Snow Pants!

Since we are moving to New Hampshire, we need to stock up on winter gear. I picked up a pair of ski pants on sale today: He walks like a robot in them! Actually, it's been pretty windy here, so once I pick up a little hooded jacket, I'll be turning him looose outside more often.

Whee!

Fontessa is here for a visit, so Tyoma is running about, having a ball:

Tent City

So the little guy is driving me crazy and I decide to put up a tent for him:

Aeorspace Offer

Well, we finally got our Aerospace offer in. It's not bad, but we will not be able to buy a house. We can rent a decent place, but it will be small. I've checked out some rentals. Not what I hopes and a great downsizing from our current ample space. I am a bit dissapointed, I had hoped for a touch more money, just because of the insane housing costs. If we were to get the same offer in Albuquerque or Denver, we'd be doing back flips.

One part of me just wants E to take it so the uncertainty will go away. I want to know where we will be living and that we have some real job security

Holy Crap!

Looks like we will be going to New Hampshire next week.  I am about to have heart failure.  Suddenly, we have an option to go to somewhere else. But we haven't hear from Cali if they want us.  I pray they do and am freaking out over the pay.  If they don't offer us enough we will not have a house or backyard for Tyoma. A cement postage stamp will be all we get. Sigh!

Well, Look what my mom sent me...

Lori,

this shows environmental hazards in Nashua.

It is on the city data sight to

ward the bottom link page

 

From blogger

BAE

E has a Phone interview with BAE in Nashua NH this morning at 9:00 am. 

Heart Failure.

Deep Breath.

He asks, do I want to look up housing in New Hampshire?

Uhm. Sure!

Pumpkin Patch

Mom and I decided to celebrate Halloween by taking Tyoma to the local pumpkin patch and corn maze.  So much crazy stuff has been going on that I have not been enjoying life or my son as I should.  We had a lovely time and I learned a fair amount about my son!

My little boy is


Today Mom and I went to the local Halloween attraction, a maze and pumpkin patch. I took a few shots of Tyoma and then Mom snapped a picture of the two of us:

Walking on His Own...

...obviously with much purpose!
 
He looks as if he is still might be annoyed with me over the haircut:
Sorry, Little Guy!!!

Nukestock 2007!

Yay! It will take me some time to get all the pics up and insert text, but here we go:
 



 

Small World

The head hunter who contacted us re a position on the East Coast over the summer sent us an email requesting E's resume. I was a bit annoyed, since I had told her we were not interested on relocating out east. But, we need to keep our options open.

It will take California two more weeks to get back to us about the interview. E's been vetted and it looks very promising, but no one is telling us to pack our shit. We need to check this out quickly.

Hi Egor,

I got the resume, and forwarded it to XXX last night. I spoke with XXX this morning and told him you were a hot ticket for his positions, but that we had to turn the entire process around within 3 weeks.

Ironically, XXX grew up in El Segundo, and his father worked for Aerospace Corp. for years.

He had not read your resume when we spoke, but said that from what I told him of your background it sounded good. He is going to read it and get back to me sometime this afternoon. There is a chance that I will be setting up a telephone conversation for you this weekend with either XXX , or YYY who reports to XXX.

I will call you right after I hear from XXX.

Best regards,

Nukestock Begins...

Erhm, yes this photo is from Friday night, but the skeleton sweethearts in their seashell looked so precious, I just had to show them off!


I dashed off to the premier night of Nukestock seconds after I put baby down. The first night, traditionally the beer and wine tasting night, promised to be filled with delectable goodies, so I was very anxious to start sampling. Ewbliette and Brotherkurt’s table was every bit as impressive as I hoped.

A colossal assortment of exotic beer was the centerpiece, flanked by tons and tons of CHEESE! I came for the cheese! Gouda, Stilton, flavored havartis, jarlesburg, aged cheddars, nameless varieties marbled with greens and blues, cheese with nuts, cheese with fruit, and cheese with herbs! Ahh sweet paradise! AND hard sausages! I counted two varieties, but suspect I overlooked a third since one of their sausages was so delicious that I had eyes only for it!

The pair of them must have put this party together just for me! Due to my diet, I passed on the crackers and bread, which ranged from delicate and sophisticated to simple and earthy. I forgot my diet when Ewbliette brought out the gourmet chocolate squares and muffins. It was very difficult not to make a hog of myself!

Despite my gourmandizing, I managed to survive on a glass of wine and no beer. My evening was once again a short one, primarily so I could enjoy a longer time out tomorrow. Getting up early with Tyoma doesn’t lend itself to late evenings.

Anyway, I did actually spend some time not stuffing my face. I chatted with Raz, who demurely sipped on samples of various beers two tablespoons at a time. She was one of about four people who seemed to take the beer tasting aspect of the party seriously. Tkil and deliriumdreams were also in attendance, so I had a chance to gab with them as well. The house was just beginning to fill up as I left. Alas!

Fixed!

Yessss! E Rules! He spent all day working on BT (my aging SUV). He has totally repaired my driverside window!!! No more fumbling at the bank! I can pick up our (occasional) dry cleaning with ease. The folks at the premier Mexican food drive through will scowl no longer. Yaaaaay!!!

Work Drama

We will be so glad to extricate ourselves from this work situation. Shareholder meeting are devolving into malice and no-shows. California, here we come.

Haircut by Mom

 "Seriously, Mom. Do not cut my hair again." Yep. I lost my marbles Friday and tried to give the little on a trim. I will. Never. Do that. Again. Ah, well. It'll grow out by Halloween or I'll get him a hooded costume. Also, an action picture of him walking across the living room:

Silent Migraine

Today I had a very scary experience. Have you ever heard of a "silent migraine?"

This afternoon while washing the porch I experience some bizarre visual symptoms. I looked up, saw halos and became very dizzy. My visual field went nuts with blurry zig-zags that flashed. I was certain I was having a stroke or some horrible sort of brain tumour. I and called E.  I think all the stress got to me.  I've edited down some web MD stuff:

The Symptoms of Silent Migraine

The symptoms of silent migraine include any of the typical signs and symptoms of a migraine -- but without the pain.
Physical symptoms include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• thirst
• chills
• fatigue

Emotional and mental symptoms include:

• confusion
• irritability

Aura symptoms include:

• wavy or jagged lines
• flashing lights
• dots or spots in your vision
• blind spots
• tunnel vision

An American Migraine Study involved 30,000 people with migraines. Nine out of every 10 said they couldn't work or function normally when they had migraines. More than half said they experienced symptoms severe enough to need bed rest. Even without the pain of migraine, the other symptoms can be temporarily disturbing and can disrupt your normal day.

Divorce!?

Tennisfiend came home from work today and told me that a co-worker's wife left him. How shocking. She sounds as if she is half-mad and being influenced by someone at her church.

Every August, this woman, "Amelia" goes a little nuts. She goes really over board with the religion and seems manic. I've suspected bipolar and suggested it to TF, but he says that she is having mental health issues due to the meds she is taking for MS.

How awful--to be so sick and unbalanced. She cleaned out the bank accounts and even got into some social security savings. Where she's staying is anyones guess. This split could not come at a worse time. The company is struggling and pay is minimal. Stress is high for everyone. Poor Rex, having to deal with all this, too. Tennisfiend was very surprised and expressed disgust at her selfishness for leaving at such a bad time. We spent the rest of the evening being super sweet to each other.

Congratulations Food4Thoth!

Congratulations Food4Thoth and wife! The pair had a Lucky 13th Anniversary Party tonight that I briefly attended. What a lovely home! Pat and I arrived after dark, so I did not get a good look at the outside of their place, but it certainly seemed expansive.

Inside, Thoth and spouse put in an incredible kitchen and tiled floors--the kitchen cabinets were to die for! Their home looked like Southwestern bed and breakfast you'd see in a magazine. Classy! I visited with Rodeyo and Raz, and sipped a half a glass of wine while making friends with Lonnie, who brought her brand new Nikon MD80 to the party.

She worked at Southwest Counseling before moving to a youth program at FYI. We talked shop and camera gear. Thoth brought out an ooooold picture of the two of us from an Oingo Boingo concert in the 80's. Wearing black lipstick, he looked very pretty, some of the guests mistook him for a girl! It's hard to believe that all this fun was stuffed into about 90 minutes! I wore out early, but sweet Ewbliette took me back to her place (for my car). Last thing I heard, folks were gearing up for the hot tub.

Kitchen Kid

I broke down and babyproofed two-thirds of the kitchen today. The re-organizing helped to clear out some clutter and gives Tyoma a place to play while I cook. The unfortunate part of the re-organization is that I need to use the playpen to block off the kitchen segment where the stove is. The area is too wide for a portable gate and we won't be installing anything until we know more about our situation.

Letters of Thanks

I recovered enough today to send out a carefully worded letter to the real-estate agent, Susan. She sent a prompt, courteous reply. Looking at the listings again, I wonder if we would every be able to afford anything other than a townhouse.

Nothing wrong with townhouses--but condos are nicer. No stairs for Tyoma to cope with. But, I suppose generations of kids grew up with stairs, so that's a lousy excuse. What I will certainly miss is having a real yard. Pat and Kurt have a swell condo with a lovely, spacious yard, but such land in LA would certainly put it WAY above our price range. Sigh.

Day at Home

After the frantic pace of the past several days, I found myself feeling so tired, I could hardly move. I slept well, yet felt as if I could use a hundred year nap. Keeping up with baby drew the breath right out of me. Well, one day of less intense mommying won't be fatal--he's fed and changed and hugged. I still don't know what I can do for Tennisfiend after his loss. I feel so sad for him and hope that the loss doesn't become swallowed up by the chaos of our current situation.

The Big Day

I woke up in the middle of the night, my heart heavy with concern for E.  I felt so helpless, there was little I could do for him now.  I tried my best to help with his PowerPoint presentation. I organized and searched and wrote.  I did my best. Even with all of that, there was little I could do.  It was all up to him, and it felt like such an enourmous weight to bear. Maybe kind of worry was how he felt when I was having Tyoma. Sitting, waiting. Worrying. 
E drove to the interview place, which was a cinch since he'd done it yesterday, just to be sure.  We arrived early, largely since I was panicky and wanted to get there safely. Pesky, selfish me.  We chatted aimlessly until 8:15. I watched him disappear into a sea of cars as he walked away. Sigh.

I tried not to panic driving back to the hotel, which was some work since I have been in a constant state of disorientation since we arrived.  I had practiced the way back in my mind, and still I had problems.  In brief, one way streets kept swapping their arrows every time I blinked.  I have to hand it to California drivers, they are a kind and patient lot.  No horn honking, cursing, or flip-offs, just smiles and friendly waves. Nice, very nice.  I looked for someplace to pull over, to let the rush hour traffic flow by smoothly.

Fortuitously I found a Super-Target, and decided to pick up snacks on the cheap (room service=$$$).  It was so odd to see all the merchandise so familiar to me in Las Cruces, but for one odd bit--they had wine!  Yes, I bought a bottle, a wine opener and some chips, dammit.  The wine prices were awesome.  Another plus for California.  I wondered how many bottles of wine I would have to drink to make up for the cost of housing.

I agonized for the rest of the day, waiting to hear from E.  I must have called mom six times.  Perhaps this was not a good idea, talking obsessively over it, but I asked her to help keep my mind off of it and she really helped. I didn't know what to do with myself.  I watched Maury Pauvich, took a shower, curled my hair and put on make up. I wandered around in rollers in my favorite worn nightgown with the AC on high.  I thought a glass of wine would be sweet, but avoided it.  I was completely paranoid over making a bad impression if I was invited out for dinner.

Time slipped by.  I watched Fox News.  The Weather Channel. Checked my email. Back to Fox. I tried not to think about what was going on with E, but there was nothing to do but wait or get lost/killed driving around. 

E finally called at 4:30.  I wondered what he did for eight hours that he couldn't drop me a little message.  I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind. He said the presentation and interview went well. He would be home soon and, no, there wouldn't be a dinner tonight.  After an eternity, he came home and told me to get dressed since we were going to dinner.  I snapped.  After a long day of waiting, I unloaded on him.  The sad thing was that I knew I was being unfair. Some dam broke open inside me and I freaked.  I pulled my shit together, though, got ready and quit bitching.  I had to remind myself this was not about me.

