Fathers' Weekend
Jun. 18th, 2007 09:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bedlamhouseA busy weekend filled with lots of driving and ending up in Indiana.
Saturday was Elder Grandson's 4th birthday, so after loading the van for the next Trip North we set off to Pump It Up for the festivities.
Although it seemed like thousands of kids between 1/2 and 10, it was probably really only about a dozen. The layout of the place was great for this kind of party - there are two separate "arenas" of inflatable bouncy castle slides and obstacle courses and other cool physical activities. a party is ushered into the first arena for about 45 minutes, then moved to the second one so that the next party can use the first one. After an additional 45 minutes or so, the first party is moved into one of multiple actual party rooms for cake and present opening, the second party is moved into the second arena, and a new party moves into the first. This allows private parties with a very efficient use of space.
And wow, the kids all wore themselves out. As did some of the adults. Not I, as I was Designated Camera Holder, but that was fine by me since I'd already gotten my exercise by clearing the garage and raiding the Storage Unit O' Heavy Boxes.
Younger Grandson is barely 9 months old and probably only a few days from walking. He was escorted into a protected area of one of the bouncy obstacle courses (sort of a foyer) and was very startled at the squishy and very unstable nature of the floor surface. After expressing some consternation and receiving assurances from Mommy and Daddy, he decided it was kind of fun and enjoyed sitting and being bounced around by the surrounding activity. Mommy, Daddy, Aunt B, and Grandma all had a lovely visit while circled around him on the floor.
Elder Grandchild received many gifts (including Harry Potter DVDs from Grandma and Grandpa so we can finally get ours back (*grin*) and a cool tee-pop-pitch combination baseball set from Aunt K). However, there was a disturbing surfeit of NASCAR (silly bumper cars) and a distinct lack of trains. Such will have to be remedied soonest - wonder if I can get open-wheel cars to go with those racing sets...
Had major Oak Spring activities on Saturday night (congratulations to all!) and then left![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ladyat to hold down the fort while I hopped in the car around midnight to try to get a good jump on driving north. My sister was up from Farmington, Missouri, for Father's Day weekend, and I wanted to get to town on Sunday in time to see her before she needed to drive back. Target was to be in Danville by noon or so. Due to a lack of energy for night driving (I pooped out around Cleveland Tennessee at about 2:30 am instead of making it to Knoxville as I'd hoped) and a slightly late start (I just couldn't manage to get back on the road before 7 am), I didn't get to Danville until a little after 1 pm. Not too bad, no speeding tickets this time and we still got to haul Dad off to the Mayberry Cafe for Father's Day lunch.
Sister left in her Shiny New Trucktm, and I headed home to unload the van. Opening the fridge revealed an unpleasant surprise - something had failed while we were gone and it had stopped cooling. Everything was thawed in the freezer, and the fridge side was room temperature. Bye bye all the frozen soup stock I live on for lunches while up here; farewell the local pork chops, chicken, and bratwurst; arrivederci ice cream - I took no chances and threw everything out.
Now, of course, after defrosting it and turning it back on, it is working just fine. I called the repairman just to get it checked out anyway, as this kind of surprise we don't need.
Combine this with some little things in the house being disturbed (computer cables fallen off the desk, shampoo bottle on the floor in the shower, etc.) I wonder if this was either some effect from the Alabama earthquake that bumped some things up in Indiana in early June (seems unlikely but is possible), or maybe a big wind gust hit the house and rattled it a bit, knocking the fridge door ajar in the process? Our resident ghost is usually of the tidying and nurturing disposition so I doubt if it was her. We'll have to keep an eye on it if the repairman doesn't find anything.
Add to that the continuing Battle Against the Ants (sneaky little bugs) and unloading a van in 2 hours that took a couple of days to load) and I was bone tired by the end of Sunday.
I need to head down to Atlanta Thursday for meetings and activities, butladyat and I are flying back early Sunday morning and will actually be here until sometime after July 15.
