Appreciating the crawl...

This summer seems rushed. Only about a month left until I get teaching again. Watching my nearly 11 mo. old daughter for the entire summer has been rewarding, exhausting, frustrating, comedic, and wonderful. I don't know where I'd been without her tired laughs or painful pinches when she is trying to sleep.

Yesterday, my wife and I had the chance to witness a spirited crawl out of Gina. She seemed to spring it upon us like a horse out of the starting block, or our dog zinging after a tennis ball. Soon she will be asking to borrow the car and stop telling her how to dress. I'm glad we've caught a lot of moments in pictures and a few videos ... (Well, I am adding on to this post two days later with another report: Gina is really moving around without hesitation! Her favorite toys to get her to crawl are the newspaper/receipts/any paper really--- and the TV remote. We took the batteries out of the older remote that turns on/off the TV. She can keep herself pretty busy scootin' across the floor!) Gina has also discovered coins---so, for those of you that know me---I have to be keeping better track of my loose change!

I do not wish to make too many videos, mind you. My wife has made sure I take brief videos using my digital camera. Neither one of us want to be plopped in front of a TV watching hours of the same scene while life is all around us. Of course a few vids can add up to a lot over time---so we shall see...

This week Jill's Uncle helped me put in some clothes poles. Next project will be burying downspout drains that will disperse the water farther from the house. I need the drainage from the house to occur farther away due to the planned patio. The patio shall have 351 pavers, about 390 bags of gravel and 92 bags of sand. OHHHHH BOY! I hope to get quite a few things done around the house before the fall college course and teaching resumes. August will surely go quick. This is why it is important to not squander the days by waking up late on any day.

Today (Tuesday, July 29th) I was able to get out of the house with Gina and Mara by 8am for a walk in the cooler air. I have been trying to stick to at least a walk a day this summer. Mara still was able to gulp down water during 2 breaks on the walk that last over an hour. I have combined this light exercise with a diet that includes eating at home. I have had the Bocca breakfast burrito for my last two breakfasts. I have ate lunch at home consistently as well. The car actually stayed in the garage all day!

A Breezy Sunday!

This morning started by getting Mara up and outside and into her morning routine. It was a little weird having Jill and Gina up at the cottage yesterday and this morning. I had all the freedom yet felt a little lonely.

I took Mara out on about an hour and a half walk west on Dice. It was our longest walk on road yet. Mara's ears were flappin' in the wind gusts. We were walking into it the entire time. Mouth got dry quick. This time I brought enough water for both of us. Saw a groundhog crossing the road ahead of us--before Fordney. I've been seeing some form of wildlife each time we go out---no matter what time of day---COOL! Would have made it a round tripper if Jill and I didn't want to go to McDonald's Nursery to get an Ann Magnolia tree to put in the front yard. I can't wait to see the purple/pink/white flowers blooming in May.

A lot of projects lay ahead---with the new school year coming near. Gotta get in the patio. Before that I have to redirect some downspout drains and put them into the ground and have them come out somewhere that will be nice for me and my neighbor.

Tomorrow Mom and I may go blueberry picking---giving Gina her first experience. Dad saw a bluebird in front of our yard yesterday. Amazing eyesight!!!

Almost time for bed.
G'nite!

7-09-08

Last night was a special treat. Saw lightning bugs for the first time in many years. Can't remember the last time I saw them. Perhaps I was in my early teens up at Rifle River Recreation in Rose City? Anyway, I believe these flying light bulbs are the best forms of fireworks. No messy clean-up or toxic air born byproducts.

Gina, Mara and I usually go on a morning walk together each day. Today was Jill's day off. She went to a hair appt. and had her sister watch Gina. So, for a few hours it was just Mara and I. I decided to go out just past 1pm and take her on a walk down the road. Down our road there is very little cover. There was a breeze but the sun was beating down on us. The road had just been covered with the tar and stone treatment. I was careful when there was oncoming traffic. Didn't want to catch a pebble to the eye by the cars passing swiftly bye. Anyway, Mar and I walked for over 2 hrs. and went about 5 1/2 miles. On the way back I was sharing my water with her. Mara layed down at the few shady spots during our walk. I thought she wasn't going to get up at the second stop. I promised her lots of ice water when we got back. I coaxed her to "find mommy at home." This last statement worked well. She thrust herself in the space ahead, pushing the slack out the leash once more.

