No Place Like Travel

A lovely day off to spend with Little Boy O and our new Nanny T. Almost a year back at work and over the last three weeks we’ve learned a few important lessons. Firstly, no matter what when we pull together as a family we will get through it. A big thanks to Mah Mah for uprooting herself to come play with this little pickle. Secondly, always get an ‘in case of emergency’ number. Thirdly, remember and have faith that everything is always working out for us. 

Off to KV with favorite roo bag

Water table fun

The don’t call it Color Splash for nothing

So proud of himself

More splish splash fun whilst mummy and Mah Mah get a mani pedi

Hallway soccer on a rainy day

Spelling bee fun

Another fun Family Day Saturday. We played stickers, play doh, drawing and dancing at home. Went to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaurs and African animals – roar! The little one ran wild with all the open space. Snacked. “Hou Mei, Hou Mei” Baby Boy O’s first words in Cantonese as he was scoffing down a freshly made crepe. Took a trip down memory lane as we walked across to the east side, through Central Park. Picked up groceries at Whole Foods and home to play some more. A wonderful day out, capped off by a Cristmas present massage and early night in bed. Heaven. 

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I was mindful of the subtle but important difference between “I have to” and “I choose to”. The former forfeits the right to choose and the latter exercises the power of choice. Reminded of the discipline of Essentialism by a dear colleague, I focused on making choices, which meant defining what trade offs I’d be happy with. It wasn’t easy. Having to remind myself that I can choose to respond to another email, or choose to get up and stretch. If I responded to the email, I would also be choosing a stiff back. If I got up to walk and stretch, I would be choosing to finish later. I chose my body and my health. That email can wait. 

The result was today was more positive that yesterday. I felt less of a victim of calendar circumstance and more empowered to say yes or no to things. I did recognize that it is easy to slip back into the “I have to” mode. I have to submit my 83(b) form, I have to sanitize this document to share and so on. Equally it was also easy to make choices that made me happy. I choose to play flash cards with Baby Boy O. I choose to break for dinner with English Hubby. It wasn’t perfect, but reminding myself that I have the power of free will and choice is refreshing. 

Morning walk

My Bonnie lies over the ocean

Little mementos

First day back blues

Finishing later because I chose to take a stretch break

Choosing a game of flashcards

First day back in 2016. The day was packed. Packed with commuters, packed with meetings, packed with tasks and emails and to-dos and have to’s. Too much to do, and not enough to time. Not enough energy. Such a contrast from yesterday. The day wears heavy, let alone the thought of the rest of the week, the month and the year to come. Need to sleep and reset  

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Our neighbor came round tonight to use our spin cycle, have a glass of wine and chat. The New Normal was a phrase she heard at a yoga class. The notion that someone jogging 40 years ago would make people wonder who they were running from, yet today we don’t even bat an eyelid. It seems we have slid into a new normal. Early mornings, picking up food thrown on the floor, tidying up toys strewn all over the living room, out for a walk before a meltdown occurs, playgrounds, groceries, errands, admin, cook, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat.

It all seems monotonous when it is written down or said out loud, but here is a beautiful simplicity in what my life has become. I like the predictability. I like knowing where I am and what comes next. I like the freedom it gives me to enjoy the moment as it is. Soaking up every ray of sunshine as it bounces off Baby Boy O’s gleaming smile. Enjoying time on the couch with English Hubby. Simple. Normal.

What an amazing 90 weeks!

Drawing his beloved monkey

A moment of quiet

Play time at the playground

Big world for a little boy

So many presents, so many thank yous

A scorching Sunday. Perfect for an early morning play date and splash at the local playground. Baby Boy O met up with his usual crew, along with Miss M and Master Z. I brought coffee, cake and a bubble machine. Everyone was amply entertained. Baby Boy O and Miss M have a mutual adoration pact in full swing – a bonafide play date crush. A welcome day before the weight of work returns tomorrow. A half day, toe dip back into the shark tank. To bed early we go.

Perfect breeding ground for this clinical study

Loves the water

Loves Miss M too

Back to school

They say one person's heaven is another's hell. I love assembling furniture, playing with power tools and McGyvering a fix. So today was four hours well spent, resulting in a six-dresser drawer. English Hubby however prefers white collar labor, his tools of trade include a keyboard and mouse. His only consolation is that the flat pack didn't contain a gazillion pieces and take eight hours to assemble like our last foray with a desk. You can see who has the callouses in this family!

Laying it all out

Strutting our stuff

Man at work

Earning his keep

No way out

Power (tool) has gone to his head

Baby Boy O has a fascination with roadwork, fueled by his favorite book and the abundance of construction in our neighborhood. Which is why I couldn't resist adding a digger, dump truck and bulldozer to his already abundant collection of toys. Falling head first into the modern day parenting trap. Too. Much. Stuff.

A boy and his toys

Learning to share

And he's eating...again

What's the time?...

...Hammer time

Baby Boy O has a fascination with roadwork, fueled by his favorite book and the abundance of construction in our neighborhood. Which is why I couldn't resist adding a digger, dump truck and bulldozer to his already abundant collection of toys. Falling head first into the modern day parenting trap. Too. Much. Stuff.

A boy and his toys

Learning to share

And he's eating...again

What's the time?...

...Hammer time

It's English Hubby's birthday today. Fireworks have been arranged and everyone gets the day off to celebrate. Birthdays are special. What comes to mind is Sheryl Sandberg's beautiful and tearfully honest Facebook post:

“I have learned gratitude. Real gratitude for the things I took for granted before – like life. As heartbroken as I am, I look at my children each day and rejoice that they are alive. I appreciate every smile, every hug. I no longer take each day for granted. When a friend told me that he hates birthdays and so he was not celebrating his, I looked at him and said through tears, “Celebrate your birthday, goddammit. You are lucky to have each one.””

