Random Tuesday Thoughts

JoyDad takes the wheel for a spin through a special Memorial Day Weekend edition of Random Tuesday Thoughts...

• We are blessed that Joy is a good traveler. I know some kids on the spectrum take exception to having their routines mangled by vacations and such, but Joy just seems to take it as it comes. She doesn't seem to mind the long car rides, strange places and stranger people (but hey, they are the only family I have...)


• A favorite activity for Joy this weekend was bubbles. Joy even tried popping them with her nose, which was too cute for words. And it is great to see her able to track individual bubbles with her eyes, and have repeated success in popping the bubble she is following.


• Another favorite activity for Joy was getting any available adult (and sometimes Rose) to help her to jump. And there were seven adults for her to choose from, so the opportunities were plentiful... She doesn't have a word for "jump," but she lets you know in no uncertain terms by coming up in front of you and grabbing both of your hands. She makes wonderful eye contact as she sails through the air, with a great big grin and squeals of delight.


• When she wasn't chasing bubbles or requesting the jump game, Joy also liked to play what we call the clap game. She'll put her hands on yours and make them clap. She does that a time or two, and then makes them miss with the other person saying a great, big "UH OH!"


• Rose loves going to the cabin. She didn't seemed fazed by the bugs, and spent a lot of time outside on the past-its-prime swingset and down by the pier. She is looking forward to telling her friends about it at school tomorrow. We printed out some pictures of key events (the restaurant meal in town the morning we arrived, the bald eagles nesting in a tree, the ride on her uncles' boat).



• The fish weren't biting but the bugs were. We took to describing the swarms of bugs as "biblical" in their epicness. And they must not have gotten the memo about how deet was supposed to repel them.


• Changing a tire on a large vehicle on soft sand is sub-optimal. The jack doesn't do a good job of staying put. But if you are going to drop said large vehicle onto its brake rotor, soft sand does less damage than pavement would. Don't ask us how we know...


• Have you ever tried changing a tire with about a gajillion gnats trying to suck every last drop of fluid from your body? Or chopping up a tree that has fallen on your garage while choking on a lungful of gnats? Let me tell you, you haven't lived until you've tried that. Bet you're jealous.


• Now that I think about it, I'd take using the outhouse when it's 20 below zero over the gnats any day, thankyouverymuch. Oh yes, I have used the outhouse at the cabin in the middle of the winter, with the outside temperature hovering around 20 below. Good times....


• Even with the bugs and lack of indoor plumbing, I'd still rather be there than here.


• JoyMama even managed to squeeze in a run on Sunday. She was smart and went early in the morning while there was still frost keeping the gnats at bay. Uncle Marathon and UncleDO wimped out. Although Uncle Marathon does get props for going swimming in the very cold lake.


• Hot and cold running water are not essential for humans to live. And it's nice to be reminded of what a luxury they are (especially the hot running water) by going without for a few days. I have partaken of the soap and hot running water since our return to civilization, so y'all can take the clothespins off your noses.


• Our cabin and lake in da U.P. are about the only things that have remained constant in my life. The lake still looks the same as it did when I was a wee lad, the cabin looks and smells just like it did way back then. I'm glad that JoyMama and the girls like to go up there, it holds a lot of memories for me, and hopefully there's a lot more left to be made...