Our drive to the restaurant was long, traffic filled and metropolitan.  Streams of cars on the road in the failing light looked like rows of silver zippers curving across and immense and unending body.  I had to fight my anxiety with all my might to shut up about our drive.  I wanted to tell him to slow down, quit weaving, be careful. 

He seemed reckless and out of his mind as he drove, adhering to his theory that being a good driver is not about following the rules, it's about following the flow. He did well, then.  This pace was too fast for me.  Multiple lanes of cars confused me, made me feel as if I did not know my place, especially in the dim light.  Sometimes, when lines form at stores, it's unclear what is happening.  Is this lane for the lane directly ahead or for the the next open cashier?  These days, they corral you so you don't get confused and inadvertently cut in front of the next Kohl's customer.  I felt as if there were no lanes here, just a giant motor free-for-all and I could not see how anyone could navigate through that at a single mile over the speed limit.

We reached the restaurant intact, my nerves jangling.  I did not clearly understand what happened during E's day, but it seemed good.  The restaurant was a blur, although I recall that one fellow was a maverick.  Perhaps too much so, for his own career's sake--like one of those supporting character's in an Armageddon movie who helps the hero save the world. The senior fellow was very nice.  He seemed earthy and polished at the same time, self-confident and wise. 

We ordered beers and then dinner. Since I assumed that we were paying my way I ordered an expensive dish out of confusion over the menu.  My expensive choice resulted in one of the fellows having a salad.  I did not realize my mistake until it was too late and felt absolutely mortified.  We left extra cash to pay, but I did not understand if it was taken or refused.

Dinner was very pleasant, but I felt as if something was subtly wrong.  The looks the men gave me made me wonder if E was being judged on my appearance.  They looked--surprised.  I figured that it must be because I looked old or fat or somehow inappropriate for such a wonderful fellow.  In retrospect, I must have looked anxious and pissed and maybe they wondered, WTF?

The restaurant was located right on the beach and we took a brief after dinner walk to look at the last glimmers of pink in the sky.  I felt immensely hopeful, suddenly.  Well, even if we can't afford a home and have a small place to live, we will be here and we can come to this quiet, peaceful beach.  Tyoma could grow up loving the ocean visiting cool cosmopolitan places.

When we returned to the hotel, I opened the bottle of wine and helped myself generously.  I'd timidly sipped beer at the restaurant, feeling self-conscious and scrutinized. As I was sipping wine, Egor spoke to his mother on the phone.  We received shocking bad news. E's grandmother had passed away.

I was flattened by disbelief. I did not know what to say to my husband. I'd been so selfish ans self occupied all day, I did not want to add to his hurt.  After the call, we lay side by side and held hands. We cried quiet tears and said nothing.

Real Estate Adventure

This morning we burst out of bed ready to face our day with the realtor, Susan.  I gobbled three eggs for my diet, but they menaced my stomach all morning.  It was my job to orient Egor on the way to the realtor's office, but I became completely lost and confused within minutes.  We still made it there on time.  I noted the traffic and shuddered.

Susan was mid fifty-ish and tastefully dressed.  I did not regret the trouble I took to pick out the perfect outfit.  We started off in the more affordable neighborhoods ($650K) and then she whisked us off to the $1 million dollar homes.  I have to ask myself, what is she thinking?  the company sent her to us and we told her what we could afford.  The houses in Torrance were uninspiring, pasteboard looking creations, clumped closely together and barrio looking.  The expensive homes  in Palos Verdes offered an exquisite view of the ocean, and darling courtyards.  Sadly the homes themselves had a palpable 1964 vibe, older but not old enough to be quaint. Location, indeed.

Rentals in the neighborhoods we likes were about $500 more than we could afford unless we wanted to share a bedroom with Tyoma.  I despised the cramped townhouses with tiny thumbprints for backyards.  I need to re-evaluate raising Tyoma somewhere he could not run free or have a backyard.

We broke for lunch at a wonderful restaurant named Marmalade's.  My diet has gone to hell.  I had chicken a la orange and it was superb. Rice! Yum! E noshed on the most scrumptious fettuccine with real wild mushrooms.  We looked at more homes during the afternoon.  Prices were $650-$800 range.

I confess on the outings we saw some of the ugliest interiors ever.  I guess when location is so valuable, folks feel, they can do any damn thing they please. Big bold wallpaper patterns, matching upholstery and smug owners who wanted us to experience their home were not uncommon.  I cherish weird, smile at tacky, and contemplate the odd. Pretentiousness leaves me cold.  I don't want the snooty wallpaper to keep me up at night with its specious observations.

One rental home was painted bright lemon yellow.  The yellow prevailed inside the house on all the walls.  the only things non yellow were the lilac door and the uncoordinating cherry floors.  Another odd thing.  Many homes were about 1300 feet or less and had very dark flooring which made all of the rooms look cramped.  Anyway, the landlord of the Lemon House greeted us at the door with a bossiness that was jarring.  she was impatient and domineering and kept after us about the rental particulars, no smoking, no shoes on in the house, when rent due, and so on.  she was almost hysterical and I wondered if she was on drugs.  She seemed to be going through the worst PMS ever after drinking 40 cups of coffee.  I watched her eyes, she did not seem stoned, she seemed, mad--old fashioned mad.  Gripped by the sort or irritability and rushing speech that I bipolar person might experience.

In the evening we dragged ourselves in at 4:30.  It was time to unwind for the big meeting tomorrow.  I counter the minutes until the free snack bar opened and loaded up on South Beach friendly fare.  I longed for a glass of wine, but at $12.50 a glass, I drank tap water and vending machine ice.

We wound up ordering room service.  I don't think my poor brain could handle giving E the wrong directions one more time today.  We conked out at 9:30.

Trip to California

Don't watch an Air Emergency marathon right before a plane trip, is all I can say.  I have the jitters anyway, just because this trip is so important to us.  I know we have only been looking for a job for a few months, but we have been out of money since February. Getting seated on the plane, E gives me the window seat.  Bless him. As the flight attendant performs her obligatory take-off seat buckle demonstration, I try to push missing Tyoma out of my mind. 