We spent the day together, really together. Family snuggles, cards and presents in bed, a walk to our new neighborhood breakfast place, an aborted trip to the Intrepid Museum and the High Line, naps at home, cream frosted carrot cake, fried chicken, giggles, cuddles, kisses and more. A befitting way to celebrate the birthday of the most amazing man I have ever met.

My H.H.

Who's your daddy?!

Lots of thoughtful presents

Birthday cuddles - not sure who's enjoying them more!

Experimenting with spoons

Someone's eyeing the cake

It's all about the journey

I always knew this day would come. The day where I have to fight every instinct and bone in my body in order to leave my hysterical little boy at play school. Baby Boy O cried blue murder. It wasn't an “I'm upset where did you go” cry. It was a “you've abandoned me, I'm all alone and so very scared in this strange place” shriek. They type you yourself would bellow out if you woke and found yourself strapped to a bed in a mental asylum.

I left the room, then hid around the corner, heart breaking as his cries grew wilder and out of control. I waited, then left, then came back again to ask Director K to check on him for me. She checked, he cried. I womaned-up and left the building. Then called back an hour later, then an hour after that. Yes, I'm now that pain in the butt over-concerned over-protective parent.

The good news is that Baby Boy O eventually calmed down…four hours later, which apparently isn't unusual, but feels rather cruel. We picked him up and he was unnaturally quiet for the first 45 minutes. Not sure if it was the post traumatic effect or him giving us the silent treatment, perhaps a mix of both? Gathering strength now for round #2 tomorrow. Have mercy.

Journaling like mummy

Preparing for a hungry boy at school

Director K checking in on him, whilst mummy hides around the corner

Spy cam shot from the window yonder

Staying close at the corner cafe

He says ball

Playing in between a few sobs

So much happier to be with dad and to see mummy

Bed time after a very long day

Best part of the day thanks to Nanny C!

It is so very interesting to watch a personality emerge from its little shell. This tiny person has likes and dislikes, preferences, favorites, attachments and frustrations. We had a curry lunch and a play date with Little Boy E where strawberries and toys were shared. Little Boy E has the advantage of walking so could move much more independently and ran circles around our cheeky little guy. But at the playground when his territory came under challenge, Baby Boy O stood his ground and issued a stern outstretched hand warning. When encroachment continued he dished out a strong little shove, not once but twice. Not mean, but fearless. My little man stood his ground. His space was his, and within it he was reading his book. English Hubby thinks he was protecting his mummy who was sitting on the other side of the altercation, but I think it was more his favorite Roadwork Construction book.

Uncontrollable giggles

Daddies meet for a curry

Showing Little Boy E how it's done

Learning how to share...sort of

Enough to go around

Impostor monkey, as another one bites the dust

Working up an appetite after the altercation

Needs his carbs to grow big and strong

We were in the jewelers and a perfect stranger cooed at Baby Boy O and offered the following piece of advice – the days are long, but the years are short. So very true. It feels like only yesterday that we came home with a tiny little baby, yet each day we plunder through milestones big and small. Today Baby Boy O got his own library card. A bonafide citizen of the NYPL. We also visited the Secret Garden in Central Park, ran errands, went to the grocery store, practiced walking, read books, made food to freeze, did work, prepped for play school and so much more. Long days, short years.

Beep beep, coming through. Watch out!

Pre-nap grumps

Streets of Spanish Harlem

A spot of mediation

Ahhh...Central Park

In bloom

Card carrying public library citizen

On sale!

Cheesy dinner

Yummy in his tummy

More for us, thanks Nanny C!

Long days, short years, fond memories

There's something about The Container Store that just sucks you in. Boxes, gadgets, hangers, storage, things to hide wires, drawers, hooks, shoe racks and so much more. What they sell is promise, an ideal that life can be organized and contained into neat foldable interlocking perfect squares. So much temptation lies there, especially when our home right now is a mess. It took willpower to exercise contraint and not buy a shortcut to organization nirvana.

Another week under his belt

Cheeky little monster

Making up for it with a big smooch for mummy

Funny for Nanny C

Just the essentials

Adding to Baby Boy O's play school box

Where's Mah Mah when we need her help to put it together again?!

Thank you Mah Mah ang Yah Yah

The price of lifting baby and boxes has caught up with me again. Even Superwoman needs a good massage every once in a while. Baby Boy O went with Nanny C to hand in his enrollment forms. My little boy is going to play school.

New favorite book

My little big baby boy. Off on a long walk with Nanny C

Could get use to being an UES mummy

Baking banana peanut butter no sugar muffins

So grateful to have Nanny C

FedEx, you slay me

Three generations. Happy birthday dad

Dinner for one and a half

Off to get a pair of big boy shoes. Thankfully Aunt S knows where to go. We walked away with a pair of very cool shoes, size 2.5 and orange bits too. Daddy will be pleased. A perfect day in the park. So New York to picnic by the Met, soak up the Sunday sun and make a friend for play dates.

Peekaboo hallway

Whole new world

Room with a beautiful view

Teeny tiny feet

Walkabout

First pair of big boy shoes

Fell in love with NYC so many years ago, looking out

Who would have though this would be?

Grass between his toes

Aunt S, so very knowledgeable

Hey buddy! Sharing a ball and bananas

Lady Luck is on our side. I was sitting at the bank just about to cancel cards and switch over to new bank accounts when I received the call from Delta Baggage Services. They had found my carry on bag. New York City was testing what we were made of – kicking us in the teeth yesterday afternoon and picking us back up again today.

After a cab ride out to Terminal 4, a big hug to Vicky, Mimi, Lee and the Delta team, our stuff is back in our possession. Passports x3. Check books. Birth certificate. Laptop x2. Ipad. Phone. House keys. RV keys. Money and more. Although this stuff has a big impact on our lives, we came to realize that this stuff isn't our lives. We were all still ok. Passports and everything else can be replaced, yes, undoubtedly a major inconvienience, but not a tragedy. Thanks to all the people (including customer service Cindy) at Delta.

Welcome back to NYC. We arrived after a good flight, all intact, with everything, minus one very important carry on laptop bag. In the flurry of disembarking we left it in the overhead compartment. If it were any other item missing, it wouldn’t be as big a deal, but this one contained all our very important documents. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Passports, birth certificates, house keys, check books, laptops (yes, plural) the whole enchilada.

After two hours pleading with Delta baggage services, we left the airport empty handed and crestfallen. The bag is lost, possibly stolen. The missing stroller made it to the baggage pick up area, but the carry on didn’t. What next? It’s out of the jurisdiction of the 13th precint police. We have to return to JFK and file a report with the Port Authority police. The additional catch being that to file a report we we need to inform our respective embassies of our lost passports, but to do so requires us to file a report. Go figure. My head is about to explode. New York City has a way of kicking you in the teeth, just when you think you may have landed on your feet. At the end of the day it is a major inconvienience, but we are still happy and healthy, and we have the resources (and perhaps the strength after a good nights sleep) to deal with this dilemma. Upside is that Squee and Fatty Patty are with us.

My blog got hacked again. I don't understand why the cyber universe has decided to pick on my lowly space for musings. I haven't offended any dictators, I don't ask for credit card details or transact, I have no state secrets worthy of prying open. Evil hackers please leave me alone. All I can say is thank goodness for English Hubby. My techno-geek-double-spacing-hero. This is the best post-date night present you could give me: ousting my digital trespassers, sorting out my maps and (hopefully, once they reply to my ticket request) restoring order to the blog pic universe.

My little ray of sunshine

Border patrol ID check

Not listening to you!

English hubby on a cleaning mission

Teething is no fun

Poor little one, finally napping

Dust bowl stopover

My hero

A restful day at the campsite. Some work, some admin and lots of playing with the little one. The sun finally arrived so we went for a few walks by the river and along the trails. Baby Boy O is now keenly aware of fuzzy four legged friends. Every time he sees one its a “woohf whoohf” greeting. 

Morning green juice made by English Hubby’s fair hands

Woohf woohf Cricket

Coming back from a morning stroll to the river

Down time

Pure concentration

Finally the sun comes out to play, after four foggy rainy days

Friday afternoon family walk

Dear spotting

Puppy dog tales

Yesterday’s post:

Tomorrow’s post:

Hong Kong has really turned on the glitz. The sun is shining, the mist has cleared and the sky is blue. It is a completely different city of concrete angels. We went from sea to sky on the Big Bus. Stanley for lunch and Sky 100 in the afternoon to view Hong Kong from the heavens. Then back to basics with dinner at ABC Kitchen. So very grateful for good health, good friends, good weather. 

It’s so much fun playing tourist in Hong Kong. Although I’d lived here for the best part of a couple of years, there were many parts of Hong Kong that were left untouched. Taking the hop on hop off Big Bus is a superb way to see (what we could through the mmist) the new and old of this incredible city. We rode on the open air top deck and feasted on the sights and tastes of Hong Kong island and Kowloon. Baby Boy O qualities for the best baby in the world award. He rolled with his oldies, out all day, sneaking in two on-the-go naps and being a charm magnet. 

Last year Schoosching and Scoobes came to New York to Christmas with their very pregnant sister. This year we have the pleasure of seeing Schoosching in England for some very special Aunty bonding time. Family bonds flex and bend, but they can never be broken. Seeing my sister in her own skin, with her nephew, is just so beautiful. A precious gift. 

Building up his energy for a very special visitor

Quick session at the gym where we bump into another Aunty!

A walk through town to give the little one a nap

Spoilt for choice over lunch 

He finally wakes to say hello to Aunty Schoosching 

Sharing a wooden spoon moment

Who’s this person who looks like my mummy?

Off for an afternoon walk into town

Having fun in Tescos

Price check on aisle nine

Grandparents babysitting whilst we chow down on curry

With Ruff Fred

And Schoosching

Superb meal at The Spice Club

Yesterday’s post: It’s Starting To Feel A Lot Like Christmas

Tomorrow’s post:

It’s true what they say about kids and their toys. Forget the expensive stuff. Bring on the wrapping paper, cardboard boxes and wooden spoons. Thankfully Aunty Ali had an abundance of spoons we could take with us on our walk along the Thames. We had a lovely day exploring the neighborhood, walking along little side streets and imagining how this part of London would have looked, felt and smelt (not great I suspect) a hundred years ago. One thing I love about London is that people take pride in preservation. From the grand buildings to the little delectable gastropubs, they are all refurbished so very tastefully. 

Taking his wooden spoon out for a walk

So much history the Thames must have seen with every rise and fall of the tide

Do these still work?

Grand gates of Kew Gardens

Study of a wooden spoon in grey

Afternoon Christmas craft project

Musical spoons

Spoons gone wild

Out to dinner at The City Barge with Aunty Ali and Cousin Kim

Scrumptious food. It was a toss up between the aged steak and soft shell crab brioche

This country is marvelous!

An English nightcap

Yesterday’s post: British Food Fest

Tomorrow’s post:

England has changed in lots of different ways. According to English Hubby, everything has shrunk to a toy land size. Perhaps it is the stark difference between driving a 32 foot RV through Texas, the land of the big, then inching our way through the streets of London in a Honda Civic. One thing is for sure, the British sure can do a mean curry and a peshwari naan. 

Baby Boy O finally got the hang of drinking from a bottle

First course watermelon. Thank you Tesco for cut up finger fruit

Second course squishy apricot

Dessert course is chocolate mouse

Next comes the hose down

Then off to Aunty Ali’s and dinner with Daniel-San

Yesterday’s post: Friendship

Tomorrow’s post: 

The little one has regained his appetite after yesterday’s fever. This morning was a messy face stuffing session. It’s been a few days of people and places, and today is a welcome slow down. With a walk into town, meditation in the garden, gym session and coffee. It feels nice to bend, stretch and breathe. 

How much can I fit into my mouth at the same time?

Sunny meditation

Feeling much better today

Delicious decaf

Just hanging with Yah Yah

Yesterday’s post: Sunday Fever

Tomorrow’s post:

It’s worth contemplating how you measure a life well lived. It’s not the material possessions accumulated, that often we hold so tightly to. Having things may make you more comfortable but not necessarily bring true and lasting happiness. Perhaps it is the connections made with family, friends and perfect strangers. The invisible ties that bond humanity together. From chance meetings with Roger Doger in the local pub, to life long relationships. Today we visited dear ones who are are exemplar of those bonds. Beacons who shine, for one day if we are lucky enough, we will each be walking these paths with grace.

A welcoming cuddle from Dear John

Our beautiful Tea Lady

Pate and crackers for lunch at the pub

Working his charm on Great Great Aunt Pat

The lovely Camp Charlotte – she would have kept him if she could!

Tea, cakes and biscuits

Always smiling, and so infectious

Yesterday’s post: Swimming and Bouncing

Tomorrow’s post: 

Today’s our last day in the USA for the rest of the year. Off to London tonight, the first leg of our round the world expedition. Closing one chapter and opening another. Escaping the freezing weather. Thankfully we had our London clothes with us which helped shield us from the 40 degree drop in temperature.  Ready, set, go!

Started the day with a little swim in the hotel pool…still waking up after too many episodes of Master Chef Junior. Addicted and adoring Oona!

Little dip in the pool

Always time for thumb sucking

Family pool selfie

Just chillin’ out

Pack and go! Love this stroller bag

Cosmic Cafe two days in a row. Yum!

Grand Prairie mail run, mobile banking from the car, picking up sunglasses from LensCrafters and buying a big pillow from Walmart. Done.

Someone’s excited!

Somewhere above the Atlantic

American Airlines strikes again…

Yesterday’s post: Go!

Tomorrow post:

Best ways to get to know a new city is to eat and walk. We found a local gem (thank you Yelp) of a place – Cosmic Cafe – a Himalayan vegetarian restaurant. Good for the body and soul and even had a meditation center upstairs to boot. Our inner Om connected with our stomach yum.

We had a lovely lazy morning in the hotel room, I had some me time at the gym, off to lunch then a walk along Dallas’ Katy trail green belt area. Just soaking up the glorious Dallas winter sun. 

Love me…so easy to do

It’s starting to feel a bit like Christmas

Feels so good to exercise

Teaching Baby Boy O to crawl by showing him how

Cosmic Cafe Om and yum

One very happy English Hubby

Baby Boy O getting in on the action

Loving the vibe

Winter sunshine

Stumbled across the Katy Trail

Not sure eating a panda would be on my list

It’s thirsty work walking the trail. Had to stop for a cold one

So happy to be outdoors

Out cold after a big day

Yesterday’s post: Speed Bumps on the Road to Dallas

Tomorrow’s post: 

And so continues our crazy manic round trip to San Antonio and back to Houston. A day of driving and high fructose corn syrup excitement with a pull over in the rain stop at Buc-ees. This little beaver has been taunting us for miles, inviting us to stop in. Only Texas can come up with something this cheesy, so we curbed and spent some money on sugary fake food. If the glycemic index hadn’t already shot through the roof, we would send it sky high by finishing the day with an infamous Popeyes fried chicken with all the trimmings dinner. Heaven have mercy on our waistlines. 

Y’all have a great morning

More morning cuddles

Campground breakfast on classy foam plates

Still a barrel of sunshine even though it is wet and yucky out

Buc-ees, Buc-ees, Buc-ees. We wanna stop at Buc-ees

No turning back now!

Only in Texas

Aisles and aisles of crap

Beaver poop

Fried chicken heaven

Yesterday’s post:

Tomorrow’s post:

Time to say farewell to New Orleans, crisp white sheets, rainwater showers and housekeeping. Back to the reality of life on the road, lunches in Walmart car parks and exploring the big wide world, notching up hundreds more miles under our tires heading as we head west along the scenic plantation route toward Houston. This is how we roll! 

Morning chat with Gong Gong on Skype

Not a bad view from the 14th floor – trains, paddle steamers and so much to see

What a big mess a small baby can make

Jenga style packing, but we all managed to fit in one cab back to the RV park

Packed up and headed to Walmart to buy groceries, cabin linen, a vacuum and a baby play center

Yesterday’s post: Snap Happy in the French Quarter

Tomorrow’s post:

Whilst English Hubby and the In-Laws were off on a cemetery and swamp tour, Baby Boy O and I had a marvelous time wandering around the French Quarter on a photography safari playing with apature, shutter speeds, perspectives and angles. Natasha talked about the ‘establishing shot’, one that gives the audience a sense of place, an understanding of what makes it special, a recognition of newness with a dash of familiarity. It occurs to me that life feels like a series of estsblishing shots. Everyday on our road trip we’ve had to mentally take one to ground ourselves, and at the same time appreciate our new surrounds. 

A delicious way to start the day at Cafe du Monde 

Situating shot one – St Louis Cathedral, it’s importance accentuated by the sky

Our first photography assignment using the light (this one done with an iPhone camera, not the DSLR) 

Photography safari, a great way to practice photography and have welcome help to push a stroller

An absolute angel and the best photography buddy you could ask for. He soon became the subject 

Taking in the galleries 

And a little break for sore feet

Bluegrass beats on Royal St

Listening intently

Soaking up a sense of place 

Blowing bubbles to the blues

Off to dinner on the Natchez paddle steamer

Jazz on the Mississippi

Powered by Thelma and Louise

Pushing forward

Yesterday’s post: New Orleans Culinary Experience

Tomorrow’s post:

Mammoth Caves National Park rocks! Pun intended. We descended 280 steps, ducking and weaving our way 250 feet underground to the largest cave system in the US. A maze of tunnels 400 miles long, created by water seeping its way through limestone over millions of years. Baby Boy O did remarkably well spending near to two hours strapped to the front of dad. Thank goodness for good hearted National Parks guides and their torchlight tricks.  

