We had a fantastic first day of vacation. The boys loved alternating between the ocean and the pool while taking intermittent breaks for food. To my delight I was able to keep up with them and their beach loving activities.
To the chagrin of every male in the family, I scheduled a photographer to meet us at the beach in the morning. I have hundreds of photos of the boys, but few of us together. I thought that a family photo against beautiful backdrop of the ocean and beach would be a perfect way to commemorate this special vacation.
Oh my goodness, I completely missed the mark. I failed to factor how much the boys love the beach into the equation. Having them stand on the sand, without touching it, so that we could pose for photos was not taken kindly. Timmy became irate that he couldn't dig and Robby was cranky because he wanted to hop into the waves. Within two minutes of the photographer arriving Timmy was on the ground, throwing a fit and covering himself in the very sand I was trying to keep from him. I am not sure what kind of photos the photographer was able to capture, but I do know that Timmy is covered in sand in almost all of them.
After the photo fiasco, the day went without a hitch. Timmy was exhausted by dinner, falling asleep in his plate of spaghetti. I cleaned him up and tucked him into bed before saying goodbye to Scott and Robby for the evening. The pair went out on a nighttime deep drift fishing trip.
From the few photos I received, before the boat even left the dock, the fishermen were having a fantastic time. I can't wait to hear all about it, and to learn if they caught any fish, when they finally wake up. Photos to be added later!
About Me
- Peggy
- I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Sand and Surf
Oh my goodness, traveling with kids is stressful! Between breaking up fights and trying to keep Timmy occupied and happy on the flight, by the time we finally arrived at our destination Scott and I were ready for a nap. Of course the kids wanted nothing to do with relaxing and were ready to hit the surf.
Playing in the ocean is not among my favorite activities. I don't like having critters swim by my legs, getting sand in my prosthesis and other sensitive regions and getting knocked off balance by waves. But being with the boys when they are squealing with delight is my favorite thing in the world, so we dropped our bags in our room, changed into our swim gear and headed to the beach.
Frustrated by the sand that compacts into the front of my foot shell, last night I have broke down and removed it completely. I realize an that walking without a foot shell is not recommended (don't do it, it will void your warranty), but my swim leg is well past its prime and I am in need of a new one anyway. I don't want to spend the next 10 days battling sand in the plastic foot, so I decided to make it easier on myself by removing the issue entirely.
Today will be spent alternating between the beach and the pool. Hopefully I'll be able to unwind and decompress. Unfortunately my stress levels are still high (a reality that is also stressing me out).
Playing in the ocean is not among my favorite activities. I don't like having critters swim by my legs, getting sand in my prosthesis and other sensitive regions and getting knocked off balance by waves. But being with the boys when they are squealing with delight is my favorite thing in the world, so we dropped our bags in our room, changed into our swim gear and headed to the beach.
Frustrated by the sand that compacts into the front of my foot shell, last night I have broke down and removed it completely. I realize an that walking without a foot shell is not recommended (don't do it, it will void your warranty), but my swim leg is well past its prime and I am in need of a new one anyway. I don't want to spend the next 10 days battling sand in the plastic foot, so I decided to make it easier on myself by removing the issue entirely.
Today will be spent alternating between the beach and the pool. Hopefully I'll be able to unwind and decompress. Unfortunately my stress levels are still high (a reality that is also stressing me out).
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Vacation Time
Our bags are packed and we're ready to go to Florida.
To say that my boys are excited is an understatement. Timmy is delighted by the promise of going on an airplane and playing on the beach. Robby is chomping at the bit to hop into the ocean and he is counting the hours until his Sea Turtle Internship begins. Scott and I are already tired from trying to wrangle and contain both of them.
Yesterday morning I woke up early to finish some projects before packing for the trip. In between conference calls and finalizing a report I pulled clothes and organized piles for everybody. I was quasi-impressed with my multitasking!
Despite my detailed lists, it took me forever to get everybody packed. Halfway through we realized that we were going to need to break down and pay to check another bag. We tried to fit everything into one checked bag and our backpacks, but we were just inviting both injury and frustrations. As much as I despise checked bag fees, paying now is a better option than struggling for the day.
This morning we will head to the airport and fly to Fort Lauderdale. I can't wait to see my boys playing in the sun and surf. Wish us luck as we maneuver through the airports today!
To say that my boys are excited is an understatement. Timmy is delighted by the promise of going on an airplane and playing on the beach. Robby is chomping at the bit to hop into the ocean and he is counting the hours until his Sea Turtle Internship begins. Scott and I are already tired from trying to wrangle and contain both of them.
Yesterday morning I woke up early to finish some projects before packing for the trip. In between conference calls and finalizing a report I pulled clothes and organized piles for everybody. I was quasi-impressed with my multitasking!
