She seemed ready to have the baby and was clearly tired of her pregnant state; she had done tons of work preparing their house by setting up the cutest nursery I had ever seen. When Fox was due all we did was vacuum, and I told her that. She told me about the renovation of the barn and how dusty it was for the first few months. She said they had purchased a "Rainbow" vacuum cleaner after a particularly moving display of it's powers. She showed it to me and so many questions were answered about the machine. Essentially it is a two thousand dollar water bong for your carpet. Worth every penny when you see how dirty the water is afterwards!
After noon we began our trip back to Knoxville through the budding Saluda Gorge, and then through the Smokies. It was such a beautiful, early spring weekend for such a kick-ass baby shower.
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