We take off  and the physical thrill engulfs me.  I love the roller coaster pressure of flight.  The idea of soaring throughout the clouds to an unnatural elevation thrills me. Unfortunately the blabbing of the pilot brings me back to missing Tyoma.

I do miss him. I know Mom will do a good job, but still.  It sounds ridiculous, but imagine.  If you are used to wearing a watch when you are out and about, you become habituated to checking it for the time.  This is how I miss Tyoma.  My eyes want to find him, check him and process that tiny bit of information before I can carry on with a clear, untroubled mind.

The best way to relax is to look out the window and write what I see. The light blends into late afternoon and clumpy curdled cheese clouds catch my eye.  The clouds are luminous, but offer no respite for the parched desert  below.  Arroyos on drab sands look like branching veins, gin blossoms that roll into cauliflower-eared ridges and hills.  As we increase our altitude, the land below reforms into a fossil bed.  Armies of trilobites meander on the ocean floor, bumped and whirled by unseen eddies of turbulence, that I can feel perched in the sky.

Well, that squeezed all the poetry out of me.  I turn my focus to fellow passengers.  A deeply concerned black man, who spent all of his time making phone calls at the gate folds his hands together pensively.  I could not quite overhear his conversations, but he had the air of one dealing with family tragedy.   He was not calling to inform anyone of news, but rather to reassure others that he is on his way.  I stare at him and want to say something to him, or even just to lay my hand on his arm.  He shifts posititon and I glance away. I don't want to disturb him with my open sympathy.

An Asian family with a 14ish son sit placidly.  The boy brought a skateboard for a carry on which caused a commotion as the family tried to check it at the front of the plane. He is pudgy and has an earring in the cartilage of his ear as well as newish looking skater togs. Something about his beaten down demeanor tells me he is picked on by other kids.  His parents and grandparents bow in unison to the flight attendants offering drinks.

Two twenty-ish girls, long haired and busty,  sport spaghetti strap tank-tops and new high-heeled sandals. Oddly, their make up is subtle and flattering. They fuss over their two carry-on dresses that they hoist out of the overhead compartment.  I try to avoid eye contact as I take in the spectacle, so they don't see my amusement, but the duo do not seem self-conscious.  They are too immersed in the adventure they are about to embark on to notice anyone else.  I get a closer look at the dresses, they are flimsy, inexpensive and fashioned with the sort of glittery tackiness I thought died in the 80s.   Generic plastic hangers complete the scene.  I half way expect them to change their clothes in the aisle, but they are simply twittering over their new dresses. I suspect that the girls will have a riot in Las Vegas.

The rest of the passengers have bowed heads, silently focusing on their private tasks.  There seems to be a pattern: laptop, laptop, book, book, book.  I am the only one writing in a paper journal. Am I so antiquated, so soon? At least I don't have a typewriter.

I close my eyes, enjoying the smooth buoyancy of the flight.  Vibrations from the plane are rhythmic and soothing, the shushing of the engine, hypnotic.  A train ride in the sky.

The drink cart approaches.  I am excited by the possibility of wine.  We obtain our drinks and peanuts (which you must request). I listen, above the sound of the plane no one is speaking.  It is hushed except for the sound of peanut wrappers and Egor chewing ice.  My wine feels warm and smooth.  Out the windows, the trilobites have shifted into relief--etched into the landscape, looking more geological and less surreal.

As we come close to Nevada, I wonder about all the others who have looked down on the same scene.  The eternal expanse of seabed is unbroken by roads.  I wonder how civilization crept over this expanse of dry furrowed land to find Las Vegas.  Five, ten minutes pass.  The earth slyly transforms into a mottled desert, and then into greener terrain transected by vivid ocher roads.  Tiny patches of metallic crystals glimmer.  The randomness of the landscape becomes grid like and rectangular.  It looks like we are flying over an immense stretch of green and brown circuit board with soldered roads.  This gives way to turquoise quarries and a milky blue lake populated by tiny watercraft whose wakes I can see. Viva Las Vegas.

LAX

This is so shameless, writing so much about my impressions when I should be devoting time to my concerns and feelings over the job.  I guess that I am so tired of living with it, day after day that it seems mundane and old.  do i want to remember these worries so vividly years from now.  Why bother? I will not forget the worry, it will always be with me, it will simply attach itself to some new, and perhaps less significant thing in my life.

LAX was dazzling and busy compared to the laid back glitz of Las Vegas. The lights here are brighter, the hum of humanity louder and more pressed.  I felt as if I needed to jog just to keep up with the casual pace of the residents.

Egor drug me along to the shuttle area. He had already incorporated the new pace into his system.  I felt confused and disoriented as we boarded a shuttle for the car rental place.  Our driver was an immense light skinned African American woman with brittle blond hair crimped tightly around her scalp. Her gravely voice boomed cheerfully though the speakers. Smiling brightly, she saluted other drivers and staff as she tore through the airport at top speed.  I could hear our luggage shifting nervously in the bins beside us.  I am amazed by how skillfully she maneuvers the minibus.  As we get off, she is sweet and patient with us tourists, although she seems about as tired and dazed as we are.  Her name is Phyllis and she won't take a tip.

It's after 10 pm when we hit the rental counter.  The sleepy rental agent is very patient with us and draws a map to our hotel.  I wonder how often he must give this speech and how he manages to still be so gracious.  At the hotel I have my first experience with valet parking and in my confusion manage to walk into Egor twice.

Our room is very pleasant and I unpack in a frenzy, mostly looking for my brush and face wash.  It takes ten minutes to coax the snarls out of my hair.  I collapse at 11:30.

New Suit!

Ain't he a cutie in his new suit!!! I think I'm going to start dressing him up more often and taking adorable pictures. Egor for president!!!

 

And thanks to mom and Dad for the lovely Bulova watch, it's gorgeous!

It's so wonderful to see him so happy and proud. This summer has been so hard on him. i hope we can find a new place to make our home. someplace with good schools for Tyoma and hopefully someplace we can still see our friends.  how cool it would be to have Pat and Kurt come out to visit with us over the summers. Oh! Crossed fingers!

Aquarium Monday

We finally found a home for our aquarium!

E drove mom's disintegrating van to Robert's place to drop off our 55 gallon aquarium.  Mom's van is always full of ominous creaks, rattles and smells and driving without the A/C made the whole experience rather, unsettling.