Loving our national parks

One of the many entrances to the cave

Subterranean  

My little adventurer

Ducking and weaving

Frozen Niagara formation

Stalactites hold tight to the ceiling and stalagmites might grow up to the ceiling one day

Baby Boy O wakes as we get on the bus back to the visitors center

We go for a lovely walk on the heritage trail as we wait for English Hubby to finish is second tour down in the caves

Yesterday: Shoney’s Sunday

Tomorrow: Corvettes and Chevys

Kentucky sure is proud of its bourbon heritage. Two tours and several tastings later I’ve come to intellectually appreciate the art of bourbon making, however the enjoyment of the drink itself still eludes me. Nevertheless loving another glorious day in the sunshine.

Hard to resist, but the Kentucky Bourbon Trail awaits

First stop, Jim Beam. 95% of the worlds bourbon is made in Kentucky and 50% that comes from here

English Hubby giving them a hand

It’s all about the barrels

Giving a hand to wash…

…and bottle

Making this stuff is a piece of cake 

Thanks to the Beam family 

Walk in a straight line please ma’am

Back roads

Trying out a smaller distillery

History lesson 

Beautiful grounds with the right water being the key ingredient

A matter of yeasty chemistry

Baby Boy O having a taste…of the label

Now for the real taste test, finished off with a chocolate bourbon ball

Cheeky

A different sort of cheeky, with a big serving of slobber

Yesterday: Louisville Surprise

Tomorrow: Shoney’s Sunday

Lexington was what we pictured it to be. Louisville was not. It was way cooler! To our surprise there is a great vibe and a laid back feel. As Maria the ex-New Yorker said, “it is a city with small town culture”. Loving Louisville.  

So very Main Street

Stumbled upon a pop up space

Hand crafted local beer, pulled pork and more

Perfect for a bite

And an after lunch Nia session

Green scene

R2D2 came to visit!

Look closely…what do you see?

What a great idea

What a dumb idea

Off to the Louisville Slugger factory

Batter up! Holding Mickey Mantle’s bat

Hands on in the factory

Little little league

Art on the streets

Kitsch

Kentucky chic

Thumbs up to the coolest kid in town

Gallery in C21 hotel

Hotel with a twist

Modern day family selfie in the elevator bank

Louisville skyline

Meeting of the rivers

Quick visit to the Muhammad Ali museum

An interesting character

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

Yesterday: Year of the Horse

Tomorrow: Kentucky’s Finest

Kentucky is the proud Horse Capital of the World, so it would be rude not to make a small wager at the track. We spent the afternoon at Keeneland Race Track and walked away with a fist full of dollars…$13 to be exact!

Deja vu lunch at the Lexington Diner. I asked the waitress to surprise me, and got a yummy Kentucky cheesesteak with coleslaw

I’ve heard of drive through fast food, ATMs, liquor stores and now wagering!

Well timed race meet in October

Met the lovely Tamryn who gave us the inside scoop and a race program 

Pole position for the parade of horses and saddling up

Slow start with number 7 coming second last

Doing better in race 5 and 6

Setting up – da da da dah, da dah – is actually played by a real bugle guy! 

Off they go! 

Here they come!

Fist full of winnings!

Yesterday: Ouchies 

Tomorrow: Year of the Horse

Soaking in the NYC vibe. It’s true, I’ve missed the unique charms of the city – wafting sewer smells, crazy cab drivers, jackhammers on Second Avenue, that “24/7 I’ve got somewhere important to be, so get out of my way” look that steels most New Yorkers’ faces. Before taking off on the road trip Baby Boy O made sure we experienced the city that never sleeps (…through the night). Today he’s reunited with his womb buddies, and we reconnect with our Bradley class comrades.

I heart New York

Morning cuddles with Aunt Steph

Picking our picnic spot

Who’s your daddy?

What’s the collective noun for babies? Gaggle, storm, wail, spew, swarm, dribble or headache?!

Running late as usual

Babysitter for the boys and yummy gastronomic pub feast with N+C in Park Slope

Yesterday’s Post: Salvation Taco and Pizza

Tomorrow’s Post: 2,444 Frequent Flyer Miles

Back in 2005 when we did our first road trip across the US wifi was rare, mifi was unheard of and cellular data was not yet for the common people. Connecting to the world – which usually just meant picking up emails – was done through a good old telephone lead plugged into the laptop, or at savvy places like Starbucks who would provide free wifi which justified paying for overpriced bad coffee.

English Hubby and I shared a single laptop, and we would fight like teenage girls over who would get to plug in to the magical-inter-world-wide-wonder-web first. After a few “you got to use it longer” “but I need to finish this email” squabbles we came to an agreement that a timer would be set for 30 minutes and like the contestants in Master Chef, once your time was up, it was hands in the air and your fingers could no longer touch the keyboard. This was the only way to equitably ration precious stopover time at Starbucks, as a lot was at stake – the connection to the big world beyond just the two of us.

Our friends who pioneered a road trip before us kept in touch with the world at large by phoning a special service that would read out emails that were sent to a specific email address. It didn’t take long for Uncle Phil’s brother to realize he could have a bit of fun with this bleeding edge technology and started leaving provocative messages that a robotic voice would then relay!

Fast forward nine years and everyone who’s anyone is walking around with a mini supercomputer in their pockets. We now have Facebook, Instagram, Skype, MMS, texting, FaceTime, IM, personal blogs and the list goes on. Between the two of us (Baby Boy O doesn’t count in this one) we have nine devices – two iPhones, one Samsung, two iPads, two laptops and two kindles – and still only two hands each with which to operate them all. With 10 gigabytes of data that we can play with each month, this is a whole lot of connectedness.

Tech frenzy

With a touch of three buttons, a photo can be taken, uploaded on Facebook and shared with all and sundry. Feedback is near instant with likes and comments whizing back at the speed of light. It makes me wonder what being so available and connected actually means?

