As I waited at Denver's Gate 26 for my flight to Oakland I noted it Denver airport was foggy and the jet bridge had the remains of previous snowfalls on it roof, but certainly nothing to the extent that would hamper my travels. I could not remember what a walkway from the terminal to the plane was called and looked it up. Apparently it can have many titles. Per Wikipedias interesting entry for a jet bridge, it came also be called
jetway, airgate, gangway, aerobridge/airbridge, air jetty, portal, skybridge, finger, airtube (tube), or its official industry name passenger boarding bridge (PBB).
My flight was about fifteen minutes late in arriving, not at all bad for airport times.
While waiting I compared the weather between my origin and destination cities of Oakland and Oklahoma City and found them to be quite similar in the 40°F's. But the location around Denver was 25°F colder! On my second flight the cabin temperature was cold, so much so that the passengers were wearing their full winter coats and knit beanie hats!
Jeremy, Autumn, and Isaiah picked me up at the terminal since Robin was still at work that Friday afternoon. After I was onboard, we had to do an extra loop around the terminal since on the approach to fetch me, a plastic rain guard had flown off a rear window of the Subaru; we needed a keen set of eyes to spot it and retrieve it from in or alongside the roadway. Jeremy temporarily parked the vehicle in a off-the-way location and walked a fair portion of the muddy, under-construction loop leading to the terminal roadside pickup, but not see it. On our final circuit, before heading for home, Jeremy spotted it. Alas, it was broken. Whether a car road over it, whether it broke when it hit the pavement, or whether it was damaged in the first place and that is why it fell off, we will never know. We had already had a mini-adventure and my visit had only just begun.
This story is cute enough I need to repeat it from my book review post about Nanaville. It is also more appropriately told here. Isaiah was very excited to see me, greeted me with hugs and kisses and a loud "Grandma!" at the airport pickup; we exchanged more hugs and kisses once in his home. But then he asked, "Where's Grandpa?". I explained that Grandpa had stayed home and was taking care of the house and the dog. "Is he coming?" he asked. I said no, not on this trip. Isaiah was quiet for a moment. Then he said "Aww... and he's my favorite!" That's Ok. I do not mind. Being chopped liver still has its perks. Besides, Isaiah made my husband very happy.
Saturday, November 30th Robin got up early to take Jeremy to the airport for his flight out. The kids and I stayed in our pajamas. Robin and I had a plan. We would take the kids to the Science Museum for a couple of hours to tire them out and give them undivided attention so that we might come home, plunk them without guilt in front of the TV and have time to visit with each other. Huh. That did not work out. As we pulled into the driveway, five hours later, we looked at each other, exhausted to the point that getting out of the car would required calling on our reserves of energy. Autumn and Isaiah were laughing and chasing each other around the car. Our plan had backfired. This next photo illustrates their unflagging energy level. I swear that the draft from their high-speed, exuberant laps around the lobby made those white and black balls suspended from the ceiling sway in response.
Saturday, November 30th Robin got up early to take Jeremy to the airport for his flight out. The kids and I stayed in our pajamas. Robin and I had a plan. We would take the kids to the Science Museum for a couple of hours to tire them out and give them undivided attention so that we might come home, plunk them without guilt in front of the TV and have time to visit with each other. Huh. That did not work out. As we pulled into the driveway, five hours later, we looked at each other, exhausted to the point that getting out of the car would required calling on our reserves of energy. Autumn and Isaiah were laughing and chasing each other around the car. Our plan had backfired. This next photo illustrates their unflagging energy level. I swear that the draft from their high-speed, exuberant laps around the lobby made those white and black balls suspended from the ceiling sway in response.
This sign confused me. I could understand "Thinkertown", Brainsylvania", and Learninville" but what did "Derpton" signify"? Frank and Robin did not know either so I had to google it. The Science Museum is all about learning, is it not? I found a YouTube describing Derp SSundee as a mischievous male character who makes money by illicit means – as a womanizing kleptomaniac – in the online fictional neighborhood-creating video game The SIMS 4. The first two minutes of the video explains the character. Online gaming is entirely out of my realm of knowledge and so I did not invest any more that 60 seconds of my time on the 20-minute explanatory YouTube video.
Ian Markus Stapleton (born: December 2, 1987 [age 32]), better known online as SSundee, is an American YouTube gamer
Ian Markus Stapleton's birth year falls between that of my daughter and my son. Video gaming is most likely a generational thing. Hmmm. If I squint my eyes just right, the YouTube icon looks quite similar to my son and my son-in-law with their beards and sunglasses.