Roberts place is a single wide trailer which he has gutted and plans to build anew.  Walls have been torn down and electronic fixtures dangle menacingly, giving the space a post-apocalypse feel. He plans to fit the floors and walls with lacquered plywood, stainless steel and glass for an ultra modern feel.  I wish him luck. This could take years.

But!  His home is on an acre of breathtaking land overlooking the mountains.  Personally, I think a few throw pillows and paper lanterns would suffice, his location is gorgeous!  Egor said if he even finished up half his space like he planned he could sell his place for a fortune.  I don't see it. Robert would host fabulous parties and everyone would come and worship him!

Baby Shots

After rescheduling THREE times, we finally got Tyoma's 12 month shots. He was a very good baby and passed all the Doctor's developmental tests. I was a bit worried since he says and losses so many words, but he is right on track.

Yay! Natuarally, his post-shot cries were earth-rattling, but at least Papa was there to help out. Tennisfiend took the Lexus to CSR to check it out. We will hear results later.

Juniper Hell

Heh. I had gin and tonic last night at the hot tub party. Not that I had much, since gin has a nastiness that I associate with Whitechapple and dead prostitutes.  Brrr. Anyway, before I fed Tyoma this morning, I did my usual thing, washing my hands and making formula. Blah. Gin smell.

An hour or two later, I worked in the back yard and came into the bathroom to another gin smell. Blah. I figured that I was either loosing my mind or that gin was truly the most foul drink ever--lingering around my person in an eternal noxious cloud. When Ewbliette came over to visit and I compulsively washed my hands for the tenth time this day--more stink. Heh.

My handsoap is juniper scented! What a relief! I can guarantee that I will not sip a bit of the odious stuff for at least another year!

In other news, Tyoma is walking very well! Ewbliette spent time with him prior to the big trip next week. She will help out mom next Sunday and Monday. I gave Ewbliette all my neurotic legal papers, instructions and  imperatives. With her usual good humour, she laughed heartily over my juniper story. :)

Hot Tub!!!

OMFG! Ewbliette and Brotherkurt bought a very fancy hot tub! I visited tonight and the experience was spectacular!

Zow! The tub seats a generous six and has 1,000 remote controls. Unbelievable! Six jet pressures per station and twenty light effects. I swear the thing will blast off into orbit if you hit the wrong button! Seriously, seriously cool!

 Ewbliette had an assortment of towels, robes and slippers elegantly laid out for the two of us, when I arrived. We selected more natural  options(whee!) and bubbled away for the next two hours. Few resorts could offer such a nice tub and the company was priceless! Yay!

Lexus

Tennisfiend came home tonight and mentioned that we might get a new car.  A connection with a local bank gave us an in on the auction of a foreclosed car--a 2000 Lexus coupe. Whoa. Might work out, TF seems ecstatic.

I am surprised. Where are we going to get the money?

Maybe,  I am not so surprised. Egor's Taurus is 15 years old. We bought it from one of his co-workers for next to nothing. It has gold peeling paint and no air conditioner. And it clicks ominously when you turn it. Sigh.

All this right before our trip. We don't know if we will get the job. A security clearence is vital in his feild of work and he just doesn't have one. And damn, if we move to LA we will be living in a shoe box that costs a fortune. But we must buy a new car. We will see what happens. If this looks like a good deal, we will take it. We can't drive his crappy Taurus from here to there and the shipping on the car would cost more than it's worth. My vote, get a car there after we've moved. Alas!

Hair, Glorious Hair!

Well, the driverside window to my car is totally broken. It's been going to hell all summer long. It gives a rubbery moans as you lower the window and then stutters to a halt. It seems to go up just fine, which accounts for the problem. My brain is on auto-pilot and I close the damn window after I open it.

I feel like an idiot running errands to the bank and picking up fast food, having to open the door in my anceint car. Stumbling  out to do my business, people look shocked as if I have made a major social transgression. What kind of person am I to be humiliated by this? Probably the type who was made fun of all through school. Huh.

Today, Rodeyo gave me the loveliest, blondest highlights! But, he was in the pissiest mood evah! Sometime after noon, his inner fabulousness kicked in and I sighed in relief. Despite the crankiness, he tossed me a freebie hairspray and was sweet as pie as I trotted off to my poor sad car.

I felt extra stressed today, anyway. Blah. T minus six days.

Walking?

Well, Tyoma took his official First Three Steps today. Mom reported walking this Monday (I've been helping with Tennisfiend's upcoming seminar) and I saw a step or two last week, but this is official!!!

Also today, he waved "bye-bye." He's waved before, at eight months, but the light was not on. Now he understands that the hand wave means "good-bye," not just, "I'm waving and you're waving." I can really see a little person, just begining to think for himself! Yay!

Tired

Blah. I did not sleep well last night. Too much excitement. I’ll compensate for the tiredness with a bucket of green tea. My diet is slowly working. I’m back to a size ten, but my jeans are still pretty snug. If I wear them on the airplane my legs might drop off. If I wear my twelves I’ll be hauling my trousers up every ten minutes. Next time I buy jeans, I’m getting the stretchy kind.

Late Night Meeting

Tonight TF came home feeling unwell, undoubtedly unsettled by last night’s match and the ton of insane stuff going on at work. My poor baby! I fixed soup for him and tucked him into bed early. Then the phone rang. He had to dash to a meeting in 45 minutes!

I waited up till ten to hear what had happened. Looks like folks are lawyering up in earnest. The company that wants to buy TF’s company will be in town Friday the 21^st. I pray that the company sells!

Tennis Maniac

Tennisfiend is a member of our local tennis league, so I answer occasional phone calls from other members needing to re-schedule matches. This guy, “Dave,” called three times about tonight’s match. He sounded rather manic to me. After TF came home from the match, he confirmed my suspicions--Dave was a lunatic. When E made a call, Dave yelled obscenities and would not calm down. He continued cursing for the rest of the match.

Russians find profanity particularly offensive. I was brought up in a rather earthy household, and I dropped my vernacular very quickly. I think in all the years we’ve been married, I’ve only hear him say “shit” once. He was big time offended by Dave and even wrote up the incident. TF has played some obnoxious characters in the past, but he said this guy was over the top.