There are countless articles and opinions written on this topic, from all different angles and schools of thought. Mine is just a personal first hand account of what’s different between our first road trip and this current one.

Firstly, it is a slippery slope from sharing a significant treasured moment with loved ones to performing like a well trained dolphin. I’m a big subscriber of being in the moment. Appreciating a scenic view with all your senses before reaching for a cell phone camera to click and capture. Regardless of actively practicing mindfulness, I find myself slipping into performance mode. It gives me a thrill to know that my audience is applauding (a.k.a. the number of likes on Facebook) and enjoying my theatrics. Isn’t this cool – snap. I’m having so much fun – snap. My kid just made a cute face – snap, snap, snap. You know you’re on that downhill slide into instant gratification when you are constantly checking Facebook not for new stories from friends but rather for notifications of who liked your post and what comments you’ve received. Been there, done that, and now in a self imposed quarrantine to restore the balance in the Facebook enabled narcissistic universe.

Secondly, I’ve realized the value of a secret. In September of 2005 English Hubby drove me out to the middle of nowhere Utah, sat me on the edge of a cliff with a 1000 foot drop and proposed. We were engaged under the stars with only a cheap disposable wind and click camera to memorialize the occasion. It was an excruciating three hour drive back to civilization and decent phone reception before we even had the option to tell anyone. We chose to hold our moment only between the two of us for a little while longer before breaking the news to our eagerly awaiting family and friends. The wait made it even more special. It was ours and ours alone. It wasn’t broadcast instantly, replicated across channels, pinned, tweeted, posted or liked. It wasn’t for anyone but us. But now in today’s world there is an underlying current that sweeps along even the most diligent of us and that few would openly admit to…so here it goes – like the proverbial tree falling in the forest on deaf ears, if events aren’t shared, do they legitamately exist? I fear we have forgotten the art of treasuring a secret, holding a moment in our mind’s eye for no other reason than to savor it ourselves.

Thirdly, being offline for the last three days feels like what I imagine rehab to be. We are currently staying at a campground where the promise of wifi is more a dream than a reality, and there is a hole in AT&T’s data coverage. This means patchy to no email, Skype, text, Internet and the other usual accoutrements that accompany our connected lives. I’m getting jittery, crusing locations for a hit of unprotected wifi. No more weather app. Instead we actually have to step outside and look at the sky. No instant blogging. Instead I have three days to think and refine a piece to make it worthy as opposed to a free flow of random, hastily thrown together thoughts. And no more delegated decisions or crowd sourced thinking from Yelp, Google and other information wells. We actually have to take a chance on a restaurant with an outcome unknown, or even worse, actually have a conversation with local folks and ask them where they go.

At the end of three offline days, these are just my observations, not an opinion on good or bad, right or wrong or even whether we have moved forward or backward. I personally would not turn back time and trade in today’s connectivity. I like it, I need it, I want it, but I do choose to be conscious and mindful of how it can sneak up and dilute the moments that really matter. At the end of the day it is a choice, and I choose to kick some old digital habits and mindfully cultivate new ones.

Previous post: Long Walks in Owl’s Head and Rockland

Next post: Lookout at Camden Hills State Park

More musings…Crazy Messy Love

Managed to tip a bucket of icy water over my head in the name of charity this morning (thanks Mommy Wolfe!). So thankful for a hot shower in the RV afterward. It was a point A to point B road travel day, getting us to the mid Maine coastline by nightfall. We no longer move as fast with a four month old in tow.

Ice ice baby

Stepping up to the plate for the ALS ice bucket challenge

Staying with one of English Hubby’s customers

A sight you don’t see everyday at a campground

Having a relaxed morning just horsing around

Stuck in traffic on Route 1 North

Big tears from Baby Boy O

It was a long travel day and we were all in need for a desperate refuel stop

Pushing on, miles to go

Yesterday’s post: Old and New in Maine

Tomorrow’s post: Giggles Along Mid-Coast Maine

Being invited into someone else’s family is like watching a reality TV show. You know the people, you get to sit back and be entertained and there are clear moments of truth that cast light on your own life. We’ve just spent dinner and breakfast with our old friends Amazing Mom and Christmas Pudding Dad. The last time we had met they had one sprog, now they have four wonderful healthy fun-loving game-playing kids.

Tacos for dinner, homemade waffles for breakfast

It’s a household where there is always someone talking, laughing or fighting. Sometimes all three at the same time. A home where the washer and dryer is always running, the playroom creeps into every corner of the house and shoes are constantly being outgrown. Where imagination runs wild, crafts are done, toys are broken then put together again. It is a place of raw beauty and reminds me of my own crazy messy family.

Watching the kids – minecraft, sweet tooth, eyeball and Spider-Man – at play today was a trip down memory lane. Growing up with three sisters can be described with every adjective in the book. There was never enough room, yet we all managed to create our own space. Meals were at the dining table, but it was like feeding time at the zoo. Noise was a constant – whining, screaming, shushing, negotiating – and smiles could turn into floods of tears and back again in mere seconds. New alliances and enemies made, battles own and lost. Yet at the end of the day blood is always thick.

Saturday morning family fun

In the midst of growing up with all this crazy I remember wishing for order and neatness, matching plates and cutlery, and non-plastic cups. That perfect family you would see in the movies that would make civilized polite conversation, then listen to each other’s reply. That other grass lawn seemed so green, yet now I would trade it all in a heartbeat.

Today was a time warp circa the 80’s. Dear friends, enjoy sitting on your big green couch making rainbow loom jewelry, playing with marbles, setting up tower after tower of Jenga on a Saturday morning.

Weaving a beautiful rainbow bracelet, ring and necklace

Cherish the scrap fights, button pushing and wearing of pajamas late into the day. For one day your siblings may be scattered to the four corners of the world and even endless sessions on Skype cannot recapture those magic moments where you live on top of each other and anything you say or do will be forgiven in a heartbeat. A time when moments would weave seamlessly together and life felt messy in a good way.

