She Flies Through the Air

The Artist's thrill of the week was the trapeze!

Trapeze lessons were included in the resort package and the Artist was not shy about taking advantage of them. From the first time we saw the trapeze crew she was excited to return at the appropriate time for lessons.

First a teacher took her aside to a practice trapeze that hangs at about adult eye level from the ground. Here the Artist was coached through the brief routine she would do on the high trapeze, and learned the verbal command cues.

Next, it was over to the cinch belt and the ladder, a very tall, skinny ladder. Tightly cinched about the waist, the Artist eagerly climbed up to the platform. About 10 feet from the ground, hangs the safety net. At this point the climber has to change from the outside of the ladder to the inside.
The Artist followed the instructions beautifully, and it seemed the crew was very pleased with her. She had such a good time, she went up that ladder three more times that morning. Then she went back for more high flying swings two more days during the week. After each aerial adventure, getting down from the safety net is accomplished by a somersault off the edge, hands holding onto grips and feet landing of the padded stairs. Here the artist is getting her instructions. By the time of the following photos, the Artist is an old pro. The sky was beautiful this morning, and the skinny little ladder shows up clearly.Thank you, Trapeze Crew!

Rick's Adventures

The pre-vacation nightmare past, Rick was all set to have fun in the sun. The biggest goal for this whole trip was for Rick to experience windsurfing. And windsurf he did! The weather was perfect for it and the lessons were included with our resort. Hooray!
Lessons begin on shore:Once they learned to pull up the sale and practice how to handle and maneuver it, they moved to the water:After the first taste, Rick is feeling so satisfied that he finally got to try the sport, and he's hungry to do it again!

Some other firsts for Rick included kayaking with the Engineer, another activity that is nothing like the Wii experience. They enjoyed it so much, they brought the Artist along with them the next time. The trip also included several nice scenes for mom and dad, such as catching the kids thoroughly enjoying each other's company as we returned from dinner one night.

Vacation Prep

We all had an exciting and relaxing time on vacation. I'll have several posts of details when I go through all the photos.In the mean time, here's the story of our getting ready to go. You'll either shake your head in dismay, or laugh at all our misfortunes that turned out all right in the end. Special thanks to A Round Unvarnish'd Tale for prodding me to post this draft!

The week before the trip was incredible stressful! In January we bought and paid for our first ever all-inclusive trip. We were going to Cancun. Rick has wanted to windsurf for about a decade, and we realized we'd better do it sooner than later.

Of course, the week before our departure was the week of the world-wide H1N1 scare, as well as the time my children chose to each come down with a 48 hour bug, alternating with each other, for a total of about six days sick. All the while, we were communicating with an acquaintance who lives and works an hour south of Cancun who tells us there are no suspected cases of the pandemic flu within 300 linear miles of Cancun. That is also what the CDC's Google maps were showing.

I called our doctor to see if he would recommend or prescribe Tamiflu for us to take on our trip. Yes, but the office only called in one adult prescription. Next day, I ask the doctor if I can get prescriptions for the rest of the family. The office calls them in, but Walgreens cannot order the children's strength doses. Are they kidding? No. A couple of days later they find out they can fill the script, but not with capsules. I'll have to take powder to mix with sterile water. Imagine the custom's fun....

Also in the week before the trip we had some acquaintances show their alarm that we were still planning this vacation. Grrr... butt-in-ski's! We were not making the decision in a vacuum. We had reports direct from Riviera Maya (close to Cancun) and web cams from various Cancun resorts showed people having fun around the pools and beaches, all without wearing masks.

About three days from our departure, I'm making emergency Dr. appointments for one sick child or another, (fever, vomiting, did they catch sympathy swine flu?), scouring drug stores for surgical masks, mini shampoo and SPF 75+ sunscreen. Stress, stress, stress. The news was changing every few hours, so we would decide at noon on Friday whether we go to Mexico or not. We were to leave on Sunday morning.

By Thursday night we were hearing of countries discontinuing their air service to Mexico. We decide to check with the travel agent and Funjet about changing our destination. Bonaire, won't work for us; Aruba, won't work for us; Punta Cana, same story. Last-minute air fare is outrageous! The original airfare to Cancun was going to be impossible to find again. Finally, Grand Bahama was a possibility. One day less of vacation, many, many dollars more. But certain knowledge we would be allowed back into the USA carried a lot of weight with us, as you can imagine.

Next came the news that the Mexican government closed all restaurants that hold over 80 people, such as those at our all-inclusive resort, for the week we were to be there. The snack bar would still be open, but a week of snack bar after two kids with the flu...no. We pulled the trigger on the change. Now we just needed the email from Funjet and we'd be good to go. Departing Tuesday the 5th of May at six am rather than the 3rd of May at a reasonable hour was inconvenient, as we had eaten all the leftovers and emptied the refrigerator of perishables. Would you believe that tardy email arrived shortly after noon on May 4th!!! Exhausted, we set the alarms for 3 am, picturing this:

Sunshine

No sunshine around here. There was some earlier in the day, but tonight's baseball game is weather threatened. Such is April in Cleveland.