Tennisfiend in a Hardhat

Originally uploaded by

No, the stylist for the Village People didn't break down our door and give my man a sexy new make-over!

Tennisfiend is posing for a Photoshop job that will put him with his team under a helicopter in the desert. We've taken a zillion of these photos. Do you realize how hard it is to take a picture you have to pose for? One eye is too squinty, now the other one is, now he's in the sun, wait! Too much sun, and the squint is back! I hope this one will work out! I'll post the incredible final result.
ETA: they had to reshoot the picture. The lighting was too hinky.

In Action...

Our relatives in Moscow wanted some action photos. Heh. Here's book reading at its best...
 

He loves to look at books and play with his electronic toys.  He is such a good baby!

Our Enigmatic Son

Some photos taken by Tennisfiend.
 
 Placid   Mona Lisa   Windblown 

Oddly enough, my parents seemed to think that Tyoma was not feeling well due to teething pain. I don't see it. The little guy looks pretty serene to me.

R&D 100

E made it on this years Research and Development 100 list! How cool is that!

Air (Conditioner) Emergency!

You know those dramatic National Geographic Air Emergency programs--a shocking and tragic story about poor design, questionable maintenance and pilot error; all of which combine into a tragedy costing hundreds of lives? Well, here we have Air Conditioning Emergency.

The story begins--a cheap outdated swamp cooler, designed by goofballs, with parts supplied by unscrupulous internet-based companies. The technical crew responsible for adequate operation of the bleed-off valve (ehrr, me) neglects routine maintenance due to an industry culture rife with brain cramps. Leading up to the final crisis, the pilot (Egor) leaves the bleedoff valve on full throttle overnight. He believes that he is cleaning the system, when instead he is flushing calcium build-up into the water lines, leading to devastating and misleading water-line clogs.

The next morning the bleedoff valve is not working, leading the pilot to assume pump failure. The pilot replaces the pump with a speedier model, which only exacerbates the debris problem. Alerted by a seriously stinky house, the technician makes repeated trips to the roof, equipped with a pointy object to clear the line. The technician is sorta clumsy, tripping over additional support gear (garden hose) and handling the heavy, smelly pads causes additional heart palpitations and irritation.

The technician realizes that the pilot, should have replaced/cleaned the old filter basket when he replaced the pump, since unfiltered gunk jams the new filter and pipes. Her quest for an appropriate filter part finally lands her in the labyrinth that is the garage of Mom and Dad.

Armed with the pointy object and fresh filter basket, the technician heads to the roof for the fifth time. The house is smelling foul again, will she succeed? Will the house ever feel as fresh and clean as it did last night?! Can the technician cope with the conflicting suggestions of her well-meaning mother and the perplexed pilot?...... *commercial break*

Nah. The Technician did the best she could with the clogged lines, clearing them repeatedly. She had a half a glass of wine and attended to the fussy passenger squalling for yogurt and peaches in fussy-business class.

The house still smells bad. The pilot will need to disassemble the water distribution pipes and listen to the technician complain. Perhaps the outcome can still be inspirational and the crew can celebrate with a nice dinner. Stay tuned....

E.T.A. After receiving the above message in an email, the pilot not only left work early, but he also bought a new AC motor (so we don't have to hand-start the existing motor if the power fails like we did last week). The craft is working swell and the house smells like baking salmon and couscous...

Dinner

Wow! It was so cool to get out for and evening! We had a mediocre meal at La Posta, but it was good to see E's old professor. Mom and Dad were there, too. Both of them whipped out their dress-up clothes and looked spiffy, if not 1992ish.

It was so nostalgic to be back at the old restaraunt, where I've celebrated many special occasions. Walking through the main lobby, I was happy to see the SUV-sized bird still there.  As a child it was full of healthy parrots, parkeets, cockatus, and other tropical birds, including a toucan.  I don't know how legal that is now, but in the 70's living 40 miles from Juarez, you could have featured bald eagles, condors, and passenger pigeons and no one would blink.

During a lean time, La Posta featured inca doves.  These birds are cheerful and sweet, but also nondescript and odiferously poopy.  The incas had a long turn in the cage since it is fairly difficult to kill them.  They are the cactus plant of the bird world. Tonight, a mangy blue parrot squaked, while two other parrots lost feathers in the corner. Sad.

I decided to check out the fish tanks, since they had an impressive display when I was a kid.  Gone, of course was the aquarium maze of exotic fish. I remember being tansfixed by all of the glittery jewels of fish as a kid.  It seemed as if therer were as many tanks there as in the local pet store (10-15), but it must have been less.  the centerpeice of the aquarium display was the pirrahna tank.

At it's finest, it held a mini-school of pugnacious, healthy pirana fish with an attitude.  The owner would feed them raw hamburger and on special occasions, feeder goldfish.  Sometimes I would see these harried feeders gasping in a corner of the bare tank, since there was nowhere for them to hide. Once, after seeing the show I heard stories about how they would bite (bite at?) the owners fingers.  I can't recall if the stories came from the owner or a family friend who liked to alarm little girls.  My adoration for the sharp toothed big piranas is probably why I loved my dear oscars so much.

Today, the big tank still stands. A behemoth still, standing about 4 feet wide, 2 feet deep and about three feet tall.  Piranas have come and gone.  For a while they had oscars, then back to piranas.  Tonight I could see three decrepit bored and blind piranas and two plump and chipper feeders.  I wish the piranas luck, the feeders looked too confident.

The food quality goes up and down, as well, depending on the current manager and economy. But tonight we avoided the Ragu-like red enchiladas (it is blasphemous to mix tomatoess with red chile to make red enchilad sauce) and stuck with the Camble's Cream of Chicken Green Chile enchiladas. Not a bad meal, it was worth it to sit in the lava room amidst the dramatic lighting, scraggly rubber plants and gee-whizz giant lava rocks. The lava room is quaint, but you do suspect that the family got together over some beer and tequila to cement the rocks and boulders in to place.  The 70's rocked.

I digress! MV seemed very happy to see us and had some career advice for

Labor Day with Patricia

Yay! Ewbliette had today off ! We had a chance to hang out and it was really sweet!