Previous Post: Detours

Tomorrow’s Post: Treehouse Fun

So the original plan was to pack up the apartment, put everything in storage, pick up the RV from the dealership, head to Cape Cod and keep motoring north through Massachusetts and Maine. In some strange time warp continuum this would ideally happen in 10 days. How wrong we were!

Packed to the rafters

Of course we had a Plan A (aforementioned), Plan B and Plan C. Little did we know that we would run out of alphabet as we shifted gears from city living to life on the road.

Missing paperwork meant we would remain RV-less for a few more days, so we headed up to the Cape via old fashioned automobile. Thankfully so, as the road leading to the vacation house would never have been able to accomodate a 32ft long, 11ft tall RV.

This detour also gave us the opportunity to swing back past Manhattan to check on the painters who were patching up our apartment, ready for tenants. Luckily so, as we had discovered they had unplugged the washing machine drain pipe. Major flooding avoided. Phew.

Paperwork eventually came through, check was handed over and we finally became proud new owners of a tiny house on wheels. We spent a couple of nights camping in the local area to test out all the RV contraptions before we hit the road full pelt. Surely enough the “need to take back to dealer to fix” list steadily grew. Add to that a tire recall, putting our Go North plans further on hold.

Getting new wheels

Gratefully our lovely friends SydneyGal and Jaybo took us in for a night, which quickly extended to two. Our impromptu Monmouth Beach detour was a perfect opportunity to reconnect with old friends, break bread, explore a beautiful town and enjoy the sun and surf with fabulous company.

In full bloom at the Monmouth Beach farmers market

Even in our wildest dreams we could never have imagined a moment like this a year ago. Two mummies, two strollers, two babies. How kindly fortune has smiled.

Stroller friends

So now we are two and a half weeks behind schedule, and about to finally head north. Although itching to get on the road and make the most of the Summer, I can’t ignore the feeling that it is the univese’s way of allowing us a much needed refuel, restock and recouperate break.

Well fed and watered by our lovely friends

It is nice to know that things don’t always work out as planned…sometimes they work out even better.

Wherever the road may lead

Previous Post: Magic Happens

Next Post: Crazy Messy Love

A year ago magic happened.

Two cells became four, four became eight, eight became sixteen and on and on and on. Life took hold. Our long awaited Little Baby O came to us. So wanted, and much loved even though we had not yet met him. We knew him in our dreams and now he is so much a part of our lives.

Just the beginning

It has been an exciting year, and many years leading up. Looking back, the journey felt like a rough voyage across an ocean, searching for the fabled lost continent – out there, but without guarantee of ever setting foot on land. It had never been plain sailing, but with time it is easy to forget the wave after wave of sadness, the depths of despair where it felt like I could not breathe, the countless interventions of which none were pleasant.

Happiness comes with three pricks a day

My saving grace came in two forms, English Hubby who held my hand every step of the way, and a little friend called perspective who in my darkest hours allowed me to remember that we have so much to be grateful for regardless of the outcome.

Shouting from the roof tops

Fast forward through more injections, cravings, borderline narcolepsy, thankfully no morning sickness, misread ultrasounds, seven weeks of bed rest, ups and downs, midwife, doula, sadness, fear, happiness, the best OBs in the world, deep breathing, cesarean birth and three months later here we are.

Our bundle of joy

I cannot thank the universe enough for the twists and turns, roadblocks and speed bumps, rough and smooth that led our son to us.

Previous Post: An Ocean of Kindness

Next Post: Detours

In a world where news headlines scream death, destruction, war, planes that fall out of skies and so much sadness, it is nice to pause and be reminded of everyday kindness and love.

The Dalai Lama once posted (yes, on Facebook!) that at every moment countless mothers (fathers and caregivers) around the world wake to feed their babies, regardless of how tired they are, they nurse and provide for their children. These moments don’t make headlines. The true depth of this love and kindness may not even be noticed or fully understood until the child one day becomes a parent themselves. And it just happens, minute after minute, day after day, year after year, since the very beginning.

We have been the recipients of an ocean of kindness of late. Aunt Steph who babysat Baby Boy O, giving us a precious last New York City date night out. Irish Lass and English Andy who poured a much needed glass of cold white wine, dished a delicious dinner and prepped a cosy bed for the night after a very long day of moving. Family style fun with JJ, N + C in Cape Cod. Stylish sixth floor neighbors who housed our extra boxes and fussed over us endlessly.

The way to one’s heart

Add to that the random acts of kindness from people – the girl at the supermarket who held the door open, making it easier to navigate the beast that is our stroller, kind words from little old ladies, a great suggestion from the waiter. The list could go on and on, and for every dear family, friend, acquaintance and stranger mentioned there are a hundred more who deserve to be shouted from the mountaintops.

In the quicksand of sensational and ‘newsworthy’ headlines, this is what I wish to remember – acts of kindness are always there and may they help us keep in perspective all the things that happen around us.

Previous Post: Happy Times in Cape Cod

Next Post: Magic Happens

We’ve been invited to Cape Cod by our dear friends JJ, N + C. It’s a magical way to begin our journey, hanging out with people we love. We arrived on Tuesday and the days seem to have blurred into a flowing rhythm of wake, play, eat, beach, fun, laughter and sleep. It feels like the long luscious summers we use to have as a kid, where each day was whole and simple, each moment true and pure. That precious period before the concept of time and grown up priorities seeps in. A time when you remembered to make lists of things that make you happy.

A great reminder

So in an ode to this tradition, here is a sprinkling of the big and little things to celebrate and cherish:

Steak, salad and a bottle of 2004 St Hugo’s.
An ability to wind in ‘particle accelerator’ into any conversation.
Throw back to the Miami Vice theme song with Crockett and Tubbs.
Learning random Trivia Pursuit facts, like Massachusetts, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia are Commonwealths, not States.
Shooting stars.
Red crabs.