I can still feel the rays of the sun on me.
Mara got a bone tonight.

Until next time...

Saturday's walk...

Instead of drinkin' beer and wastin' away the days on the Independence Holiday (surely our founding father's intentions----that and blowin' the hell out of massive quantities of gunpowder in the night sky) I decided to walk around the cottage lake 4 time. A nice 20 minute walk at home before we left for the cottage (and a large cup of McDonald's coffee) got me perked up for some more walkin. One lap around the lake is a about 2.5 miles. Yesterday, I decided to complete 4 laps with my dog. After each lap I would unleash Mara and watch her plunge into the clear water *clearness courtesy of weekly chemical treatments accepted by the property owners around the lake)

Each time around the lake yielded a different perspective. For instance, I was able to form a better count of the crushed turtles, birds and cat alonside the road on my multiple laps. I also observed nature's delicate balance with its surrounding environment with the presence of 2 swans and a family of geese off in a section of the man made lake that was less travelled. The first two laps were completed while the lake had quiet hours. Once they were over a swarm of boats, tubes and jetski's took over. The constant hum of man's machines remains constant until around dinner time of about 5pm. Then people go out for a last hurrah before the 7:30pm mandated quiet hours. Everyone follows this time really well. No need to enforce it really.

Makes me wonder why people shoot off their fireworks until about 2 in the morning...

We brought along my wife's 96 year old Great Aunt Martha. She's in the process of moving out of her apartment into an assisted living community. The loss of indepence further contributes to her depression. However, when she is not having a down moment, she is very alert for a person her age. The entire ride up and down she spoke about growing up on a farm, working for a hotel in Washington D.C., hiking the Appalachian Mts. going to the west coast, Panama, Flordia and many other places...

Zoo visit

The Saginaw Zoo had many nice features. I went with the wife and Gina and Mom and Dad. Hadn't been there since I was a kid. Many nice exhibits, however, Some of the animals looked older and dishoveled, such as the wolf. The sea otters looked comfortable in their straw filled den.

Many new features such as a brick walkway and many flower gardens sponsored by the community. The train is up and running, having just put in a newer track. Still is looking to purchase a newer engine through donations.

Entry was only 7 dollars per person. Our baby was free.

Just another place to go in the tri cities that doesn't involve fireworks or beer.

What the 4th is gonna be like...

Loud fireworks shooting over the lake,
making the indigenous wildlife quake.

A spent flare shell,
falls to earth in this man made temporary hell.
All well.
Peace shall reign again in another spell.

We shall only be going up to the day to honor in-law's anniversary and to meet and greet friends and relatives. The last time we went up was last weekend. I walked around the lake. A few loud motorboats later I went on another walk. Mara and I were getting some good exercise. The second walk was cut short by some rain clouds. Got to see them coming in from a distance---over the hilly open field.

Brother and sister in law got a nice dog from a breeder in Grand Rapids. A breeder in Grand Rapids had a dog for my brother and sister in law. They couldn't get the dog right away because the breeder said one of the dogs in the litter had Parvo. So the breeder had to hold onto the pup for a while. The dog is goofy and small. The pup's name is Miles.

Gina got all sandy toppling down and out, down and on, or floppin' her shovel full of sand onto her face. Not once did she complain. I thought the 3rd time of tumbling out of the box would get her pissed. I should make a note of this and apply this behavior to many things in my life,eh?

The summer is going by fast. My online course is off to a good start.

The summer is going by fast. Gina is growin' more and more teeth. Gina will be ten months old this month. While on her tummy she pushes herself backward. We are still waiting on the crawling forward part. Gina is fascinated by hats.