In a world with no power, one man must feed and entertain two small children. What will he do with no television to fall back on? And how, oh how, will he make dinner with no microwave at his disposal?
Such was the case today.
We lost power for a couple of hours. Fortunately for me, it was during our son's nap time. Even more fortunate, he was exhausted and decided to take a marathon nap. He slept through the whole thing.
It has been dark and rainy all day so when the power went out, the house was fairly dark. I broke out a couple of battery powered lanterns for light. Our daughter, who is not afraid of the dark, was just worried about how she would be able to see to play. When she I gave her one of the lanterns to carry around, she found the idea of no power quite enjoyable.
Normally I do not like having gas appliances. We have had numerous small and annoying but not necessarily dangerous gas leaks over the years. I always felt that if all things are even, I would prefer a house with only electric appliances. Today, however, it was nice to have the gas appliances.
With no power, the microwave is unavailable and if we had electric appliances, there would be no way to cook dinner. As it was, I could use the gas stove to make dinner. I would need to manually light the burner as it has an electric lighter rather than a pilot light but that is not difficult. So I did what any good father would do in this situation, I grabbed my cell phone and ordered pizza.
As I was talking to the lady at Mario's about our order, the power came back on. There was no need for the pizza order after all but hey, I already had them on them on the phone so what could I do. I completed the order. Our daughter was very excited. Our son was still asleep.
So I sent our daughter to wake our son in time for the pizza delivery. Pizza arrival is quite the spectacle at our house. The Beatles got a colder reception at JFK on their first trip to the U.S. than the pizza guy gets at our house. The delivery guy was laughing so much that I thought he was going to have trouble making change.
So with the arrival of dinner, the crisis was officially passed and I somehow managed to survive the horrible power outage of twenty ten.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Guitar Lesson
I am a terrible musician. I mean awful. I would say godawful but there is a band that I like by that name and I wouldn't want to insult them.
Perhaps if I actually practiced I might get better but with the two little ones, practice time is limited. As it stands now, when working on a song, I move from something that is incomprehensible to something that sounds like a song being played badly. I consider that progress.
Fortunately, what I lack in ability I can make up for in volume and distortion. So essentially, I play very bad, very loud music which is exactly what my wife would say I listen to.
I am proficient in badly playing acoustic and electric guitar, bass and a drum machine. Actually, I can get some really good beats out of the drum machine. So what if it came pre-programed, I am.the one who hit play.
Playing around with the guitar last night, I was joking about my playing when my daughter said, "Daddy, I like your playing even though you are not very good." I started to laugh.
She decided that what I needed were some lessons. Thing is, she had decided that she was the one to give the lessons. So she marched me over to where her guitar is kept. It's a small scale electric with a body shaped like a gold fish. She calls it her fishtar.
I asked her if she wanted me to plug her in. She did. So she sat on the floor with her fishtar coaching me how to play.
She said I needed some rock lessons and that I should play what she did. She would correct me if I played faster or slower than her. I had to match her rhythm or else she would stop the lesson and tell me to do what she was doing.
Once the lesson was over, she decided to play a little bit more for us. Fortunately, we had the foresight to get out the Flip and record a little of it. So for your enjoyment, click on the link below for a clip of Caelyn demonstrating how to rock.
Caelyn's Rock Demonstration
Perhaps if I actually practiced I might get better but with the two little ones, practice time is limited. As it stands now, when working on a song, I move from something that is incomprehensible to something that sounds like a song being played badly. I consider that progress.
Fortunately, what I lack in ability I can make up for in volume and distortion. So essentially, I play very bad, very loud music which is exactly what my wife would say I listen to.
I am proficient in badly playing acoustic and electric guitar, bass and a drum machine. Actually, I can get some really good beats out of the drum machine. So what if it came pre-programed, I am.the one who hit play.
Playing around with the guitar last night, I was joking about my playing when my daughter said, "Daddy, I like your playing even though you are not very good." I started to laugh.
She decided that what I needed were some lessons. Thing is, she had decided that she was the one to give the lessons. So she marched me over to where her guitar is kept. It's a small scale electric with a body shaped like a gold fish. She calls it her fishtar.
I asked her if she wanted me to plug her in. She did. So she sat on the floor with her fishtar coaching me how to play.
She said I needed some rock lessons and that I should play what she did. She would correct me if I played faster or slower than her. I had to match her rhythm or else she would stop the lesson and tell me to do what she was doing.
Once the lesson was over, she decided to play a little bit more for us. Fortunately, we had the foresight to get out the Flip and record a little of it. So for your enjoyment, click on the link below for a clip of Caelyn demonstrating how to rock.