This week is chock full of swim lessons, two field trips, a physical therapy appointment, a last minute doctor appointment for the Engineer and dental appointments. There were two full school days planned. Monday was one of them, and it worked out that we accomplished all our goals for that day.

The rest of the week appears to be shot. The poor Artist came home from a field trip today with news that she had been sick. That's no way to enjoy a museum. I feel so badly for her. And thank you, Barb, and any other of you wonderful Looper moms who helped take care of her. She's still on the sofa with fever and chills and a bucket.

The field trip was to the Canton Museum of Art, where the group admired the Kimono as Art: the Landscapes of Itchiku Kupota exhibit. I got to read about the exhibit and I thought it sounded wonderful. The painstaking techniques Mr. Kupota used in having kimono fabric as a canvas for a work of art is amazing. The Artist's interest in textiles put this right up her alley.

Over the weekend I was telling a friend that I'm preparing for our upcoming beach vacation by sparingly using some sunless tanner once a week. Today's the first time I could see some results. It seems it has taken a while to kick in. I plan to stop now so I don't look like a beach ball -- shades of blue swim suit and orange skin-- when I'm actually at the beach! With any luck there will be lots of shade for me to hang out in while I watch my family enjoy the sun.

Artist's Art Work

When we were in New Orleans the Artist was fascinated by the little lizards that lived around the yard and loved to climb on my cousin's deck and house.

Not content to watch and admire them, she was intent upon catching one. She surprised me with her success! She held a trembling frightened little lizard on a bed of grass in her hand and called "Mommy, look at what I found!" After a while the bed of grass fell away blade by blade and the little guy began to trust this wasn't the end after all. He plucked up his courage and allowed a little petting.

The Artist was able to admire him and study him for a good while. Later in the evening, we were all gathered in the living room round piano and violin. The Artist enjoyed the music with us for a little while, then she retired to the divan with her sketch book. This is the result.
After we arrived home she had a chance to color the sketch.

Summer Fun

There are things to enjoy in the South that are rather foreign to northerners. Rick and I enjoy waking up and going out on the deck to check the crab traps.
The jet skis gave a thrill to Rick and me, and the Artist who elected to ride in the tube with her cousin and friends on the way out to Lake Ponchartrain, but behind Daddy on the jet ski on the way back home. And in the evening, what says "New Orleans" more than a drive through daiquiri shop? But once again, the photo eludes me. My brother and I went out to bring back frozen treats for everyone. We were directed to the closest daiquiri shop rather than the closest drive through. So you can see an interior view instead. There were about 12 machines churning the daiquiris of various flavors. I guess I'm not alone in preferring the White Russian, two machines were devoted to that flavor.

Back in Town

We got back in town after midnight. What a wonderful trip! Newsflash: It is cold in Greater Cleveland (compared to Greater New Orleans).

Womentown

Oh Yeah. Guys will line up in droves to spend their vacations here. And the ladies will love spending their vacations with sulky perturbed men.

Heavy Equipment

Remember Tonka trucks? What fun for young children! Especially the yellow construction equipment (forget those plastic toys).

When we took our trip to Florida in February I drove past the US Headquarters of JCB Construction Equipment. It was a pleasant diversion to look at the display of equipment on their grounds. I drive for a few hours with my family sleeping and hoping the good radio station I had going would not give out on me.

That's when I came upon a giant's landscape with giant boy's toy trucks artfully arranged to show off what each piece of equipment could do. I thought it looked like a fun place to get some photos, but I opted instead to keep both hands on the wheel and let my family sleep.

On the drive home I had another opportunity. These photos, taken at speeds somewhere between 65 and 75 mph, do not begin to do justice to the real thing.

The sight broke the monotony of the road and kept me going safely till Rick woke up from his nap.

Wannado City

Wednesday we went to Wannado City. This is a really neat place to visit for children, especially ages 7-12-ish, maybe even a little older.

We walked from the sunny morning into the mall and entered the Wannado City site. The children checked in and were given wristbands to match mine. This way they can (theoretically) go off on their own while the parents relax in the Eagle's Nest lounge on the second floor and peer over the balcony at all the city streets (picture universal studios neighborhoods) below. To find your little ones, scan your wristband at a locator and the screen will show you precisely where they are.
The cautious and sound sensitive Engineer was not thrilled. Inside was dark (until the eyes adjusted) noisy as all get-out, and some schools on field trips had bigger kids (they looked 10 - 11 to me) running and screaming all over the place. He was terrified! He did calm down after noon when the school buses left.At check-in the children were also each issued a paycheck. Priority one was finding the bank to cash the kids' checks. They were each given 150 Wongas (unit of currency) to spend on various activities in Wannado City. If they wanted to do more things they would have to get jobs and work for the money. When it is time to leave Wannodo City they can go back to the bank, open an account and save their money for next trip. We skipped that part and the kids gave their Wongas to one of the Quipper's co-workers.

