Michael and his sisters and cousin are back from vacation at Grandma’s.
I drove 173 miles to pick them up, 3+ hours of driving along the mighty Columbia river through alternately verdant and barren countryside, to reach a small town whose main claim to fame is being home to one of the few remaining coal-fired power plants in the state of Oregon. It’s also a convenient midway point between our house and Grandma’s house. It has a big park, where Michael can burn off some pent-up energy and stretch his little legs before getting strapped in for the second half of his journey home.
It had been a grand week.
Michael, two sisters and a cousin were all in eastern Oregon, enjoying the relaxed pace and small-town atmosphere of the Wallowa Lake area, along with the diversions afforded by its rugged mountain features and glacier-forged landscape. One of Michael’s favorite activities was to chase crickets, of which there are plenty. His other favorite activities apparently centered around keeping his sisters in a state of high annoyance, at least by their account. With the low horizon and clear skies, his days began at the very crack of dawn, as the crimson sunrise flooded the loft room where he and his sisters bunked.
His grandmother made sure to keep him well occupied, providing trips to the lake and trips to town, adventures in the parks and up the mountains and of course plenty of busy-work to keep his little hands engaged and out of mischief. His sisters and cousins pitched in, taking shifts to ensure that grandma didn’t get overwhelmed. The daily reports his mom and I got back were quite colorful; text messages from the girls, phone conversations from Michael and his grandmother.
to wit: “Why is it that michael always wakes up at 5 AM and then chooses the LOUDEST toy in the room to play with? X(” (this from sister L)
And from his grandmother, a report about Michael at the lake: “He told me he had to go to the bathroom really bad, but said he couldn’t make it back up the hill to the potty so I told him he’d just have to use the lake. So he comes out of the water, stands up on the shore and starts pulling down his shorts…”
Meanwhile, at home, Michael’s mom and I spent a week in a quiet house. The only noise came from the cat, who was VERY CONCERNED that all of her people were disappearing, and wanted to BE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD HER CONCERN. Repeatedly, every ten minutes or so.
We did a whole lot of nothing, which was wonderful. We didn’t paint anyone’s room, we didn’t re-work the garden or re-decorate the house, and we didn’t travel.
Well… not much. We did go to the beach for one day, spending the night at a bed-and-breakfast inn along the coast. This place was magical on all counts, and we’ll be back one day. For one thing, they had a guests-only wine social the afternoon we checked in. They handed us a couple of glasses of wine and pointed out a couple of forest trails behind the inn, encouraging us to explore, which we did. Never before had either of us hiked through the forest holding a glass of wine.
The dinner we had that night was truly amazing. Neither of us had ever had an “amuse bouche” before either, the sort of pre-appetizer course they served. To say dinner was good would be to say the ocean is deep.
But time marched onward, and she and I both had to get back to our normal occupations.
Thus on Sunday, while she was at work, I drove alone to the middle of Oregon to pick up children.
After transferring bags and blankets and assorted gear from Grandma’s car to ours, and a few hugs goodbye, we were on our way back to Portland.
And even though I’d had a week to recuperate, any vestige of parental patience I’d gained was quite deftly erased after fifteen minutes in the car.
I can’t wait for school to start.
So it was you that had the vacation rather than the kids. Right? It’s always nice to recharge the batteries.
(MD) Actually, I’m not sure who had the vacation. I’m trying to determine who among us is feeling refreshed and revitalized. I’ll let you know when I figure it out.
I can empathize with you about the cat. We have four, one of which lives only in the garage and is known as “the garage cat.” Two of the remaining three make sure that we are at least awake by 6:00 or 6:30 every morning.
(MD) I think as cats get older they get more insistent and less respectful of boundaries. I don’t see how you can survive with four cats. I’d have to sleep with one eye open.
We had a great time but I feel bad for my mom. I recall a time where my parents went to Reno (I think. I was little so I don’t recall totally). My sister and I were staying at my grandparents house and my poor grandma had a bad dream that my parents never came back to get us. I wonder if my mom had the same dream???
(Hubby) Well, she did wonder why I sat in the car for so long at our meeting spot before I got out. She told me she figured I was trying to decide whether to accept the kids back or just speed off without them. The thought crossed my mind briefly…
I didn’t have the parents never coming back dream but Cousin A made the observation that the one getting rid of the kids always gets there first! The week was mostly enjoyable. Michael became known around town as the little red haired boy who talks all of the time! We frequently played “the silent game” while riding in the car. We listened to Ryan Seacrest play the top 40 tunes on the radio while driving to our meeting spot Sunday and “Hey, Soul Sister” got stuck in that little red head. He is an awfully sweet little boy!
(MD) Ugh, that song is so overplayed these days, it’s in line to topple The Macarena for the title of Most Ubiquitously Annoying Song of All Time. I like the silent game. Michael’s mom and I usually win that one.
That sounds like a wonderful vacation. I mean the quiet one, mostly at home, that you and the Mrs. had. Ahh, grandparents.
(MD) Oh, yeah. I’d been waiting for it all year. I swear, that week went by so fast I still have whiplash from watching it pass.
It sounds like a great vacation for all concerned, however I like your version of peace, quiet, b&b and wine a lot better. Grandma’s comment about Michael and the lake had me in stitches! My girls won’t stay overnight at their grandma’s anymore (even though we’ve begged them! and my mom would welcome them). They consider themselves too old. I guess The Mister and I should head out. I wonder if they’d even notice we’re gone?
(MD) You’re never too old to get packed off to Grandma’s, in my opinion. You can just tell them that they can either visit their Grandma or have their bedroom doors removed for a week and expect liver & onions for dinner instead.
Reality is flooding today. Michael is currently in the corner for dumping food all over his sister. She hasn’t been the nicest to him but she didn’t deserve that.
(Hubby) Sounds like someone’s going to bed early tonight. I’m thinking 5:30 or so.
In case you didn’t know your brother really is a big fan of these blogs. He told me yesterday, he likes to read them while eating something special, probably not liver and onions. Will you let me wander through the forest with a glass of wine? Sure sounds like fun.
Pretty soon I will be there to manage the little fellow so that might help a little!
(MD) We’re looking forward to your visit, no doubt… but “manage” may not be so easy to come by as far as Michael’s concerned. “Survive” may be more on track.