notes from our edge of the universe

We are back behind the humble walls of this here Last Homely House and I couldn't be happier. Though this stint at home won't last long. Alice and I are flying down to Utah on Tuesday morning to visit my parents. We'll be there for twelve days; meanwhile Chip will come down to join us over the weekend and then head back out to work. This particular flying jaunt seems like the sweetest piece of cake after that solo flight to and from North Carolina. Especially when I have the most awesome backpack to ever awesome. I take my victories where they come, and something that made the North Carolina flights particularly irksome was the stupid backpack I had with me.

This was the same backpack that we bought before Alice was born, when our dear Chip insisted that he wouldn't be caught dead carrying a girly diaper bag. I tried to explain that likelihood of him (1.) ever going out with a small baby without me, (2.) ever taking the time to unpack the girly bag to put the contents into something ruggedly masculine (lots of straps!), and (3.) even knowing what goes into a diaper bag in the first place - but it was all pointless. I could see the glazed-over look in his eye, the fever of purchasing a MAN BAG. So I relented, especially when we found the MAN BAG at Target, on sale, in the form of an Eddie Bauer diaper bag backpack thing. There were, as hoped, lots of straps. And pockets. And zippers.

And this is where I'll have you guess how many times we used the MAN BAG, from the time the wee baby girl was, um, wee - until now. In nearly fifteen months, we have used the MAN BAG twice. Once when Alice was six weeks old and we spent the afternoon at the park. The bag was worn almost entirely by me. It wasn't very useful. And it wasn't used again. Until the grand SECOND time, on the trip to North Carolina. MAN BAG? Fail.
So when we booked this trip to see the grandparents, I announced that a new backpack was needed. The one we found actually exceeds my expectations. It's fantastic, really. It makes me feel giddy. There are pockets for everything. Even a special pocket for my laptop. GIDDY! (This backpack brought to you by the kindness of one Chip - he's a keeper.)

Other things making me feel giddy? The following in my latest Chip Dips:



Spokane riverside park.
Chip: What are those things? Beavers? Woodchucks?
Spokane native, passing by: Woodchucks.
Whimsy: Can you get closer to get some pictures? Look at how *cute* they are!
Chip: Okay, but if one of them comes after me, I'm going to have to run.



At the small park along Grand Coulee Dam.
Chip: Excuse me, can you please tell me what those creatures, those marmot-things, are?
Park Ranger: Marmots.
Chip: Oh. Thanks.



Sitting down to breakfast at the small bed & breakfast inn we stayed at in Winthrop, Washington.
Chip: If you don't mind me asking, how many other people stayed here last night?
Cranky Inn Employee: Why do you want to know? There were four.
Chip: Just making sure - I was thinking of having another piece of this delicious quiche, but I wanted to make sure that everyone had a chance to eat some.
Cranky Inn Employee: Oh yes, thank you.


Later, in the car.
Chip: Did you even see anyone else come down to breakfast? I didn't.
Whimsy: No, I didn't. I think we were the only ones.
Chip: That cranky lady probably just wanted to eat the crap herself......... But it was good crap.

Even later, in the car.
Whimsy: I have a confession. I went back down and took a muffin. Just to take one. I'm a rebel.



We are watching TV.
Whimsy: Astronaut Farmer, really?
Chip: Well, it's this or dead baby sea lions getting thrashed upon rocks.
Whimsy: Good choice then.

After we've turned back to the show with the dead baby sea lions.
Chip: Dude. Sea lions, dolphins, seagulls, those underwater swimming birds...... the life of a herring is just...not good.



I love this man. I tease him. I give him a hard time. But I love him like the day is long.