Back from Oregon

The amount of relaxation that comes with a visit to Oregon is quickly erased by a screaming 14 month old on a 7 hour drive.

We snuck north for a few days to beautiful Grant's Pass, Oregon for a few days of relaxation and free babysitting.
First morning had Morgan and Eliza out in the park, swinging their little hearts out. We enjoyed some deliscious meals and entertaining nights of cards and cocktails while mom and dad awoke early to tend to the little noise makers.

The drive can indeed be peaceful, until Eliza gets frustrated and decides to scream.

In the end we got home and gave the girls a bath after finding the back yard sprinklers on and a slightly flooded back yard. Looks like a bad valve in the dark, I'll take a closer look tomorrow.

It's nice to be home.

Escape

Kim and I, thanks to Linda's visit, were able to escape for a day and a night a little bit ago. We pointed the Prius south and towards Half Moon Bay. We had a great time.

The little B&B we chose was a converted house dating from 1898, complete with photo of original owners hanging in the front room. The place was great wit hthe old floors, nice furniture, beautiful garden and hot AM breakfast.
This was our room, the "Rosemary," which was on the ground floor with those big windows opening out to the side and back yard gardens, water fountains trickling. We got in around 3 and had planned to walk the town, but the quite room had us asleep within minutes only to awaken to the wine and cheese being served. After that we went up the coast to a restaurant recommended for their patio, but not their food.
The patio there faces the ocean and has benches, chairs and blankets to keep warm watching the sun go down. That was nice. Then after the sun goes down, they lit up fire pits to sit near and keep warm. The drinks were so-so and expensive and we avoided the food since we had another place in mind.

Dinner was back towards the hotel, but still on the water and the food was great. Kim had the fish of the moment and I enjoyed the paella. We shared a bottle of wine and soon found ourselves the last ones in the dining room. When I heard a faint car alarm outside and went to investigate, the waiter commented, "Process of elimination, I'd say that's you." It was and I saw two employees nearby smoking.

So I went back inside and ordered dessert. Mr Waiter, It is your job to serve me and I even get to give you EXTRA money for bringing me food, so stop dropping hints, you go home when I'm ready. I don't go home early, so neither do you. Besides, I'm tipping you on a bottle of wine. Relax, it's worth the extr 15 minutes you get to sit at the bar waiting for us.

Ahem.

After dinner we went back to the B&B and had an almost peaceful night. Kim has been feeling a bit under the weather and this night was no different. I slept like a baby rock log.

The morning found us enjoying breakfast with the other couples lodged there, all the others grown with grown children who were from all over. London, Canada, Michigan...everywhere. Then we wandered the shops for a bit and decided to head home slowly, enjoying the ride.

Just when you think you can meander, fate jumps in. The phone rings and it's Grandma Anne calling, she's nearby and would love to meet up with us in the City. It figures, the one time it is a logistical nightmare to get the girls into the City, Grandma comes to visit. Plus, if we decide to detour to meet them we run the risk of getting caught up in afternoon traffic. Sod it! we made a run for Fisherman's Wharf and caught Anne and her friends just as they were getting ready to leave and return to their time share in Santa Cruz.

We darted home in time to play a bit with the girls before dinner time. They had fun with their Grand and we were glad to be back home.

Not the Laytonville Clarkes...

While working yesterday on the ambulance my partner and I began discussing the history of the City. The topic wandered to the Clarkes sitting on a bench at the 1915 Exposition, coming all the way in from Laytonville.

"Not the Clarkes of the Clarke Ranch out there were they?" He asked, suddenly stopping the ambulance.

"Yeah, my Grandmother met my Grandfather on that ranch, why?" I ask, curious if we're long lost cousins.

"My family has been hunting turkey there for years, it's the best little plot of land anywhere around. Really? That was in your family?" He is as floored as me.

"Yeah, we were just up there 2 years ago November, it's beautiful. Got to stay in the little house with a lot of family and hear old stories." I said, trying to avoid the real reason we were there.