Caelyn's Rock Demonstration
Friday, June 4, 2010
Sick at the Zoo
Today is painful. Today I feel like I used to feel every Saturday when I was younger and I swore I would never drink again. Sadly, I don't feel this way because I did drink again but because something I ate yesterday decided it didn't like me at about two am. I will spare you the details but I never really got to go back to sleep.
No day is good to get sick, especially with young children. They don't really understand when mommy and daddy are sick. They understand when they are sick, but not when mommy and daddy are. Even if they did understand, food still needs to be made, diapers changed, etc. There is no taking a sick day with children.
Today was also the day of Caelyn's school trip to the zoo. It is something she has been looking forward to for a while. There was no way I would deny her that.
I got up early to make sure I could keep food down, took some medicine to keep me upright and started getting things ready for the trip.
Turtleback Zoo is probably the perfect size for small kids. It is small but not too small. It only takes a couple of hours to see everything, more if you want to ride the train, the carousel or a pony. However, it was built on a hillside. So there I was pushing Caleb and his stroller up hills in 87 degree weather while Caelyn is running around with her classmates.
For her part, Caelyn had a lot of fun. She loves her schoolmates and running around the zoo with them was a great time for her. We spent about 3 1/2 hours at the zoo. I felt awful the whole time. All I wanted to do was go home and go to bed. However, watching her play with her friends and the smile on her face, there is no other place I would have chosen to be than right there.
No day is good to get sick, especially with young children. They don't really understand when mommy and daddy are sick. They understand when they are sick, but not when mommy and daddy are. Even if they did understand, food still needs to be made, diapers changed, etc. There is no taking a sick day with children.
Today was also the day of Caelyn's school trip to the zoo. It is something she has been looking forward to for a while. There was no way I would deny her that.
I got up early to make sure I could keep food down, took some medicine to keep me upright and started getting things ready for the trip.
Turtleback Zoo is probably the perfect size for small kids. It is small but not too small. It only takes a couple of hours to see everything, more if you want to ride the train, the carousel or a pony. However, it was built on a hillside. So there I was pushing Caleb and his stroller up hills in 87 degree weather while Caelyn is running around with her classmates.
For her part, Caelyn had a lot of fun. She loves her schoolmates and running around the zoo with them was a great time for her. We spent about 3 1/2 hours at the zoo. I felt awful the whole time. All I wanted to do was go home and go to bed. However, watching her play with her friends and the smile on her face, there is no other place I would have chosen to be than right there.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Central Park Kind of Day
Before we headed in, I found myself doing something I had never done before. I printed a map of the park. While I know my way around the park quite well, the maps I printed were of all the playgrounds and restrooms. Items that are very important when dealing with small children, especially with a child that waits to the last minute to tell anyone she needs to go.
Victorian Gardens is a small amusement park that is inside Wollman rink. For those who don't know, Wollman is an ice skating rink that is used throughout the winter. The place has 12 different rides geared toward small children.
After checking out several different rides, it was time for lunch. We headed to the food court. Caelyn was wearing what she calls the most beautiful shirt in the world, a pink Ramones t-shirt. Sammie and Tudie came in to the food court shortly after we sat down to eat. We had not seen their show yet. Caelyn had, however, seen a little of the act a few weeks before at the Tribeca Film Festival street fair. She wanted to go over to say hi and tell Tudie her dress was pretty.
Turns out Tudie is a Ramones fan and started talking to Caelyn about the band. When the conversation was over, Caelyn returned to the table for lunch. Shortly after Caelyn's return, I heard what appeared to be a rendition of Blitzkrieg Bop being played on the ukulele. The sound was coming from behind a curtained off area of the food court. I grabbed Caelyn and we went to check it out only to be met by Sammie and Tudie returning to the dining area from behind the curtain.
They had decided to work up an rendition of the song on the spot and came over to our table to sing it for Caelyn. So there we sat, enjoying every minute of two clowns playing and singing Blitzkrieg Bop for our daughter who was watching in awe. It was a great moment and I thank them for that.
Click here to see Sammie and Tudie sing Blitzkrieg Bop
After lunch it was off for more rides. As the spinning swings and the psychotic spinning tug boat had made me nauseous before we ate, I wanted nothing to do with them.
(According to Caelyn, it takes a lot of concentration to drive a truck with two steering wheels.)
Caelyn sat right up front. When it was time for audience volunteers, she was brought on stage with a couple of other children. She participated in plate spinning. She could barely control her excitement. A few times she was unable to control herself and she jumped up and down.