We started off around eleven (she slept in till ten!), with some Tyoma time. We're prepping for my Cali trip, she's going to give Mom a little break during the weekend we'll be gone. I know Grandma and Grandpa love the little one, but he can really wear a person out!

I made us coffees and we gabbed until Mom arrived. We decided on lunch at Chiles, and celebrated with a fried cheese (Good Lord!) and identical main courses (Chicken Loose Bowel Wraps). I usually love the ribs, but after my Outback Upchuck*, I decided to pass.

After lunch, we dashed over to Barnes and Nobel, where I resolved not to buy anything. We had a blast clothes shopping for Ewbliett, who picked up a gaggle of cute outfits for work. I can tell you one reason we are such good buds--we both shop the same way. When it comes to clothes, we are very pragmatic and sensible. When it comes to books, the weirder, the better!

At the last minute, I wound up recruiting Ewbliette as an emergency babysitter for tomorrow evening. Tennisfiend's old professor from Moscow State University will be in town tomorrow, and since he is a friend of the family, all of us will be dining at La Posta tomorrow. Bless her for stepping up!



  * Both Mom and I felt sick after our meal at the Outback Steakhouse. I tossed my cookies a few hours after dinner. Ewbliette said that a girlfiend can't eat their ribs due to the amount of MSG in them. Huhn!

Das Trench Becomes Das Landscaping Feature?

Well, it rained just enough on Das Trench to cause Das Erosion, so Tennisfiend took off some precious time from his US Open vigil to pick up some flagstones. For fifteen bucks, we received an impressive stack of rocks. As I watch TF embed the stones in the gravel lining Das Trench, I am skeptical. I suspect the rain will still wash away the gravel, leaving the stones looking sorta naked next to the bare landscaping fabric.

We shall see. Flagstones are always cool looking. I dug up two of out dying rosebushes and have great plans for those stones....

Suit Shopping

E took off a half a day so we could go suit shopping. We started off by having lunch at one of our favorite restaurants--and running into Kurt, his dad and sister! Cool Beans! Tennisfiend chose a yummy sandwich as I agonized over which salad would be more South Beach. I sure hope it works better than Atkins.

After hugs and handshakes with Brotherkurt, we took off to the mall. At Dillard's, we found only one suit that fit well. We raced over to the Men's Wearhouse where we were greeted by a short , young fellow with Zoolander hair. When did this come into style?! I am such an out of touch old fart. Anyway, they had 10,000 suits all crammed together and not a one was a proper fit. Back to Dillard's and our happy-to-see-you-again salesperson.

Tennisfiend received a shock when he was measured for alterations--one of his arms is slightly longer than the other! Turns out that this is a common occurrence. Who knew? I received a shock when I realized that two hours without seeing my baby made me miss him terribly. All the way home we talked about him. How will I ever cope in California?!

Frog Invasion!

Egor wrote to me to say:

I found a little froggy in my office this morning and there was another one even smaller in the lab. I have no idea where they came from or how they got in. It took all my courage to put it in a plastic cup and take it outside. 

Awww! He hates slimy things and reptiles to the point of phobia.  My brave husband, the Frog Conqueror!

More Teeth

Well, Tyoma's getting in his lower molars and canines. Boy is he hurting. I'm grateful that he had a nice birthday. Our trip to California was changed to the beginning of October. We decided to leave a bit earlier to have more of a "vacation." I am excited and already thinking of what to wear. Mom and Dad will Tyoma-sit, with Ewbliette as a back up. Her Dad's B-day is on the third, so I hope that we won't interfer with any of her family plans.

Hell Week, Day Two...

Sooo...

I've managed to put all the pics related to Tyoma's birthday party online for Tennisfiend's family in Russia. Whew. Most are backdated, natch. Heck, most of my journal is backdated!

Tennisfiend's interview is finally scheduled in California. Babysitting for us, my folks are ready to take Tyoma for three days since I'm going to Cali, too. We're looking for houses/condos/apartments/shacks. This is happening so quickly. And da-yumn, real estate in California is expensive!

Tennisfiend's business may or may not get sold. We are praying for a sale, but fear that the other board members will be foolishly greedy. How will a company buyout affect the job search? All depends on what California is like. We could love it. Or not. We'll know more about the buyout as the week progresses. Meanwhile, TF is putting together a seminar for his interview in California. Meanwhile, I'm still prowling the net, looking for new jobs.

A new car seems like a distant dream. Actually, a September paycheck could be a distant dream.

Nooooo!

The Weekly World News has breathed its last! As cheesy as it was, I really loved this odd little tabloid. I'm hoping that it will remain online. The Onion is hilarious, but WWNis sweet and goofy. Awww! Visit with them!

Birthday Party

All Dressed up and Ready to Party!




Yep. We went all out and got him a little suit for his special day. If you notice, the little tie is floating around his neck and the top button of his shirt is undone. Also notice the tears drying on his face. I bet I don't even need to tell you that story! The rest of his pics are behind the cut. Warning! Image intensive. We are posting for a host of photo-hungry relatives in Moscow.





Naturally, Tyoma has the same love of ties as his Papa.



"What! All these presents for me!"



"Oh, my! I couldn't! It's simply too much!"



Our twin cakes. The little one is for Tyoma to demolish.



Waiting for the cake, he takes off his party hat for the twentieth time.



Intrigued by the candle.



The candle is extinguished.



I'm showing him that he can eat the cake.



"Wow! This is delicious!!!



Heavens! He ate the whole thing!



And now he's eating the decorative balloons.



Awww.

We had no idea how gluey icing could be until we tried to clean up Tyoma. I contemplated using Orange Blast, but Ivory, warm water and patience worked fine. Opening presents on and off took up most of the afternoon (there were three). Tyoma had a tiny sip of grape juice while we toasted with champagne, since he clearly didn't have enough sugar with his cake.
We do have more photos, but I'm a bit to exhausted to post the rest.

Thank You Olya!

Our friend Olya, sent lovely birthday greetings for Tyoma: She handmade this quilted pillow for our squirmy baby! It's soft, sweet and very pretty! Thank you so much for the precious, thoughtful present!

What is especially lovely is the Paul Klee design going on!