"I'd love to hear more about them." He said and pulled over in a bus stop.

So I told what I knew, about the Mormon trip and skipping Utah for California, about the paintings in Grandma's house growing up and the sheep. He soaked up every word and told me he and his family always respected that that area is so beautiful and has a sense of family, with both houses still in working order.

It was then I told him about the pictures of my great great grandfather building the little house and he just shook his head.
"That is so cool." he said staring out the window.

"I think so too."
http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/memorial/clarke.htm

It appears I am not at work

I've (Justin here) been working a lot lately, banking trades and picking up overtime when I can. In the last few weeks that meant 2 24 hour overtimes and today I grabbed a 10 hour ambulance overtime. It was awkward at first after a crappy night at work, but my partner for the day was on my wavelength so it worked out nicely. And being home at night to sleep in my own bed has it's advantages. Mainly there are no voices waking me at all hours to tell me where the sick people are.

So, for now at least, it appears I am not at work.

The girls are all experiencing some level of sickness, Kim included, and the house is a symphony of coughs sniffles and sneezes. I had my own musical show last week, but seem to have out lasted it. Again I credit the voices waking me at all hours. I think the flu gave up and went to sleep.

The work blog has been picking up steam not only with the England trip in November but that it has been picked up to be included in a new project combining a number of successful blogs in the field and grouped together, kind of like a digital reader's digest of similar information. The concept is the first of it's kind and has some really neat features I'm excited about, I'll post a link sometime in early October when it gets off the ground.

Eliza is beginning to branch out speech wise with the introduction of what sounds like "baby." She has "ball" down like no one's business and points to the picture of a baby on her yogurt container and says "Bah...Bee." I'll take it, since the next words will likely be "Can I borrow the car tonight?"

Are you catching up on Madmen or were you hiding this from us the whole time? We love the series and are DVRing (that's a word, yes?) season three while Netflixing (I'm making them up as I go people) season two. Gotta love the early 60s. Or at least the interpretation of the early 60s. Either way, great show. If you're not watching, give it a shot.

The Prius got it's first check engine light awhile ago, 80,400 miles and one check engine light. And it had nothing to do with the electric motor. Figures it's the gas motor parts that are failing first. We have a vapor leak in the area between the fuel bladder and the fuel tank. Long story short our gas tank has a hole in it, but on the inside. The tank needs to be replaced and is covered under the 80,000 gas motor warranty, if we were in that window, but will cost a decent amount to get installed. The guy at the dealership is overnighting (again with the new words) one that should arrive first thing tomorrow morning and Kim can head over there and work while it gets fixed.

The labor is 3 times the cost of the part.

Hence all the overtimage (Sorry, last one).

Again with the teeth?

Yes, again with the teeth.

I am recently home from the Endodontist with a sore nose, not tooth. Figure that one out. I know the facial nerves are close to one another, but my runny nose feels like it weighs 30 pounds.

This had to be the most positive dental experience I have ever had. Getting the wisdom teeth pulled was OK, but hurt like Hades the following night. This extensive drilling and removal of part of my being (tooth pulp) went swimmingly. Amazingly enough I was able to watch along in the reflection of the scope he used. It was relieving to see what he was doing as he did it instead of staring at the ceiling. When I mentioned they needed TVs up there, he laughed and told me he takes donations.

When we had discussed the procedure he told me it was unlikely we would encounter the resorbtion section, but as he was drilling he could see it. So the decision was made to go in and repair it as best he could, extending the time window for braces.

So here I sit, scotch at the ready for pain control and only my runny nose is bothering me.

Luckily I came home to Eliza whispering "Da-Da", Morgan smiling and Kim cuddling. That's all the recovery supply I need.

Labor Day

Labor Day.

Brought to you by the AFL-CIO. The same folks that brought you the 8 hour work day and the weekend bring you a day off of work so you can BBQ while belittling union wages and working conditions. The same conditions that make your employer remain competitive.

