Cherry Blossoms

 The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, adding a beautiful layer to the landscape. When I first moved to Virginia I was surprised to discover how many cherry blossom trees were used in the landscaping around houses, shopping centers and roads. Virginia in the Spring is certainly beautiful. 

The trees are beautiful when they are in full bloom. Unfortunately I am forced inside every time those pink little blossoms open their petals. It turns out I'm allergic to cherry blossoms. While everybody else is strolling through neighborhoods and snapping photos, I'm wiping my nose and trying to blink the sting from my eyes. 

Robby and Timmy have both developed allergies to cherry blossoms. Poor Hamlet's eyes were bloodshot yesterday. He was miserable with a runny nose and itchy face. Robby was sneezing nonstop every time he walked outside. I guess they will learn to appreciate cherry blossoms from a distance.

Today we are supposed to have rain showers. I know most people in this area are hoping that the showers stay away, or that the rain is light and gentle. I'm rooting for a torrential downpour to wash those little balls of poison off their branches.

Home Again

 Last night, our little family went to bed under the same roof. Timmy and Friend were staying with my Mom since Thursday. We had planned for them to stay with her until Saturday, when Scott was going to go and pick them up. Unfortunately, Scott's car ended up in the repair shop for an extended period of time and he was left without transportation. Timmy seemed to be having fun during his Nana time, so we opted to extend his vacation until yesterday evening.

I have no doubt that Timmy (and Friend) had a fun Nana getaway, but I was happy when I could finally hop into the car to bring them both home. The house was so quiet in his absence! Timmy was all smiles when he saw me in the parking lot and greeted me with the biggest hug ever. Friend, who I thought would be all wag, was more reserved. His tail didn't wag and he didn't smile (yes, my dog can smile) until we walked into the house.

Today we will try to get back to normal, although in all fairness I know that is a tough ask. It is hard to get back into the grind after a few days away. I think we all needed our little getaways!

Spy Weekend

This past weekend was exhilarating and memorable. It had been a long time since Robby and I were able to slip away for a mother/son adventure. When I heard about "Espionage weekend" in Washington DC, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to get away with him. Robby has been taking a spy class for three years and, after reading the flyer, I quickly realized that this opportunity was perfect for him.

Thursday evening my Mom met me to pick up Timmy and Friend. The plan was for her to keep them until Saturday morning, when Scott would pick them up and bring them back home. Unfortunately Scott's car ended up in the repair shop, leaving him without a car and stranded at home. Timmy's quick trip to his Nana's house morphed into a long weekend away. (My Mom was willing to drive Timmy home, but they were having fun and he wanted to stay longer.)

While Timmy was at his Nana's and Scott was stranded at home, Robby and I were spending a weekend away in DC, engrossed in all things spy related. Because of the early morning starts and late afternoons, I decided to turn it into a little vacation by reserving a hotel room. I absolutely hate driving in the city and was happy to avoid it as much as possible.

Thursday evening we settled into our hotel room, went out for dinner and prepared for the class. On Friday morning we woke up early and headed to our first session. The morning session was spent learning techniques and hearing incredible (but true) stories about modern day espionage. In the afternoon we had private access to the Spy Museum. (If you have never visited the Spy Museum, I highly recommend that you add it to your bucket list.)

On Saturday we were paired with current employees of "3 letter agencies" for a surveillance experience. We learned surveillance techniques, both on foot and in a car, before we hit the streets to give it a try. Throughout the day we rotated through all of the agents, ensuring that we all had experiences with various aspects of surveillance. 

We tracked our target through the streets of Georgetown, across the aisles of stores, around the beltway and through the streets of Virginia. Thankfully the agents drove. (Have I mentioned how much I hate driving in DC?) 

On Sunday we had a "debrief" where we analyzed our surveillance results, discussed possibilities and asked questions. My heart jumped when Robby started to ask about educational requirements for various careers. I know that he is coming to that age, but hearing him discuss future careers took me off guard. There is no doubt that my little Koopa is growing up quickly.

The experience was fascinating! Hearing the chatter on the radios (and being able to provide our own tidbits of intel) was an experience that both Robby and I will always remember. Robby, who is drawn to intelligence and espionage activities, was in his element. The agents were so generous with their knowledge (unclassified of course) and happily answered all of Robby's questions. I know that this experience will continue to shape him going forward.

