Outings and non-outings

I'd been attending rehearsals for a "praise and worship" night for about the last 6 weeks, and then woke up yesterday feeling congested-yuck. So I stayed home.

It was a week of staying at home. Even though the sun came back, there was a rather brisk wind that made it pretty chilly for outdoor excursions. It was really nice to get caught up on some indoor activities. Andrei had a heavier teaching schedule, so David and I had lots of bonding time.

One day, we needed something to do and I had decided not to attempt naptime for scheduling reasons. So we stalled at home as long as possible and then headed outside to the tram stop to wait for Andrei. The last time we did that, we somehow missed him...we froze while waiting, and he came home to a missing family and no lunch ready or anything!

So I made the decision to hop on the tram in the direction of the metro. The only thing that made me nervous was that Andrei hadn't contacted me at all, and there was the possibility of him passing us on a tram going the other direction. That and the fact that David could have a meltdown and not want to get off the tram or go home or whatever. When we got to the metro, Andrei was just leaving work, so we went inside to wait for him near the escalator. David was squirming around and lounging on the ground as he's been doing lately....making his legs go out, if you know what I mean.

Eventually Andrei emerged, and he had run into his dad in the metro, so we all walked to the tram together. Mission accomplished!

Even though David can ride the tram now okay, errands are still kind of iffy (without the stroller) since he can run away at any moment. Plus, the stores themselves aren't always close to the tram stop. So I guess I would stick to stores with shopping carts he can ride in.

The other event this week was hosting Bible study, and that went pretty well. Nina brought some hand-me-down toys for David, and he enjoyed playing with some wooden blocks. There were also some random picture frames that were being discarded. I like the challenge of "re-purposing" something that's actually old, as opposed to specifically buying something in order to "hack" it. Got some fun art projects coming up on the horizon, can't wait!

Apartment Life

Before it snowed and got yucky again, we had some nice sunny days (including a partial solar eclipse last week!), and some spring maintenance projects were underway.

Like this one.

Action is towards the upper middle...

Every few days, a dump truck comes and dumps a full load of sand, then leaves. For the next week, a few workers gradually shovel the sand into a wheelbarrow, then take it over and lower it into the basement via the window. And then back for another load. And then the dump truck brings a delivery to the next building on the list. They started out with the building to the right of this one, and had already moved on to the one on the left, when we suddenly got snow again.

Definitely not a job to envy!

Lenten Update

I haven't been doing much to prepare for Easter. Our church is having a series of sermons, but I tend to accompany D. to Sunday school during that time.

I dug out some old Sunday school supplies to make an Easter flannelgraph for David. It depicts Christ teaching, being arrested, on the cross, and appearing again to his disciples...yeah, I squeezed it all onto one board.

David likes listening to the story even though he doesn't understand completely.

I've run across many blogs featuring Easter "gardens" with a makeshift tomb covered by actual grass. I'd like to gradually gather the supplies to make something like that, maybe next year. Right now we have some onion and garlic tops growing as a yummy spring project.

On the decorating front, it's still a little bit of dilemma. Bunnies and chicks aren't relevant enough, yet crosses aren't really garland material. I think I might do some palm fronds or something for the front hallway, and then add a Resurrection message as the holiday approaches. Come to think of it, this would be a really good place to stencil a Bible verse or other uplifting message. Hmmmm....

Christmas/Valentine's decor, soon to be replaced!

In Bible study we are discussing the Ten Commandments right now, and I guess in a way it's an appropriate introduction to the Resurrection: realizing how impossible it is to measure up to God's law, and our need for salvation.

Lull

Wednesday

It's 11:45 pm and I've just put a load of laundry in, but I'm not complaining. :)

Baby shower shenanigans (I'm in the middle) 

I've just had 4 days of back-to-back church activities followed by 2 days holed up at home (and actually another church thing this evening). I think ideally it would be nice to be a bit more balanced. The days I was at home just happened to be very warm and sunny, perfect for being outside, but I couldn't handle getting the two of us dressed for outside.

A tamer schedule might mean more short walks on a regular basis, or more drop-by cups of tea. But that's not realistic for city life. It seems that it's all or nothing! Everything feels like a production, and that's why I want to hibernate after a day or two of social functions. And to catch up on housework, and spend quality time with David after being so busy.

I remember when I first lived here and initially found it odd that people would stop by the grocery store almost every day after work to get an item or two. I remember not wanting to heed my roommate's request to stop by the store after church for a few tomatoes. It seemed so inefficient to make all those short stops. But now I feel the opposite...why go out to the store specially, when one can combine it with another errand? Why break your back with loads of groceries when you can do small batches?

It is just such a different pace. And I will leave it at that, as I'm having a hard time finding the right words.


Thursday

Today was sunny again and I woke up and cried because I felt like we needed to get outside to the Vitamin D right away, but at the same time I wanted to stay inside. I don't know if this is my personality or a season or just the particulars of the situation. Perhaps if I could just open the door and step out in my pajamas for a sun bath, I'd feel differently. We do have both an enclosed porch/ storage area and an open balcony, and lots of windows and sunlight with views of open spaces, so we're quite blessed in that sense.

Anyway, we eventually got outside. David did laps around an athletic field while I went over some thoughts. I suppose the athletic field is nice because it is enclosed and David can't just run off. Plus there is some exercise equipment like a balance beam, and plenty of gravel for one's rock collecting. However, this kind of walk is just short of relaxing for me. I do think the "fresh" air and sun are good for one's health, and we live in a nice residential area, but let's face it....the city will never be a nature preserve! Nevertheless, I am learning to find my own pockets of tranquility, and to see daily walks as their own brand of productivity. I like the walks themselves, but sometimes it is hard to separate the benefits from the struggles of dressing a reluctant child, keeping said child safe, and convincing him to go home instead of lying in the dirt! It is a learning process.

BEEP! The washer cycle from today's set of muddy clothes is complete. :)