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Just an update to let y'all know that I'm still alive and well without WiFi in Indiana. I have managed to get a little writing done, which is good, but to be perfectly honest, what I've mostly done is slept. Apparently I needed it -- plus I seem to have mostly fended off a cold which had started to tickle at the back of my throat.
In other much more exciting news, I connected with a dear friend in Chicago (Susan Harris,) with whom Mason and I are planning an outing with her new baby Zoe. We're going to the Shedd Aquarium tomorrow, and Mason and I are super-psyched. We may even have to sneak across the road to see Sue, the T-Rex, since she'll be so close. Shawn is going to stay at the grandfolks' place and hang out with her dad. I think spending the day away on Friday might be a good thing. We try to stay out from under foot, but you know what they say about fish and company....
Otherwise, Mason and I have been spending our time playing at various parks here in ValParasio. I have to say that ValPo does have a lot of really kid-friendly parks. Mason still loves ValPLAYso, which is a huge play area built like a small-scale castle out of cedar boards. There are bridges to cross, tires to jump over, monkey bars to climb, etc. Mason and I have spent many hours there just goofing around. Yesterday, Margaret (the step-mother-in-law) showed us to a new park: Butterfly park. Mason loved it. It has a much less extensive play area than ValPLAYso, but it was new -- and had tall, TALL slides for him to explore. Plus, in the summer, there are walking trails for the grown-ups and kids to explore a meadow that's been set aside specifically for butterflies. It's actually quite a huge stretch of praire, given that it's in the city.
Generally, I've come to appreciate that about ValPo. So far, it seems that they are a town willing to leave large chunks of their city undeveloped. Trees are everywhere. Even behind grandpa's development, Mason and I explored a huge track of undeveloped woodland that clearly many kids had played in before us. There were remains of tree-houses past, bridges over streams made from wooden pallets, and what looked like the remains of an attempted boat. Very cool stuff for a four year old and his adventurous parent.
Speaking of which, Mason is asking to get dressed and head out.
In other much more exciting news, I connected with a dear friend in Chicago (Susan Harris,) with whom Mason and I are planning an outing with her new baby Zoe. We're going to the Shedd Aquarium tomorrow, and Mason and I are super-psyched. We may even have to sneak across the road to see Sue, the T-Rex, since she'll be so close. Shawn is going to stay at the grandfolks' place and hang out with her dad. I think spending the day away on Friday might be a good thing. We try to stay out from under foot, but you know what they say about fish and company....
Otherwise, Mason and I have been spending our time playing at various parks here in ValParasio. I have to say that ValPo does have a lot of really kid-friendly parks. Mason still loves ValPLAYso, which is a huge play area built like a small-scale castle out of cedar boards. There are bridges to cross, tires to jump over, monkey bars to climb, etc. Mason and I have spent many hours there just goofing around. Yesterday, Margaret (the step-mother-in-law) showed us to a new park: Butterfly park. Mason loved it. It has a much less extensive play area than ValPLAYso, but it was new -- and had tall, TALL slides for him to explore. Plus, in the summer, there are walking trails for the grown-ups and kids to explore a meadow that's been set aside specifically for butterflies. It's actually quite a huge stretch of praire, given that it's in the city.
Generally, I've come to appreciate that about ValPo. So far, it seems that they are a town willing to leave large chunks of their city undeveloped. Trees are everywhere. Even behind grandpa's development, Mason and I explored a huge track of undeveloped woodland that clearly many kids had played in before us. There were remains of tree-houses past, bridges over streams made from wooden pallets, and what looked like the remains of an attempted boat. Very cool stuff for a four year old and his adventurous parent.
Speaking of which, Mason is asking to get dressed and head out.