Adventures in & around THE CITY (by the Bay)

Friday --

* Got up the same time as Ace, made coffee, got dressed, packed car, and left.
* Got to airport 1 1/2 hrs before flight.
* Played cards with Princess & hung out 'til flight.
* Landed earlier than expected.
* Found HOTEL SHUTTLES just fine.
* Was asked what hotel, gave hotel name, was told to wait.
* Got on shuttle, road over an hour out of our way, north, into the city -- right hotel, wrong location (they really should ask "which one"!).
* Was returned, at no cost, to actual hotel, to eat lukewarm IN 'n OUT burgers.
* Was given rough time by brother & sister & mom.
* Took a walk toward the park nearby, but detoured along a walking/biking path instead.
* Spent rest of afternoon chillin' & visiting.
* Switched rooms so that East Coasters & Cali folks could be closer.
* Had dinner with mom, Princess, Bug, Mer & her kids at hotel restaurant.
* Chilled in room 'til I got a text from D, asking for assistance with Firefly (Bug was already asleep).
* Sent D on her way, got Firefly to sleep, and watched a little t.v. while Princess read until D got back.


Saturday --
* Woken up by Bug "being quiet" while mom got showered & ready for the day. Mom then took her down to breakfast downstairs.
* Princess & I were allowed to sleep 'til 830a, and Bug brought me my mocha.
* Got dressed & ready for a day in the city, checked in with T & D, figured out transit schedules with mom, and headed out.
* Shuttle to airport, BART to Powell St, cable car to Fisherman's Wharf.
* Sudden stop on cable car in the middle of a street when some @$$ decided to run the light. Those wooden brakes do NOT smell good.
* Wait for a push (literally). Got going again...
* Lunch at Cioppino's.
* Bay Cruise around Alcatraz.
* Shopping & ice cream at Pier 39.
* Window shopping at a few more places (actually, I bought only hats for Princess, Bug, and myself) on our walk back to the cable car station near Ghiradelli Square.
* Cable broke at some point near the station, so we were let off 9 1/2 blocks away. Shuttle was coming, but mom didn't want to wait.
* Walked about 1/2 block before mom decided Bug was too slow, so she picked her up.
* Three of those 9 blocks were uphill. My left calf hurt for three days.
* Stopped at Cable Car Cafe http://www.yelp.com/biz/cable-car-cafe-san-francisco for dinner.
* Hopped back on BART. Got to the airport, learned Princess's father had called, so had Princess call him back while we changed Bug, and used the restroom.
* Hotel shuttle back to hotel.
* Checked in with T & D.
* Bug decided she wanted to sleep in our room (originally with Princess, but I told her that "grammy" & I didn't fit in the other bed, so she settled on sleeping with "grammy"), so we had to get stuff from T & D's room.
* Princess helped Bug get ready for bed, including a new diaper (she won't change poopy ones, but wet ones are fine), read her a story, and got her tucked in.
* Mom got herself ready & into bed.
* Princess & I played some cards while I was going back & forth w/D about taking Firefly (in their room, of course).
* Sent Princess to bed.
* Read until I finally got a slight knock on my door around 1045p, was told she was just giving D the "death stare" and not going to sleep, so she decided to just take her downstairs.
* Climbed in bed, and promptly fell asleep.


Sunday:
* Mom took both the girls down to the cafe and they brought me my mocha when they came back up.
* We had a very "chill" morning; I got internet for the room so Princess could work on a homework project she brought with her.
* Bug played and watched t.v. and "read" her books.
* Lunch was quick & easy, then another hour or so of quiet time for Bug while Princess finished her homework, & mom packed.
* We all went down to the pool; stayed a bit too long as Princess got a little red on her shoulders.
* Back up to the room for a snack and some reading, while mom took care of our travel docs.
* Over to D's room for a little visit, then dinnertime.
* On the walk to dinner (two blocks), Bug was telling us all about where all the airplanes were going (we could see SFO from the water). My favorite commentary: "That one is going to land, then go to Pasco, then go to KUBLACON!"
* Benihana for dinner -- Bug was "OOoooh"ing and "Coo-uhl"ing as well (her way of saying "cool").
* Got D food to go, walked back to the hotel, gave D her food, tracked down T, let Bug say goodnight (she opted to sleep in our room again).
* Mom wanted to have brunch with us all before she left, but T told her he wasn't going to be up that early and since he only sees Corey & Manny once a year, he wanted to do their regular later brunch. Mom was kinda upset... Oh, well.
* After fighting Princess about her pajamas, Bug finally settled down and let Princess read her a book. About halfway through, Bug was asleep (as was mom).
* Princess & I played cards for a bit, then we went to sleep ourselves.


Monday:
* After the usual morning, mom finished packing up and left.
* Bug "helped" Princess & I pack up, then we tracked down T & D.
* Had final food - brunch - in the cafe with the whole crew.
* D went back work, and T handed Firefly over while he finished packing up.
* Princess & I said our goodbyes at 1p, and headed back to the airport on the shuttle.
* We were home by 715p.