Leprechaun Gold!

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Yesterday we were bustling with activity as we prepared traps to catch the sly little leprechaun. This year Timmy decided to double his efforts by constructing two traps. He was definitely determined in his mission!

Knowing that leprechauns have a sweet tooth, Timmy and I baked small rainbow battered bundt cakes. We iced them green, making sure to only apply a thin layer over the hole so that it was concealed. We then sprinkled gold coin sprinkles on the top of each cake directly over the bundt hole. After looking at our cakes we realized that they might be a tad too tall for the small little leprechaun. Worried that the leprechaun would only nibble on the side of the cake and miss the drop hole, we built pretzel ladders to entice him to our trap.

While the cakes were baking Timmy constructed a rainbow colored box trap. If the cake didn't catch him, we were hoping that the leprechaun would try to steal the lure (a disk made out of gold glitter glue) and he would be trapped. He colored the box with rainbow stripes because leprechauns love rainbows.

After setting everything up, we went to bed excited and hopeful that we would wake up to find one of those little guys trapped in our cake or box. Unfortunately we didn't catch him, but he was definitely here! The toilet water was turned green and the living room was a mess. The cake was destroyed and the box trap was overturned. 

Here is the best part: the leprechaun left gold! Timmy found gold coins scattered around the remnants of the cake. WOW! Talk about an exciting discovery. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day. I hope that your day is as happy as mine has been. 

Roofing

During a heavy downpour last week we discovered another leak in our ceiling. The small dripping was easily contained by a bowl, but it pushed us to finally act. We have put off getting a new roof as long as possible, but both Scott and I realized that we cannot push it off any longer. We need a new roof, and we need to get it done soon.

We started by calling roofers for estimates. Because I work from home, I am the point person for contact. I hate overseeing household repairs. I am not looking forward to having strangers coming in and out of our home. It feels like they are scrutinizing everything in an attempt to pad the invoice as much as possible. I realize that this is not the goal of every company and every repairman, but it certainly seems like I always fall into the negotiation waltz. 

I recognize that my ignorance makes it easier for unscrupulous repair companies to pad our invoice. I have been talked into more bells and whistles because of blind trust. Roofs are expensive and I cannot afford to make the same mistake. I'm going to spend the next few days researching roofing options so I can't be up sold when the bids start.

I have zero interest in roofing, but I guess I'm about to receive an education. If you have any insights or experience, please let me know. I certainly welcome all suggestions!

Cuddle Pup

 Scott had a workday yesterday which allowed him to stay home. Although he had to finish up some report cards and IEPs, he was free through the afternoon to hang out and play outside. I had meetings scheduled throughout the afternoon so it was nice to have an extra set of hands to help out. 

Today he is back to school and the boys and I are back to our normal schedule. Work has been so busy lately but I am hoping to be able to play outside for a few hours. Not only is the sunshine good for my soul, but I also discovered that Friend and Timmy are less destructive when thoroughly exercised. 

Friend and I have settled into a comfortable routine. He gets several long walks throughout the day to sniff around and to play. Between walks, he cuddles on me as I work. (I've learned to balance the computer on a pillow next to me so that he can curl onto my lap.) It is hard to feel stressed when holding a puppy!

Half my Life

 On Friday, as I was writing the date on the top of a report, I had a realization. It was the anniversary of the day my foot was initially injured. This struck me odd for two reasons. First of all, I didn't realize the date until I was writing it down. Secondly, I have now been "disabled" exactly half of my life.

In years past, March 11 approached like a dreaded freight train. I don't keep the date circled on my calendar, but I always knew its significance. The fact that this anniversary completely slipped my mind until it was upon me was an anomaly. I can't help but think that forgetting such a significant life date is a sign of growth and a full life.

While I was quasi-proud of myself for not focusing on the anniversary, the number of years that has passed took my breath away. After I did the math, I realized that I had been living with a defunct (eventually amputated) limb for exactly half of my life. Going forward, I will be considered "disabled" for the majority of my life. That realization feels odd.

My life isn't what I planned, but it has exceeded any expectations or hopes. I love my career. I love the friends that have come into my life because of my amputation. I am still helping people recover and move forward- only now I am helping them adjust to the loss of a limb instead of their vision.

It is not what I expected when I dreamed of my future, but I wouldn't change a thing. 

 

Except the phantom pain. I would definitely change that if I could.