After that was a planning session: what jobs are open all the time? what will be open in the morning only? what will be open in the afternoon only? will my son ever leave my lap? where on the map are we now and where do we want to go first? Plantation General Hospital needed people to work in the nursery. So my children donned scrubs; bathed, powdered, changed, fed and burped some life size babies and were each paid 40 Wongas for the work they had done. Soon it was clear we would need to split up. Everything the Artist wanted to do was scary for the Engineer. And once he caught site of the amusement park, I knew where he and I would be spending most of the day. He rode the green airplane about 10 times, and took 5 or 6 train rides too, all at 10 Wongas a ride. Once while we were waiting in line for a ride we saw the Artist doing some police work. She learned she is not good at keeping the people she arrested in custody. The Engineer was curious about being a dentist. He got to count, brush and polish a patient's teeth and take some Xrays. I think he was intrigued by the foot pedal powering the tools. But he had a singleness of purpose throughout the chores: more Wongas = more airplane rides. At the circus, the Artist got some juggling lessons. The Engineer missed mom too much to complete pilot training. In this photo he is just about to chicken out. He never went into the cockpit of the actual airplane in Wannado City's airport. A flight attendant bright him to me at the parent's waiting area before the tears came though. The attendant told me they have actual flight simulators in there for the kids. They can see how their manipulation of the controls looks on their screen. The Engineer liked the grocery store too. He enjoyed shopping and he got paid for re-stocking when he was done. One of the last places we went was the bakery. The kids rolled out and seasoned their own soft pretzel for baking, then they got to enjoy them.

Settling In

On Monday we were settled into the hotel and the Quipper had to go into the office. The kids and I would be on our own during the day. Most museums are closed on Monday so I did not plan anything spectacular for this day. The kids did school work and read their books and played their games. You are probably just as excited to read that as they were to do it.

I also relished in 'nothing to do' for a while and kept a close eye and ear on the Engineer who had not had an easy time of it lately with yet another asthma attack leading to our morning-of-departure trip to the Emergency room and all. Thankfully, the new climate did not seem to have any adverse effects on him.

I took out the knitting that I had thrown into my bag at the last minute (literally) before we pulled out of the driveway. I hoped I had enough supplies to do something! I had this pattern for toe-up socks with me and some light green Bernat Denimstyle yarn that was a gift from Polly at Favorite Apron. (Thank you!!)

Mostly I swatched to figure out if I could work a project from the things I brought with me. As it turned out, I could. Over the next week I taught myself the figure eight cast on and began the pair of Milanese Lace Socks. I did not take pictures as I went along, but here is what they look like now. Since we got home I have only completed about four rows on each.

I usually prefer to work socks with five needles. With the lace panel being on only half the sock at this point it is simpler to keep to four needles. After the heel the lace pattern will be all around the ankle and I hope to go back to five needles.




In the afternoon I took the kids to the rooftop pool at the hotel. Gee, that linked photo was taken on a cloudy day as were the pool photos I took on Thursday. The first few times we swam it was beautiful and sunny, or warm but dark with early evening.
Of course, those times I did not bring the camera.


There were some neat views from the 9th floor roof top too, but with the cold front bringing in thick clouds these do not do justice.




But the weather was perfect for a nice sit in the sauna! The Artist got to experience this for the first time while an envious mom watched through the door with the Engineer!

En Route

We left home on Friday evening and traveled as far as Charleston, West Virginia. The weather was warmer, but only so slightly! We left greater Cleveland in single digit temperatures, and when we woke up in Charleston, we enjoyed all five degrees of their climate that morning. The worry began to creep into my mind -- Did I pack enough cold weather clothes?

In the clear crisp morning the mountains were pretty. The roads were dry so we were off to the races. How quickly could we get to St. Augustine, FL?

Not quickly enough. When we took our drive to California in 2005 I was able to judge how long we would be on the road each day with Mapquest's estimates. This time the estimates disappointed us every single day. This made for some very long days, even with 70 mph speed limits. So we now have a new rule of thumb, add 25% to Mapquest's estimates.

Long after dark we arrived at our hotel. Another surprise, the cold weather followed us. We had planned to spend the next morning on the beach with the kids. With a 45ºF forecast for the next day, we went to the beach in jeans, jackets and tennis shoes. The kids did get to see the Atlantic for the first time. We did not wade into it at all. We did walk the beach a while, carefully sidestepping all the jellyfish that had washed up with the tide and picking up shells. We forgot the camera in the car, and so these photos show the shells already washed and ready to admire. (There is still sand from the beach in my car! I don't want to take the vacuum outside until it is dry out there.) The Artist wants to make a necklace with her shells (bottom photo). I don't know what I'll do with most of them yet, but the oyster shells will go in my basket of shells for school.




With a growing uneasiness about Mapquest's time estimates and cold wind making the beach not too comfortable, we packed into the van and headed for Ft. Lauderdale. We saw enough of St. Augustine to know we would not mind going back again some time. Castillo de San Marcos would have been great to see, but we were not willing to spend the time to see a reenactment at this point. But it looked like a lot of fun!





Heading south again, each time we stopped we noticed warmer temperatures. We were able to shed the jackets, and by the time we were at our Ft. Lauderdale hotel we had put short sleeved shirts on.