Now if we could just get the Marietta house sold...
Saturday was Elder Grandson's 4th birthday, so after loading the van for the next Trip North we set off to Pump It Up for the festivities.
Although it seemed like thousands of kids between 1/2 and 10, it was probably really only about a dozen. The layout of the place was great for this kind of party - there are two separate "arenas" of inflatable bouncy castle slides and obstacle courses and other cool physical activities. a party is ushered into the first arena for about 45 minutes, then moved to the second one so that the next party can use the first one. After an additional 45 minutes or so, the first party is moved into one of multiple actual party rooms for cake and present opening, the second party is moved into the second arena, and a new party moves into the first. This allows private parties with a very efficient use of space.
And wow, the kids all wore themselves out. As did some of the adults. Not I, as I was Designated Camera Holder, but that was fine by me since I'd already gotten my exercise by clearing the garage and raiding the Storage Unit O' Heavy Boxes.
Younger Grandson is barely 9 months old and probably only a few days from walking. He was escorted into a protected area of one of the bouncy obstacle courses (sort of a foyer) and was very startled at the squishy and very unstable nature of the floor surface. After expressing some consternation and receiving assurances from Mommy and Daddy, he decided it was kind of fun and enjoyed sitting and being bounced around by the surrounding activity. Mommy, Daddy, Aunt B, and Grandma all had a lovely visit while circled around him on the floor.
Elder Grandchild received many gifts (including Harry Potter DVDs from Grandma and Grandpa so we can finally get ours back (*grin*) and a cool tee-pop-pitch combination baseball set from Aunt K). However, there was a disturbing surfeit of NASCAR (silly bumper cars) and a distinct lack of trains. Such will have to be remedied soonest - wonder if I can get open-wheel cars to go with those racing sets...
Had major Oak Spring activities on Saturday night (congratulations to all!) and then left
ladyat to hold down the fort while I hopped in the car around midnight to try to get a good jump on driving north. My sister was up from Farmington, Missouri, for Father's Day weekend, and I wanted to get to town on Sunday in time to see her before she needed to drive back. Target was to be in Danville by noon or so. Due to a lack of energy for night driving (I pooped out around Cleveland Tennessee at about 2:30 am instead of making it to Knoxville as I'd hoped) and a slightly late start (I just couldn't manage to get back on the road before 7 am), I didn't get to Danville until a little after 1 pm. Not too bad, no speeding tickets this time and we still got to haul Dad off to the Mayberry Cafe for Father's Day lunch.Sister left in her Shiny New Trucktm, and I headed home to unload the van. Opening the fridge revealed an unpleasant surprise - something had failed while we were gone and it had stopped cooling. Everything was thawed in the freezer, and the fridge side was room temperature. Bye bye all the frozen soup stock I live on for lunches while up here; farewell the local pork chops, chicken, and bratwurst; arrivederci ice cream - I took no chances and threw everything out.
Now, of course, after defrosting it and turning it back on, it is working just fine. I called the repairman just to get it checked out anyway, as this kind of surprise we don't need.
Combine this with some little things in the house being disturbed (computer cables fallen off the desk, shampoo bottle on the floor in the shower, etc.) I wonder if this was either some effect from the Alabama earthquake that bumped some things up in Indiana in early June (seems unlikely but is possible), or maybe a big wind gust hit the house and rattled it a bit, knocking the fridge door ajar in the process? Our resident ghost is usually of the tidying and nurturing disposition so I doubt if it was her. We'll have to keep an eye on it if the repairman doesn't find anything.
Add to that the continuing Battle Against the Ants (sneaky little bugs) and unloading a van in 2 hours that took a couple of days to load) and I was bone tired by the end of Sunday.
I need to head down to Atlanta Thursday for meetings and activities, but
ladyat and I are flying back early Sunday morning and will actually be here until sometime after July 15.Now if we could just get the Marietta house sold...