It was a great trip. I probably never would have taken the girls to the city by myself... not that I couldn't have, just that I am not comfortable travelling to places I don't know. I hadn't been to the city in almost 15 years (maybe more?).


I also really like Mer, Corey, their kids, & Manny. This is a great group and they've made me feel as if I'm family. If I'm ever in their areas, I'm thinking I won't need a hotel! :D


Next year, it looks as if D's mom will be accompanying T & D on this adventure, but I'll make sure the weekend is free, anyway, just in case...

Time

Time is a funny thing... Sometimes, you think you have a LOT of time... Other times, not so much. It's been over a week since the Bay Area trip, and in a few ways, I have yet to recover. The most important to YOU, readers, is this blog. I have a LOT going on, and very little of that precious time to actually sit down and update. So, this blog is not a "what I'm doing" or "what I have done" blog; it is only an apology, and a promise that before the week is done, I will finish my already-started blog about our trip to the Bay Area, and update you on our house updates.

On Our Way

First, let me mention that, since my last post, "Father of the Year" has called Princess almost EVERY night. He didn't call her while she was at my mother's one night (hmmm, perhaps 'cuz he knows she probably won't answer her phone?), another he called past the approved time (after 730p, she is on bedtime routine; he knows this), and yet another she was in the shower & it was after 730p when she got out.

Last night, I made sure she returned his (two) missed call(s), and that she let him know we were headed out of town for the long weekend. He probably won't call while we're gone, but who knows? And, I do wonder, is he actually trying to be better about regularity, or is he just making up for going 51 days without calling...? Either way, I think she's getting tired of the every night call, and may ask him at some point very soon to just make them once a week. We'll see.

Second, as I said, Princess & I are headed out of town for the long weekend. As we did last year, we are "kid-wrangling" for T & D. This year, the newest addition (whom I will from here on out refer to as Firefly) is joining the trip (she's about 5 weeks now), but I think D is "wearing" her most of the weekend. Mom, too, is joining us this time around, which should make things interesting.

Looks like the Bay Area's weather is supposed to cooperate, and, as we are planning on being outside most of Saturday, this is great! Not sure of other plans, but that's okay; at least we have our own room this time. I am just about done packing (have a couple loads of laundry to finish first), and except for last minute items (toothbrush, hair brush, etc), we are ready!

Oh, and we're trying out a "doggie camp" this time for the fuzzy babies, so Ace doesn't have to worry about them being left alone at home for too long. The woman we're taking them to has 40 acres that backs up to a major forest, and her property includes a pond and a creek! Dogs should have a blast!

Another Quickie...

Last night, after (yes, I'm counting; I keep track on the calendar) 51 nights of silence, "Father of the Year" finally called the Princess. Told her he'll call again tonight, and *might* come to Saturday's game (currently having no plans, he says; and he may bring his MIL). {Notice the use of the words like "may" and "currently" -- these have historically been his outs. Princess is not fooled.}

Let's fill in some details here, shall we?

* Last visual contact -- early December, 2009, at a school production. He brought his mother, two younger daughters, and grandmother. She's had a full 12 weeks of dance classes, a few events at school, and is almost done with her softball season... no-show for any of it.
* Last telephonic contact -- March 29th, close to 7pm. She won't call him, so it is completely up to him to make the effort...
* STILL no birthday (which was November 6th) or Xmas gifts, which he SAYS he has... -- does he not know how to ship? USPS has what we call "flat rate boxes" -- very inexpensive.


Also, I got a letter from DCS stating that his driver's license is going to be suspended, unless (of course) he takes one of three certain actions -- pay the full amount owed (HAHAHA!!), the person listed on the form is not him, or by making a payment plan. Not sure if he can even make a payment plan, though... Well, stick to one, anyway. Unfortunately, driving without a license is a secondary offense, so he'd have to be pulled over for something else before the cops would know it. But, whatever; it made me mildly amused, at least.

Since I know J still reads my blog, I'd like to mention that the option of adoption is still on the table. In exchange, all money currently owed in this case would vanish -- he would no longer owe one dime of it. Think about it.

Quick Update

Ok, seriously, just a quick little update, since I have no time for anything else...

Flooring is laid in all bedrooms, hallway, and living room. Trim is laid only in the boy's room. Most of kids' things are in storage, save Princess' mattress, a few clothing items, book, etc, so she can sleep and function while in the midst of chaos. What didn't fit in storage is in the boy's room, as well.

Flooring peeps return Friday, so we're getting as much painting done as we can before that, as well as hanging all new interior doors. So far, the girls' room is painted (I also bought them each two double hooks -- for robes, hoodies, purses, whatever -- as well as a throw rug and new curtains), and our bedroom is painted. The boy also has a throw rug.

The utility closet has a new set of bi-folds and new hardware, and the girls' room has a new door with a fancy handle. All doors and handles will be the same with the exception of locks -- our bedroom and the bathroom get locks, only.

Sorry to cut this short, but we have more work to do! Corey wants photos, T/D already got some... anyone else, let me know!