Missing

It’s raining in Las Vegas, just in case you were wondering.

 

Leland, my father, and I went to a kite trade show in the ghost town of Primm, Nevada for a few days – it was fun, and a bit of work, and we will probably only send one of us next year, considering that kiting is a very small (yet outspoken) portion of our business.  In a couple of weeks we have a regional hobby show to attend, and we will peddle our wares at a VERY LARGE hobby show in Chicago (or thereabouts) in October.  We’re getting busy, and it’s wonderful.

 

It’s not wonderful missing your baby, however.  I got lots of sleep while I was away, but I missed Charles more than I would have thought possible.  I didn’t fear for him, wasn’t worried, I just missed him a whole bunch.

 

Now, I’m home and he’s sick with new teeth and a possible ear infection, and life is back to its usual, batshit-crazy pace.  Oh, but the good news is that I finally found curtains I like, so we have matching drapes in our house!  We’ve only lived here 2.5 years.

 

Before I left, Tony and I took Charles and Buster to the park.  Charles loves the slide.

2010? Sure, Why Not?

Are you ready for the new year?  Me either, but it’s here.  On Tony’s first day at work in the new year, he stayed at the office until just after midnight.  For us, of course, the new year signals the beginning of tax season.

I am approaching the promise of a new year with mixed feelings.  After all, it’s only one month later than the month before, one day later than yesterday, and nothing much changes.  But then again, as we march steadily onward, I look forward to doing new things, to filling some honest-to-goodness alone time with activities during tax season, to travel, and to the promise of starting over, moving on.  Here are some of my hopes, plans, resolutions, etc, for the new year:

• -Charles, Tony and I plan to take a baby swim class, though it might end up being just me and Charles some of the days.  It starts on the 16th.
• -I’m hoping to do a toddler tumbling class at a local gymnasium, as well.  This would be in the evening during tax season, something to fill the lonely hours without Tony.
• -I don’t want to leave out Buster, of course, and he needs discipline and activities, so sometime this summer, I hope to sign him up for an agility course.  This will serve to give Tony and Charles some time alone, also.
• -Tony and I hope to go to Hawaii in June for his continuing education classes.  We’re leaving Charles and Buster at home with the grandparents.
• -I want to see Goodwinds grow even more.  We managed to grow about 27% in 2009 over our first year (annualized), which is awesome.  A few more years of double-digit growth, and Leland and I can both afford some of our dreams.
• -Gonna lose those last ten pounds, I swear.  Charles seems to have given up nursing for good, so the only thing standing in my way is time.  Who has time to go to the gym?  Not I, unless I give up sleep, which is mighty precious around here.  Charles still wakes up often, and gets up early.  Sigh.
• -During tax season, after Charles goes to sleep at night or during nap time on the weekends, I plan to work on leveling the flower beds in the front yard and planting some new stuff.  In the back yard, on the street side of the fence, I plan to dig up the weeds, lay down landscaping tarp, and cover it with rocks.  These two projects ought to keep me plenty busy.
• -Then, after tax season, Tony and I are going to re-do the backyard.  It currently has no drainage, along with a host of other problems, so we plan to rip out the current deck, build a new deck with synthetic decking material in front of the back door, dig up the yard, add drainage, and lay sod.  Hopefully, we will have a nice yard to enjoy this summer with Charles and Buster.

 

So there it is.  Not so much “resolutions” as plans.  Loose plans.  That way, no one gets disappointed, because we all know plans change.

 

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Charles and his grandpa speaking their own language at the dinner table: