Kino @ Westport beach 12/21/08

First day of winter

Remember real hot chocolate?

Perhaps it’s the unusual overabundance of frozen water that has fallen on Seattle this week, or the fact that Steve and I now approach life through the eyes of a 3 year old, or the season and frozen pipes. Hard to say, but the other day I hiked to the grocery store to fetch a few supplies in my backpack – temp 19 F pre wind chill, and as I tiptoed over the ice skating rink that they were pretending was a lot for parking cars, I suddenly smelled what I thought was hot chocolate – brilliant I mumbled through my iced lips as I sniffed through every aisle for one of those ladies with hair nets giving out samples and coupons.

An olfactory hallucination brought on by frost seared brain cells, or a memory triggered by the crunchiness of the snow under my boots, the sensory thrill of sliding on the road – all somehow tossed me back to the side of my mother’s stove anxiously watching a pot of milk heat while my sibs and I snuck more powered Nestles Quik into our mugs lined on the counter. The unopened bag of marshmallows torturing us.

I took a running start to better my speed as I skated down the alley behind our house, my senses overwhelmed as I flashbacked to those long northern Michigan winters and the aspects that made them livable. Deep snow drifts for burrowing, ice skating and sucking ones sodden mittens when thirsty, falling into the not quite frozen enough frog pond or bay and freaking out mom when walking in wet/frozen and of course hot chocolate.

Mom brushed us kids away like so many flies at a picnic as she poured the hot milk slowly into our mugs half filled (if I had my way and Mom hadn’t noticed) with powdered chocolate. Moms giving each mug a quick stir to mix, plopping in several white pillows and leaving a spoon in each mug. (“Nestles makes the very best… Chocolate”)

Then the real torture began, because in this era before microwaves and immediate melting, we had to wait for the ultimate satisfaction. The marshmallows became a sweet thick blanket over the hot chocolate milk, which was best eaten spoonful by spoonful, using a finger to clean up every drip and drop in the bottom of the mug.

Real hot chocolate.

Is it summer yet?

Wow it has been a bit of time since we posted - sorry for the delay - I'm guessing no one checks anymore so I'll need to send out another mass email to let folks know we are up and running again!

For those of you in other parts of this country or the world the title of this post comes from the issue we are having with the weather in Seattle - headline in newspaper yesterday was "Seattle colder than Siberia." Yes this is an issue. Still wearing sweaters and have pulled out my scarf as well. The only "Nice " thing is that it is very green and millions of flowers are blooming and of ocurse the days while gray are still onger than in the real winter.

Kino is doing well - he and Steve are having a fun construction week in Westport dealing with myriad of projects that need attention. I came out last weekend via the Amtrak train to Olympia and they met me -driving me to Westport for 24 hours than back to the train. It is hard to be away from Kino man, but we talk many times a day and he seems to be greatly enjoying his daddy time (just in time for Steve's first Fathers' Day)- I have a ball with him on the weekends spending many hours at the beach where depending on which beach we are at, we draw in the sand, sing songs, dance, throw every stick we find into the surf, pet dogs, watch surfers, walk on logs, jump OFF logs, tetter totter on logs practice counting, pop seaweed thingies (sorry don't know the technical term)look at shells and rocks, watch and track birdies that might be an eagle or a pelican or a gull, chase the surf and in general have fun.

This morning when I was chatting with the men - Steve was descriging Kino and the resident deer. It seems Kino was sort of chasing it around, but at one point they bonded and the deer herded him back to Steve.

Speaking of daycare - he loves the one here in Seattle with the Vietnamese woman - she clearly enjoys him as well. We have just now set him up for a daycare in Westport too, so Steve can actually get some of the more dangerous work he needs to do done. In case you are wondering why Stev is spending so mcuh time at the Inn - he is having a job slowdown while they wait for a house to sell, before starting on the next one - so it is the perfect time to work on all the Inn issues.


We had several interviews last weekend for new innkeepers - and this weekend a couple will be coming out to see the Inn.

Life is grand, busy and full to say the least and we are working out all the quirks as they come up. As you all know there is no instruction manual for ANY of this so the best approach is tuck your head down and plow onward, hope for the best and keep your mind open to ideas.

Sorry no pics with this post as Steve has the repaired laptop in Westport that has all the pics on it. I will post some this weekend. Maybe one of Kino being herded by the deer.:)

what's up?

Sorry folks for the delay in updating the blog - we had a laptop accident - I should say Steve and Kino did and it is now rendered unuseable without a very expensive repair - new puter too.
Kino hasn't allowed us much time at the other computer as his status as Mr Hands has elevated to condition orange, in fact I know must end this as he si into something he knows he shouldn't be. He is not yet self directed in his play and also doesn't use toys when he does. But hey he can count to 3 and 10 with prompting!

Did his first swing today!

Ok off I go!
Leslie

It's too bad the saying "what a long strange trip it's been" has already been said. I feel as if we just came up with it ourselves...

Left Ha Noi with Henry and a executive for Global Drago Investment Holdings Limited - he was stuck in town due to the typhoon and couldn't leave for Hong Kong as planned so he came along for the ride to the airport with us. He lives in Vancouver so we had plenty to chat about with him. The line at the airport seemed about right - we were 2 hours early, which we were told was enough time given security and all. Glaciers are melting faster. We were about 5th in line and it took fully an HOUR to get to the counter.
The flight to Taipei caused Kino some issues with the descent – me too given my cold state. HE squirmed and cried and was quite upset. We broke our rule about feeding a kid to get him settled and offered him the cookie from our lunch. Steve had broken it in 2 pieces, which really sent him over the edge. So chocolate cookie in both hands we landed. The SECOND the plane landed – he held out his chocolate-coated hand and said “could you please clean this off for me?” No really he said what sounds like “Ennhh” which must mean something in Vietnamese, but his request was clear. Crisis over till the next one.


Taiwan airport ROCKS!!!!!!!
First they give us a meal voucher and apologize for the long wait (7 hours) we have. Then we find the nursery room for folks with kids – soft music, couches to rest on, a crib and changing table…. then they have what they call the green zone – soft lighting, massage chairs with all the tokens you would like, pathways lined with plants of all sizes. All in all making what will be a 7 hour stay here rather pleasant. They have wifi as well, but for a fee, but do have a free Internet room.

We were hanging in the green zone – parents grooving on the massage chairs, Kino playing with on the floor when Steve said “uh oh.” I was in the heavenly throes of my chair working my neck and calves at the same time and mumbled “what?” He said Kino just pooped. As I lay in my cocoon of delight my vision was of you know the whole down the leg into the shoes “code brown” type situation. I think I might have even said given that possible scene and mess – lets wait till our massages are done. Thankfully and I will spare you the details it wasn’t and in fact we were both back in our chairs before the massage chair was finished with us. We figured at that point we had dealt with all the possible toddler issues that could occur during such a long airport day and congratulated ourselves on the mission thus far.

Steve and Kino spent several hours napping on the floor of the airport. The nursery room would have been great for that, but a fellow traveler arrived who had a different agenda than ours, making it less user friendly. I won’t mention the long flight from Taipei to Seattle as I’m sure you can all guess it was brutal, made worse by the planes endless shuttering every few minutes which for me shook me from my light slumber over and over and over and over….
We had given Kino some benadryl to help him sleep, but found we had to wake him as we approached Seattle to give him some breakfast and in general have him on board with the plan. He did OK, but again during the descent was less than thrilled with the idea and spent most of his time furiously sucking his favorite thumb and kicking the poor monk sitting in front of me.

3 hours later and many lines later we passed through homeland security and Kino was stamped into the country – with his temporary green card in place in his passport. 2 baggage checks later we were finally within sight of my family –Janet, Jeff, Ericka, Alysia, Brianna, Jake, Noah and my cousin Susanna and her family Dave, Katie and Kellan. They had waited many hours to get this glimpse of the tired travelers and I must say I was excited to see them to! Balloons and a banner for Kino!

Many pics later we bid some of the group good night and Janet took us home. Kino in his car seat for the first time. He cried at first, but it might have been the cold. SNOW earlier in the day in Seattle- breaking all sorts of records.

We had brought some dehydrated pho with us and made it up for Janet, Ericka and Brianna to try as we tried to get the feel of our home with a new dynamic to it, get the heat going and say hello to yogi the cat who in his Siamese way had may things to tell us about.

Kino started to warm to the new folks in his life and allowed himself to be fed by his cousins and be held for pics when they left. He then came into his own and took on the balloons, the car toy Janet had brought and spoke on the phone with Janet for the first time – adding to his English. His next word? “Ah – low” In Ha Noi he would pick up the phone and hand it to us and Steve and I would use different voices and accents to “talk” – I would always answer with “ah-low.” He has since added bye-bye and good night to his verbal inspirations!

Our first day in Seattle was low key. We took a walk around our hood – Kino wearing his first coat, overalls and tennis shoes. He wasn’t thrilled with the coat – having issues with putting his arms through the sleeves. Had the same problem with a button shirt today – wouldn’t do it.

Pho at the local noodle shop, naps and a trip to the Asian supermarket rounded out the outdoor activities. Steve then moved our study into the living area so we can take over that room to sleep – Kino sat with some corn flakes to munch watching the show. Little does he know….

Sleep is still messed up for us all. We finally got Kino up at 11:30 this am to see the snow that was falling. He seemed quite interested. We bundled him up, got packed or really just changed suitcases and took him on his first road trip to Westport. He did OK, and we broke another rule of allowing him to eat in the car, but that was our fault, as we didn’t have anything for him to eat other than yogurt this am.

Currently I’m sitting with my feet on the hearth in the café – Kino is sleeping on a mattress and the sun is shining. Gave Kino a viewing of sorts of Kodiak (ran right to “Uncle Josh” when we arrived) – eh stood and looked at him from afar and shook his head- hard to say if that was because he can’t believe how big he is or that he’d prefer to not have anything to do with him…. (Kodiak is an Alaskan malamute –big boy)

This is not one of my more inspired posts and I apologize for the content as well as the manner I’m delivering it. Jet lag doesn’t make for stimulating anything.

headed for the crossing...

Looks to be our last entry before the marathon flight tomorrow. We’re considerably more at ease about the prospects of this return leg than we were on the way here. Certainly a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. We marvel about how transformative these past couple of weeks have been for us, in terms of our developing acquaintance with both Kino and Vietnam.

We entertained a number of touring ideas for our last day here: Halong Bay, a village renowned for silk weaving, another for ceramics. In the end we opted to keep in fairly close to our hood in the old quarter, venturing on a morning jaunt to an adjunct of the Museum of Ethnology featuring downed weaponry from its struggle toward independence, including the carcass of a B-52 and a couple fighter jets—staged in a bonsai garden. (The unlikely mix seemed too interesting to pass up.) There are a couple other attractions in that area we aimed to explore but opted instead to return to the Temple of Literature for the relaxed setting that Kino clearly enjoyed. There we spent a good part of the rest of the day, taking in a performance of traditional Vietnamese music and otherwise enjoying the garden settings. Let the pictures do the rest of the talking. Can’t believe we’re at the end of our stay. How great it has been to be sharing our intrigue in the process with all of you!

Keeping my fingers crossed for safe passage out of here. Leslie has symptoms of the plague; word of an outbreak of avian flu in Korea.

S