For anyone in the NYC area with small children, if you get a chance to see Sammie and Tudie, go see them. I am not just saying that because of the attention they gave my daughter. They had the kids in the audience laughing and yelling back and forth at the stage the whole time. Every child there looked as if they were having fun and many of them stayed after to hear Tudie read a story.
After the show, it was a few more rides then off to Hecksher playground. I won't give too many details other than it is a nice large playground, that and it borders a large area of climbing rocks. Caelyn headed to the rocks and spent about an hour climbing rock formations.
Finally it was time to leave. We stopped at an ice cream cart on the way out.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Preschool, Plumbers, Play Date, Pet Store
We had a really nice day yesterday even if the temperature did get in the 90s. I know, you guys in Texas have 90s all the time. Up here though, it's a shock this time of year and we are no where near as air conditioned as you are.
The day was busier than I originally thought it would be. Other than Caelyn's school and Caleb's nap, we got a visit from our plumbers in the morning. They other day I noticed corrosion on some of our water pipes in the basement and asked them to come take a look. We have been doing business with John Heyrich and Sons for years based on a recommendation from some friends. They are, I think, a 4th or maybe 5th generation family business. One of the posts in our basement has an old metal plate with their name on it and a phone number with only 4 digits.
Anyway, they gave us good news. While the piping will need to be replaced, it can wait 8 or 9 years if we wish. You have to love a contractor that will come in and tell you the truth even if it costs them money.
Caelyn stayed for lunch at school. I picked her up about 12:30 and we came home just long enough for a bathroom break. Then it was off to the playground to meet some friends.
This was the first official play date with these kids. They are twin girls Caelyn's age and the three of them had met a while back at our neighbors going away party. They instantly started running around the playground not caring in the least it was about 95. The twins mother and I did our best to stay in the shade. We cared a lot that it was 95.
The girls played hard for about two hours. It was then time to break up the party. None of the girls were happy about that but they have an older sister that was due home from school around that time.
The kids and I then headed to the pet store. Yesterday was moving day for a few of our fish. They were upgrading from the 10 gallon tank to the new 55 gallon one. I needed to pick up a couple of things in order to make sure the water in our new tank was safe. The move went well for them though they don't know what to do with all that space. We will be getting them some friends soon.
It was then time for dinner and getting the kids to bed. When I started the week, I thought Wednesday was going to be a pretty lazy day. It's amazing how quickly that can change.
The day was busier than I originally thought it would be. Other than Caelyn's school and Caleb's nap, we got a visit from our plumbers in the morning. They other day I noticed corrosion on some of our water pipes in the basement and asked them to come take a look. We have been doing business with John Heyrich and Sons for years based on a recommendation from some friends. They are, I think, a 4th or maybe 5th generation family business. One of the posts in our basement has an old metal plate with their name on it and a phone number with only 4 digits.
Anyway, they gave us good news. While the piping will need to be replaced, it can wait 8 or 9 years if we wish. You have to love a contractor that will come in and tell you the truth even if it costs them money.
Caelyn stayed for lunch at school. I picked her up about 12:30 and we came home just long enough for a bathroom break. Then it was off to the playground to meet some friends.
This was the first official play date with these kids. They are twin girls Caelyn's age and the three of them had met a while back at our neighbors going away party. They instantly started running around the playground not caring in the least it was about 95. The twins mother and I did our best to stay in the shade. We cared a lot that it was 95.
The girls played hard for about two hours. It was then time to break up the party. None of the girls were happy about that but they have an older sister that was due home from school around that time.
The kids and I then headed to the pet store. Yesterday was moving day for a few of our fish. They were upgrading from the 10 gallon tank to the new 55 gallon one. I needed to pick up a couple of things in order to make sure the water in our new tank was safe. The move went well for them though they don't know what to do with all that space. We will be getting them some friends soon.
It was then time for dinner and getting the kids to bed. When I started the week, I thought Wednesday was going to be a pretty lazy day. It's amazing how quickly that can change.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesdays
Tuesday is our busiest day. At least it will be until school lets out. Yesterday was busier than usual.
Caelyn has to be at preschool by 8:30. After dropping her off, it is time to head home and get Caleb his morning milk. He still drinks it out of a bottle and you would think he won the lottery by the excitement he shows when he sees it.
After the bottle, it is time for Caleb's Music Together class at 10:00. He loves it. He gets in the middle of the room, sings and dances. Basically, he tries to be the center of attention. The only time he pays much attention to me is when the little girl in the class who has adopted me plops down in my lap. Suddenly, he needs to be there too.
From Music Together there is not enough time to go home before picking Caelyn up at 11:30. Tuesday is the one day of the week that she does not stay until 12:30. So, Caleb and I usually make a quick trip to the bank or CVS or some other innocuous errand. Yesterday it was a trip to the pet store. Unfortunately, they were out of what I was looking for.
After picking Caelyn up from preschool, it is time for home and lunch. Caleb is then put down for a nap so he can be well rested for chasing girls at Caelyn's dance class. He loves it there and flirts with everyone from the 5 year old ballerinas to their instructor and even the Jr high school girls that walk by as part of the school group that uses one of the studios.
After I wake Caleb from his nap, it;s time to get the girl dressed in her dance clothes and off to class that starts at 3:15. I have almost no idea what goes on in Caelyn's dance class. I could watch through the one way glass windows but I never really get a chance to. I am busy chasing my son who is chasing the girls in the surrounding classes. Yesterday though was observation day.
Kerry was able to go and we, along with all the other parents and siblings of the students, got to sit in on the class. It was fun to watch the group of 3 and 4 years olds doing their best dance moves. Caleb loved actually being allowed in the studio while class was going on.
Towards the end, the teacher announced that she had slips of paper that stated which class the students should take in the fall if they would be continuing classes. I heard her say it and I thought, "They are getting graded." It's a preschool age class but all of the sudden I got nervous. "What if she doesn't pass?"
She did of course. I imagine they all did so long as they were old enough for the next level but what was that nervousness about. I can only imagine how I will feel when starts sports or the first time she brings home a real report card.
After dance class, it was drop Kerry and Caelyn off at home and head on to a much needed trip to the grocery store. I got what I needed, then it was back home where I made pasta, ground turkey and as Caelyn puts it "red sauce." Its just dumping pasta sauce in a bowl and nuking it but she doesn't need to know that.
Finally, after all that it was time to get the kids ready for bed and get some much needed rest.
Today, we only have a few things on the schedule (preschool, plumbers, play date). If the days can get so busy at this age, I think I may have to just paint our car yellow and put taxi on the side in the future.
Caelyn has to be at preschool by 8:30. After dropping her off, it is time to head home and get Caleb his morning milk. He still drinks it out of a bottle and you would think he won the lottery by the excitement he shows when he sees it.
After the bottle, it is time for Caleb's Music Together class at 10:00. He loves it. He gets in the middle of the room, sings and dances. Basically, he tries to be the center of attention. The only time he pays much attention to me is when the little girl in the class who has adopted me plops down in my lap. Suddenly, he needs to be there too.
From Music Together there is not enough time to go home before picking Caelyn up at 11:30. Tuesday is the one day of the week that she does not stay until 12:30. So, Caleb and I usually make a quick trip to the bank or CVS or some other innocuous errand. Yesterday it was a trip to the pet store. Unfortunately, they were out of what I was looking for.
After picking Caelyn up from preschool, it is time for home and lunch. Caleb is then put down for a nap so he can be well rested for chasing girls at Caelyn's dance class. He loves it there and flirts with everyone from the 5 year old ballerinas to their instructor and even the Jr high school girls that walk by as part of the school group that uses one of the studios.
After I wake Caleb from his nap, it;s time to get the girl dressed in her dance clothes and off to class that starts at 3:15. I have almost no idea what goes on in Caelyn's dance class. I could watch through the one way glass windows but I never really get a chance to. I am busy chasing my son who is chasing the girls in the surrounding classes. Yesterday though was observation day.
Kerry was able to go and we, along with all the other parents and siblings of the students, got to sit in on the class. It was fun to watch the group of 3 and 4 years olds doing their best dance moves. Caleb loved actually being allowed in the studio while class was going on.
Towards the end, the teacher announced that she had slips of paper that stated which class the students should take in the fall if they would be continuing classes. I heard her say it and I thought, "They are getting graded." It's a preschool age class but all of the sudden I got nervous. "What if she doesn't pass?"
She did of course. I imagine they all did so long as they were old enough for the next level but what was that nervousness about. I can only imagine how I will feel when starts sports or the first time she brings home a real report card.
After dance class, it was drop Kerry and Caelyn off at home and head on to a much needed trip to the grocery store. I got what I needed, then it was back home where I made pasta, ground turkey and as Caelyn puts it "red sauce." Its just dumping pasta sauce in a bowl and nuking it but she doesn't need to know that.
Finally, after all that it was time to get the kids ready for bed and get some much needed rest.
Today, we only have a few things on the schedule (preschool, plumbers, play date). If the days can get so busy at this age, I think I may have to just paint our car yellow and put taxi on the side in the future.
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