Cakewalk

I spent most of today getting ready for Tyoma's party. Please help me understand why I obsess over cleaning so much! My folks wanted to select Tyoma's birthday cake so I met them at our favorite Albertson's. Mom and Dad took turns chaperoning Tyoma around the store as my eyes glazed over looking at Shrek and Cars cakes. He returned from his second tour of the store with a cute fuzzy gorilla and a big smile. My folks are so going to spoil him! Anyway,after fifteen minutes of leafing through the Monster Cake Book of Tackiness, we wound up choosing a simple "Happy Birthday" cake. Screw you, Walt Disney!

Outback With My Birth Partners

 Yesterday evening I took Momfiend and out for dinner at the Outback Steakhouse. If you'll notice, Momfiend has a can of bear-spray with her. Upon seeing the photo, a shocked exclaimed, "Was your mom worried about being mugged in the parking lot?!" No, actually, Mom said that she "brought the bearspray since we were going to the Outback." Hee! Mom, you so crazy!

The three us us had a marvelous time. We should meet every year to celebrate our work together in bringing Tyoma into the world. Ewbliette and I asked Mom to tell her birth story repeatedly, but we kept getting sidetracked. Maybe we'll keep meeting just so Mom can finish her story! I am so grateful to my girls for being there for me. Till those labor pains rock your bones, you don't realize just how much you need the ones you love! Much thanks to Mom's sturdy arms that held firm my flailing leg and much thanks to Ewbliette's indefatigable vocal cords that kept me pushing 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8-9! I love you guys!

Thanks Helen!

My friend and former colleague Helen sent Tyoma a birthday gift. Since he's been watching it since I brought it home, we let him open it first.






Tah-dah! Helen hand-made some special things for Tyoma: two hooded towels with cute decals and a plethora of decorated lap/burp pads. Very sweet and really useful!

Happy Birthday Tyoma!

According to Russian tradition, it's bad luck to celebrate before your birthday. Thus, we scheduled our weekend party for next Sunday. But! We had to give the birthday boy a little surprise!

 Whoa this thing is scary...   ....but sort of interesting.   Now how do I open this???   Twenty minutes and fourteen attemps later...   What on earth is this?!  



 Wow!!! My very own Gorilla! Cool! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Das Trench

I haven't posted "The Final Straw" yet, but we are taking steps to eradicate our "drainage problem." Check this out:
 
 We haven't figured out exactly how the finished project will look, but we are doing what should have been done looong ago. Ewbliette told us that we could have sued the former owners for not telling us about the sunroom problem. Since we might well be selling our house soon, we refuse to leave the next owners in the same bind. I dare it to rain now!

Little Animal

I slunk into Tyoma's room to nab the dirty laundry I forgot to pick up before I put him to sleep.  The light and my rummaging partially woke him. I hear little grunts and the crinkly rustling of the waterproof mattress pad.  Instantly I was transported to a different place.

His room became a grotto, filled with animal smells, heavy dark  and dampness. I looked at his crib as if it were a cage and he was some strange little zoo creature to be stared at. The alien-animal feel of my son was so strong, that it was simultaneously humorous and unnerving.  It is so easy to forget in our world of words, skyscrapers and sidewalks that we are still animals.

Copyright Frenzy

Some mentally derange woman has found my parent's website, stolen their pictures and started claiming them as her own and entering them in contests. Despite my parent's letter about copyright laws, discipline and removal of her photos from the contests and other blogs, she is still copying and publishing their photos.

She seems less about wanting to make money and more about being an unbalance attention seeker.

Mom is pretty freaked, concerned that the offending woman will board an airplane and molest them in person.  While I think that's totally unrealistic, some people are nuts and that can be pretty unpredictable.  I think the best that they can do is notify the sites where she post instead of having any contact with her.

Happy Birthday Moosh

It seems like I've spent most of this week scrambling to put together birthday surprises for my two guys.  Last year I ordered a heap of outdoor grill goodies for Egor, including an extensive range of esoteric accessories, that save for one, we have used regularly.  This year we are stone broke, so such luxury is an impossibility. I even speculate that we might need to either auction off our grill-ware or start catering out of our back yard.

So, to treat Egor, I focused on the pragmatic.  What does that mean? Pillows! Yep, I'm replacing the battered, pancaked pillow his mama sent him years ago with fresh springy marshmallowy pillows. 

E's one of those fellows who likes firm pillows. You know, the unyielding mattress-like pillows that jolt your spine into rectangular alignment.  They are the type that are either very expensive and feature the word "therapeutic" on them or are bargain priced and "made in China."  I guess the difference is how long-lived they are, but if they last for six months and don't smell like naphtha, they'll do.

So lucky me, I go to JCP and find, on sale, a pillow certain to contain several geese worth of feathers.  Actually, considering the price, it's probably Freebreezed chicken feathers, but it's lovely.  I splurged a tiny bit on some shower gel at Dillards, Ambre, pour Hommes.  Smells great!  It's nice to find a scent fresh and modern that doesn't smell insecticidal.

So, tonight we had a lovely home-cooked dinner, thanks to mom: scallops wrapped in thick, organic uncured bacon ( my mom rocks!), asparagus and corn on the cob with tons of melted butter.  I sent the birthday cake to work, since I am still watching my carbs, but wine doesn't count, does it? Sauvingon Blanc, ice cold.  We are sure to toast my folks, who have been so helpful to us!

Bath Time

A Cute Pic of Tyoma in the tub. Notice how he does an Austin Powers with his inflatable toy! He is so huge compared to the little tub! He becomes frightened it I put him in the big tub, so issy-pissy tub it is.

First Haircut

I took Tyoma for his first haircut today. I intended to have an incredible photo shoot for the whole thing, but I wound up leaving the camera in the stroller while holding Tyoma in my lap. The haircut went incredibly well, Rodeyo is a genius with kids! It's always a treat to see him.
 
Later that afternoon, as I fed a hot and slighly cranky baby his dinner, Tennisfiend grabbed the camera and took these shots. I objected to the whole process since I wanted his "first haircut" pictures to be a monument to his babyhood. Afterall, he looks sorta goofy shirtless and with a tiny bib.
 

How dare you take my picture! 
Well, okay. Sometimes I'm too anal for my own good. Enjoy Tyoma's totally-realistic-and-reflects-our-real-life "first haircut" photos!