Despite my detailed lists, it took me forever to get everybody packed. Halfway through we realized that we were going to need to break down and pay to check another bag. We tried to fit everything into one checked bag and our backpacks, but we were just inviting both injury and frustrations. As much as I despise checked bag fees, paying now is a better option than struggling for the day.
This morning we will head to the airport and fly to Fort Lauderdale. I can't wait to see my boys playing in the sun and surf. Wish us luck as we maneuver through the airports today!
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Damp in VA
All free moments, which are few and far between, have been dedicated to basement restoration. We have determined that the water came from the bottom slab instead of through the patio door. The room used to be a garage and the previous owners threw down some carpet, nailed up some wood paneling and created a bedroom. When we get large amounts of rain, the water leaks through the slap and into the carpet.
We've had fans blowing constantly and the carpet is nearly dry, which is a good thing. Heavy rains are forecast for the next few days, which is a bad thing. I'm hoping that the slap doesn't become wet again, but at this point it is anybody's guess. If it does leak, there really isn't anything we can do about it because we will be out of town. Soon it will be the problem of our dedicated house sitter (aka my sister).
Today we are heading to Baltimore in preparation of our early morning flight to Florida. While I'm looking forward to our vacation, the stress from the basement flooding has definitely hampered my enthusiasm. I feel overwhelmed and frazzled, but hopefully I'll be able to put those feelings to the side as soon as I feel the Florida sunshine.
We've had fans blowing constantly and the carpet is nearly dry, which is a good thing. Heavy rains are forecast for the next few days, which is a bad thing. I'm hoping that the slap doesn't become wet again, but at this point it is anybody's guess. If it does leak, there really isn't anything we can do about it because we will be out of town. Soon it will be the problem of our dedicated house sitter (aka my sister).
Today we are heading to Baltimore in preparation of our early morning flight to Florida. While I'm looking forward to our vacation, the stress from the basement flooding has definitely hampered my enthusiasm. I feel overwhelmed and frazzled, but hopefully I'll be able to put those feelings to the side as soon as I feel the Florida sunshine.
Monday, July 23, 2018
The Great Flood II
Saturday the boys and I packed up and we headed back home. The weather did not cooperate with our driving plans, and the skies opened up almost as soon as we got onto the highway. Driving home through torrential downpours was miserable and made our trip considerably longer than normal.
I thought that the weather impact was limited to the drive home. The rain continued to fall throughout the evening, causing our creek to rise higher than we have ever seen. Our typical leaks sprung in our roof, and Scott and I spent the evening emptying buckets of water and laying down towels.
When I woke up on Sunday I was relieved that the rain had finally stopped falling. According to the news, we received nearly 7 inches in about 5 hours. Yikes! No wonder the creek was high and our walls were wet. Trying to focus on happier days, I went downstairs to retrieve our suitcases so that we could begin to pack for Sea Turtle Internship.
One step onto the carpet in our basement and I knew we had an issue. The carpets were waterlogged, and everything on the ground was soaked. We have been in this house for 13 years, but this is only the second time this has happened. From what we figure, the rain was falling at such a clip that the water wasn't able to flow away from the house fast enough. Instead it pooled in front of the sliding glass door, eventually leaking into the house.
I spent Sunday trying to extract as much water from the carpet as possible. After I was satisfied that I couldn't get anymore out, I turned on the fans and dehumidifier. I then set out to sort and trash everything that had been impacted by the flood. Now our trashcan is full, and we have some overflow bags in the garage.
The floor is still damp but it is improving. At some point we will need to address the cause of the flood and the holes in our roof. Sigh. Sometimes being an adult stinks!
I thought that the weather impact was limited to the drive home. The rain continued to fall throughout the evening, causing our creek to rise higher than we have ever seen. Our typical leaks sprung in our roof, and Scott and I spent the evening emptying buckets of water and laying down towels.
When I woke up on Sunday I was relieved that the rain had finally stopped falling. According to the news, we received nearly 7 inches in about 5 hours. Yikes! No wonder the creek was high and our walls were wet. Trying to focus on happier days, I went downstairs to retrieve our suitcases so that we could begin to pack for Sea Turtle Internship.
One step onto the carpet in our basement and I knew we had an issue. The carpets were waterlogged, and everything on the ground was soaked. We have been in this house for 13 years, but this is only the second time this has happened. From what we figure, the rain was falling at such a clip that the water wasn't able to flow away from the house fast enough. Instead it pooled in front of the sliding glass door, eventually leaking into the house.
I spent Sunday trying to extract as much water from the carpet as possible. After I was satisfied that I couldn't get anymore out, I turned on the fans and dehumidifier. I then set out to sort and trash everything that had been impacted by the flood. Now our trashcan is full, and we have some overflow bags in the garage.
The floor is still damp but it is improving. At some point we will need to address the cause of the flood and the holes in our roof. Sigh. Sometimes being an adult stinks!
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