Where have I heard an argument like that before.

Political whining aside, this was a VERY busy weekend for Carriage House as we went mobile to the 144th annual Highland Games and Clan Gathering in Pleasanton. A couple of readers of this blog are familiar with the Pleasanton fairgrounds of old, but when those grounds are covered in bagpipers, it looks quite different.

We've been going to this event for years, usually for just a couple of hours and always feel like we missed something. This year we planned ahead and hit both days all day. You might think that would be tough with these 2 girls in tow, but planning ahead made it all work out swimmingly.

Morgan enjoyed watching the Scottish Folk dancers with Mommy and liked seeing the real live princesses in the Living History section. For those of you not aware, the Living History section is an area of the grounds set aside for re-enactments from various centuries of the past. This leads to impromptu viking fights, knights in armor wandering aimlessly and the occasion procession for Mary, Queen of Scots. Her entire court, guards and all make a daily procession. While the Queen is out, her throne tent is occupied by the Baroness, who you can also visit and talk to, unless of course you are a terrified 3 year old.

The girls were given small favors from the Baroness, kind of an old school badge of allegiance. Morgan seemed more interested in the little girl in the snow white costume than the fully dressed midevil princess right in front of her. The next few years will see that change, I'm sure.

Kim and I got to visit all the booths and take in all the music and art we could handle. It truly is magical to see so many other people with similar interests in tradition and history.

Wicked Tinkers is a band we like that can only be described by the following video.


They were the finishing touch to two full days of adventure.

For years now, we've both been eying certain crafts at these fairs and decided this year we could combine our 8th wedding Anniversary and the games to gift one another those things we have been looking at.

That's how I got my kilt. For years I have wanted a dress kilt, in our newly established family tartan, but the occasions to wear a dress kilt fall under wedding, funeral and highland games.
Enter the Utilikilt. This is not your grandfather's kilt, mainly because I don't think your grandfather had one. It is cotton, so I can wash it, and the pleats are sewn in, so the shape will hold. Plus it has pockets. Higher end versions have all the pockets you can imagine, as well as a hammer sling. That's a bit much for me, so I chose the standard version.

It is far more comfortable than you might imagine.
And the salesman was brilliant. He measures your waist and pulls one down, unsnaps it and places it around your waist. Then, facing you closely tells you to "drop 'em," and down go your shorts. Standing there wearing the new kilt amongst others considering it, you feel silly at first, what with your pants around your ankles, but then the comfort sets in. You suddenly realize how hot those shorts were and how cool the kilt is.
When he asks what you think and you respond in the affirmative, he says, "Great, give me your shorts and I'll ring you up, you can just wear it out."

Got me. Kim was around the corner with the girls watching the 5 on 5 soccer tournament and I didn't want to pull the trigger all by my lonesome, so I sheepishly made an excuse and had him set it aside. 15 minutes later I was back to get it and wore it out. Kilts are nice. the snaps in the front mimic a sporran, or the little pouch worn with a traditional kilt. This keeps the front down as you move, or in a breeze, for reasons of modesty.

When asked by Kim when I would wear it, aside from the games, I thought of a number of places this flat black garment would go just fine. Perhaps even in Mexico next summer, so much easier to get changed into swim trunks.


Kim has been interested in wheat weaving creations similar to this one for years and after not seeing them on the first day, we made a point to find them on the second.
That was one of the great things about going both days. After day one we discussed what we missed and wanted to see the next day.

That and packing your own Guinness into the fairgrounds can save you a lot of money when they're charging $8 a beer. We grabbed an 8 pack of Guinness for just a little more than they wanted for 1 and just brought our own plastic cups. Stack them in the little cooler with the girls' snacks and bury that in the stroller and no one is the wiser. Saved us almost $50 in beer alone. Not that we'd spend that much, but it's savings all the same.

So now Monday Labor Day will be a house cleaning day, getting back on track, or at least as close as we can before the week catches up with us.

Enjoy your free day off while it lasts, and try a kilt!