In my biased, unsubstantiated view, I suspect that the Derp character may symbolize a street smart type of success (or foolishness) and may be of low moral character. But, hey, whatever entertains. I included the reference because, well, "Inquiring minds want to know", and perhaps it is a draw for a subset of Science Museum patrons of a younger set than I.
Live and let live. After all, I spent a good portion of my socializing time in my late twenties playing Dungeons & Dragons . In D&D, characters are assigned certain attributes just as Derp appears to be assigned in his "~warped" lifestyle.
On this trip to the museum we happened to unintentionally time it such that guided tours were being offered of a historic Pullman railway car that transported wealthy patron from routes such as Boston to Chicago. When ordinary fares were on the order of $12, these tickets cost $2000. The car was manned by one cook and one valet who served the rich passengers. We saw sleeping rooms, ensuite facilities, dining areas, and kitchen food preparation and storage areas. Isaiah was on the tour, too, but he managed to escape all the photos.
Outside, near a treehouse climbing area, I sat on a narrow bench to rest while watching the kids. It was not a bench. It was a teeter-totter and I fell unceremoniously on my a**.
My grandkids were not overly concerned about my well-being. Not far away the museum mascot was parading around and they rushed over to get their share of attention.
We spent some time in an architectural building area and then on to a lab to make slime. Autumn stirred hers very well and it did congeal into slime. Isaiah was not so dexterous and his shocking pink liquid oozed out of its container, creating a mess that had to be tossed before we got home.
We took a photos at the displays in the space area. Autumn took the one of Robin and me and did a very good job of it.
That evening Robin helped Isaiah build and play with his gift from the museum gift shop. He insisted his robot have a long neck like E.T. from the 1982 Steven Spielberg film. That meant the robot kept falling over and his head kept falling off. The robot's head – not Isaiah's.
I had given Autumn a doll that I'd brought from California. Oddly enough, I'd bought it online from a store in Oklahoma. (It had been fabricated in France and called Ella Aqua French Doll by Applesauce.) Autumn kept herself very busy creating accessories for that doll and storing those accessories in the sliding box that housed the doll.
Sunday December 1st we went to Jeremy and Robin's church New Life United Methodist Church in the adjacent town of Moore about 3 miles away. The service was fascinating. An annual service called the Hanging of the Greens it focused on an explanation of the significance of various Christmas symbols: the Evergreens, the Christmas Tree, the Christmas Poinsettia, the Advent Colors, the Advent Wreath, the Nativity, Gifts.
The children came forward from out of the pews in the congregation to decorate the tree in these two-dimensional white ornaments of all religious symbols. They were eager and cooperative and I was amazed how a plain green tree was brought to life so swiftly.
The banners along the front wall of the church were richly colored and strikingly attractive.
After church we had brought home a lunch from Taco Bell. Jeremy's mom joined and we played a game of Labyrinth. At the store of the Science Museum the previous day, I had bought this sliding maze game where players search to collect treasures. I remembered having played it wit Robin and her brother Dan when they were still living at home. It only accommodates four players but I teamed up with Isaiah and Jeremy's mom Anna teamed up with Autumn. It was fiercely competitive between the grandmas, but Robin won, thus saving the day from any hurt egos.
Later in the afternoon I revealed some of the other gifts from my suitcase. Autumn liked her owl and stripes pillowcase pair. Based on the colors, she declared she was going to save them for Easter. For now she would wear them as owl wings. Isaiah had a pair of Christmas pillowcases with sock monkeys. He was acting silly and wanted to hide putting his head in rather than arms as his sister had done.
Noticing the necklace I had worn to church Isaiah asked what it was. I jokingly told him, "Grandma has rocks in her head and the ones that fall out I wear around my neck so I do not lose them". He wanted to wear rocks around his neck, too, so I obliged. It is fun to be silly.
For Monday - Wednesday, Dec 2nd - Dec 4th Robin needed to work the first three days of the week. The kids were in school and daycare all five days so time and activities with them were limited to the evenings, except for the small snippets in the morning. Then I helped as best I could to get them out the door: breakfast serving, lunch packing, hair combing, homework finding.
Tuesday evening December 3rd Isaiah had his lesson at Golden Tiger Martial Arts. He turned 4 in July and as such is one of the youngest in the class. At this level the kids are being taught to listen, pay attention, and be aware of their body. All attempts are made to keep them from running wild. Somehow I think the guttural grunts and projected shouts the students are instructed to make as they count and move are more conducive to animalistic behavior. Truly it is ironic that on the wall is emblazoned "House Of Discipline". Stickers are doled out for good behavior. And they are quite strict in determining if a sticker is warranted. Isaiah deserved and got a sticker once out of the two times I was there. He takes three classes a week. But the dojo is kid-friendly. There are games and Christmas interactive decorations in the lobby waiting area.
After Autumn's homework on Tuesday, December 3rd I started a Scrabble game with her. I kept it to words I knew she could read, helped her think of short words to play for herself. Her math was great at adding up the scores. For the sake of simplicity, I though it best to ignore double and triple letter and word scores. Maybe next time. I tried to play words short enough for her to read but long enough to stretch out across the board and give her more opportunities and locations for play. It was harder to do this than I thought.
Wednesday night, December 4th we finished the Scrabble game. Having been left out on the breakfast table overnight, it did get some jolting around and rearranged a wee bit. For example, that word "AZE" near the middle bottom is missing the lead "R" for "RAZE". After adding up the final score Autumn was quite pleased and proud that she had won. It had been a close game throughout. The two final scores differed by one point: Autumn 162, Grandma 161. Autumn insisted on printing "WIN!" above her name on the scoring sheet.
We also did a lot of reading. We kept track of some on Autumn's December reading log. I also read a ton to Isaiah but he does not have a list on which to keep track. Don't worry. I will not be writing reviews of those books in my blog – although that Shark Frenzy one was certainly long enough... groan. My mouth is still dry. I am far enough behind writing up reviews of books I read on my own. Last I checked I have noted five draft posts about my own books, some addressing more than one title. Clearly I am going to combine some of these and be briefer to fit it all in 2019.
Robin was able to take time off from work on Thursday December 5th and Friday December 6th. We enjoyed each other's company at home and did sewing talk while she worked on a cloth advent wall calendar similar to one I had made for Dan and Carrie but smaller in size. (See December 3, 2019 post in my DianeLoves2Quilt blog.) In the daytime on Friday we took a break and went to Robin's favorite fabric store, Savage Quilter, and browsed. Per its web site The Savage Quilter is a full service quilt shop with over 9,000 bolts and the largest selection of fine quality quilting fabrics in Oklahoma. Of course I bought stuff – some specialty pencils, tea towels, a Cadillac of seam rippers – but I will disclose those details in my other blog. I did fall in love with this fabric and although Robin offered me the option of thinking about it – after all Savage Quilter is only about 15 miles north of Robin and she could pick some up for me, or I could use their new an online service – I caved and bought some on the spot.
Friday night, December 6th Autumn and I made a winter-themed pillowcase for her bed for Christmas. I completed the other partner to the pair later that night before I packed for my departure the next day. Sewing with her always brings me joy – accompanied by a large expenditure of patience having to proceed at the sewing knowledge level of a seven year old. She gets better and better each time, though. Her enthusiasm and aptitude impress me immensely.
The week had gone by so quickly. On those hours when Robin and the kids had been at work or school and I was left to my own devices, I read books, did some blogging, or scooted out to the grocery store and prepped a few meals. I also napped. Frank had urged me to enjoy the week and try to rest up. The previous weeks had been hectic with Alex's illnesses (post for 11/5/2019), our Nashville trip posts starting with 11/15/19, and our Veteran's day visit of Dan's family (post for 12/16/19). Once everybody had left in the morning, I sheepishly confess I would go back to bed. Hey, I was on California time still! The visit flew by and I loved seeing everybody in their home environment and getting to know my grandkids even better.
December 7th my flight from Oklahoma City was scheduled out early afternoon and I was routed through Phoenix. Robin got me to the airport about noon and then had to go back at 4:00 pm to pick up a returning Jeremy. A bummer about this trip was that I had so little overlap time with Jeremy; but then I did schedule it to be of help and company to Robin while he was off class.
Each flight took place in rainy weather and passengers were cautioned it would be turbulent. Drink service on both flights was suspended for the safety of the flight attendants who were to remain in their seats. I was reminded of the Y2K hoax – much ado about nothin'. The flights were fine and smooth. I am in no way complaining. I would gladly give up that cup of ice water or hot tea to have a calm gentle flight.
Our friends Larry and Renée drove Frank to the airport to pick me up. We were going to a Christmas music concert directly afterward. They let Frank off to greet me and help with my luggage. I smiled when I saw him and his sign. It was good to be in OKC but also good to be home. And yes, we made it in time for the 8:00 pm concert, although I might have dozed off a teeny tiny-bit during one of the songs. Instructions were to let me sleep and only wake me if I snored. Shh.
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