Crab attack

Decaf coffee.
Fresh baked morning glory muffins.
Grapes.

What’s the story morning glory?

The thought of Gerard depardieu in a speedo (cringeworthy, yet strangely funny).
Spending quality time with dear friends.
Delicious 14 month old cousin E.
JJ’s orange PJs.
Red adirondack chairs.

Prime position

Sun deck, which miraculously transforms to a star deck at night.
Baby boy O in a Baby Bjorn rocker.
White linen pants.
Long lashes on a sleeping baby.

What it looks like to sleep like a baby

Old fashioned General store.
Fresh corn on the cob.
Pomi diced tomatoes.
Freshly baked baguettes.
Drivers who indicate before turning.
Coolers with giant wheels.
Ham, tomato, sweet pepper and Swiss cheese sandwich with waffle chips on the side.
Cold coconut water.
Boppee cushion under a beach umbrella.
Sand between toes.

New sensations

12 year old girls who are fascinated with babies.
A dip in the water.
Green balls.
Sharing photos on Facebook with faraway family and friends.
Art.

Visual delights

Nice hot showers.
Nice smelling moisturizer.
Fruit bowls and fresh vegetables.

Shiny and bumpy

Taking photos.
Travel crib.
Drinking water.
Cheese and crackers.
Playing Bocci.
Big family style clam bake dinner with steamers, big juicy lobsters, baked potatoes and butter.

Not a good place to be a lobster

Peanut butter ice cream.
A game of salad bowl where Clarissa and licking of lips prompted the answer Hannibal Lecter, crazy lady from Alaska = Sarah Palin, that punk kid = Justin Bieber

Who am I?

Falling into a deep sleep.
Sunrise.
Smell of sun dried towels.
Ham and cheese croissant.
Breakfast all over cousin E’s face and hands and nose and hair and chair and floor and…
JJ’s mums boy racer car.
Swimming in a fresh water pond.

Dip and swim

Freshly fried clams.
Lobster rolls with a side of coleslaw and sweet potato fries.

Really not a good place to be a crustacean

Afternoon naps.
Breeze on the deck.
Conversation.

Early evening soirée

Trees.
Chirping birds.
Sunset.

Scintillating ball of hydrogen gas

Glow worms.
Chicken with amped up barbecue sauce.
Grilled asparagus.
Perfectly cooked hamburgers.

Flaming goodness

Dancing.
Live music.

Night cap

Requests for Tom Petty that go unrequited.
Dream feeds.

Over the last 24 hours our lives have changed. We are now of no fixed abode, we are owners of fewer possessions and we are reveling in our new status as nomads as we hurtle down the I95 toward Cape Cod.

Travel snack pack from Irish Lass

It’s hard to imagine that just this time yesterday we were swimming in a sea of bubble wrap and packing tape. Nerves fraying faster than the bottom of overpacked boxes.

Little Baby O summarizes exactly how we feel

They say life teaches you lessons everyday. Here’s what I learnt:

• Moving isn’t fun. It is a temporary form of hell (sort of like a six day root canal). But everything will be okay…eventually.
• It is well worth the extra two seconds to put the scissors, tape and fat marker pen back in the same place after use. Playing the ‘where the *fudge* is the <insert item here>’ game quickly wears thin.
• If in doubt, throw it out.

Even after a big cull we have more stuff than we need

Here’s what English Hubby took away from the experience:

• It’s a bad idea to schedule a long overdue check up with the dermatologist on the same afternoon as moving and vacating the apartment.
• A hungry wife with screaming baby who just had a daiper blowout is a lethal combo.
• Staying hydrated is important.

At the end of the day there weren’t too many casualties, plant life excluded.

Thankfully the only casualties

As dear friend, Irish Lass, wisely counselled – This is just one day which will all be a distant memory very soon. You will soon look back on it and laugh.

And we’re ready to leave

Previous Post: And More Stuff

Next Post: Happy Times in Cape Cod

More musings…The Road Less Travelled

When will it ever end? How did we accumulate so much stuff? More packing, this time attacking the kitchen with a little picnic interlude with Big Red.

The forest of cardboard boxes grows

Did we ever need all this shiny stuff?

Delicious picnic on Wards Island with Big Red. A welcome reprieve from packing

Previous post: Getting Nostalgic

Next post: And Away We Go

Already getting nostalgic. There is much we will miss in New York City. It is farewell for now, not forever.

Closing one door, for now

Will miss the local green market every Thursday

And even the sounds and smells of Manhattan

Yesterday’s post: No Longer Our Home

Next post: And More Stuff

Packing up our life – pictures no longer hung, walls are bare, boxes boxed. Our apartment no longer feels like home.

Going…

…going…

…gone!

Previous Post: The Road Less Travelled

Tomorrow’s Post: Getting Nostalgic

It’s 4.30 in the morning and the gravity of what we are doing has just hit. Why not have a baby, take a 15 month career break, vacate your comfy Manhattan apartment, sell your worldly possessions, leave your dear urbanite friends (and substitute family), buy an RV and drive off, destination unknown. And throw in for good measure a three month old baby. English Hubby and I must be nuts. That, dear reader, is the closest we have to a plan.

They say it’s always darkest before the dawn. Right now, it’s pitch black.  Surrounded by boxes, packing tape and general chaos. To-do lists on post it notes. A fridge full of food that needs to be consumed.

Packing mayhem

Questions unanswered, from the mundane (where should we forward our mail, and how do we collect it on the road?) to the sublimely important (how do we get Little Baby O his periodic vaccinations?). That being said, the done bucket is slowly expanding.

Find an RV. Check.
Sell furniture on Craigslist. Check.
Arrange for storage. Check.
Pick up rental car. Check.

Rental car pick up

I guess we have 12 more days to work out the details before we take possession of our tiny house on wheels and hit the road. The rest we may just have to figure out along the way.

Here’s to the road less travelled, and may it take us far, yet bring us closer to all we hold dear.

Happiness

Next post: No Longer Our Home