Construction Progress Report

Things are really starting to come together.  Since my last update, they have painted, finished the exterior stucco, and brought in the new cabinet island.

Not Quite The Baby Whisperer

I got to go out to Washington DC and meet the newest addition to the de-I clan and catch up with the entire Pulandia clan.  I lucked out with the weather (they got another snow dump just 24 hours after I left).

How one relates to a new generation

2.2 is not much for talking with Grandpa

BUT she will text...a lot

Here she is with me while we text to each other

And of course there is the quality time that comes from 2.2 and 2.3 simultaneously plopping themselves down and showing you their video games (Mine Craft in this case).  2.3 is particularly insistent that you pay close attention while he shows you all the things he's doing at breakneck speed.

Proper procedure for making use of a grandparent

 Ah the joy of being a Mother with your lovely 6 week old son

"Well hello there Daddy-o"

"See how sweet and quiet he is.  I'm sure he'd be just an angel for you and I could sure use to take a shower, brush my teeth, answer emails, go out and visit friends...."

Baby now transferred and waking up

"Hey wait a minute.  This isn't Mom"

"WAHHHHHHHH"

Ambush in Chicago - Another de-I/Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel Thriller

In the foothills of Mount Olympus is the not so renowned Mount Olympless, where all those not quite ready for prime time sub-deities like Morfag - God of Southern California Traffic, and Quexcatotyl - God of Heat in Ethnic Food Dishes live, carrying out their duties and hoping that some major god like Apollo, or Hera, or Thor or Vishnu or somebody will screw up and they can move up the deity ladder of promotion

And her simmering in her own stew of self-made spite sits Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel (MUPGT the Great in her own mind) watches her display screen of travel.  Plotting revenge.  Revenge and the traveler who has consistently been thumbing his nose at her.  The cursed de-I!

This past week I was in Denver for business on Wednesday and Thursday.  Then on Thursday I flew to Washington from Denver to spend a couple of days in Pulandia with Venerable Daughter #2 and the newest heir, 2.4 not to mention spend time with the rest of the clan.  All has gone well.  I even got upgraded on my Denver to DC flight to a business class, lay flat seat, with a meal...sweet.  I had a lovely time just hanging around, doing my turns with little 2.4 (more on that in another post) and just catching up.  So Sunday morning I headed home on a flight that had a change of planes in Chicago.

MUPGT, The Great Only in Her Head, watches as de-I heads to Reagan National to catch his plane.  Hmmmm she thinks, I have heretofore been going at this dratted mortal head on - mano a equine deitieo - with notable lack of success.  It is time to use a more subtle approach...lull him into a sense of false security...and then SPRING THE TRAP!  Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha.

The flight to Chicago is no problem.  I once again am bringing warmth and good weather.  It was below freezing in DC when I arrived but went to the upper 40's the day after.  There is a huge storm coming in on Monday.  But it is going south of Chicago so will not affect the flights there.  No problems.

Oh yes, de-I.  That's right.  There's nothing to worry about.  Bwahahahahahahahaha

We actually land at O'Hara early.  Sweet.  I have a pretty tight connection so I can use the extra time to refill my water bottle and get a snack for the 3 hour flight to Albuquerque.  I'm reading my book as we taxi in when the Captain announces, "We're early but the gate isn't open yet so we will sit here for 8 minutes or so."

Mmpff, chuckle, mmpff

8 minutes becomes 10 minutes becomes 15 minutes.  My window of time is getting less and less.  20 minutes.  30 minutes.  The Captain.  "I don't know why we haven't been given a gate yet?"  I am having a horrible feeling.  This feels like the work of....MAGICAL UNICORN PONY GOD OF TRAVEL!

Yes, YES, YES! Bwahahahahahahahahaha.  You will be stuck in Chicago just like I got your lovely Wife just weeks ago puny mortal!

We finally get into the gate and I have less than 15 minutes to get to my plane before the doors close.

Oh and did I tell you de-I that I thought I would give you this little bit of hope but will squash by having you arrive in gate C24 and have to get to gate F11C as far as is possible to go in the United terminal?   Bwahahahahahahahahaha

I get out of the plane.  I already knew the gate distance by checking on my phone before we got to the gate.  I knew the challenge.  I dash down the terminal.  I avoid the escalator down to the walk tunnel between C and B terminals and run down the steps.  The moving sidewalks are clear and I can move quickly.  The escalator up is clear so I can bound up it.  MUPGT has forgotten to factor in one thing.  I am in shape!  I am moving.  I get to the F terminal.  It can be packed but isn't and I can keep my pace to its far end.  I am still minutes later than the close doors time.  I bound down the escalator to the gate.  It's still open. 

NOOOOOOO.  He can't have made it!  How could he!

Not only do I make it but I am given the last First Class Upgrade.  As we take off - on time - I toast the Magical Unicorn Pony God of Travel with my Gin and Tonic while taking a bite of my imported from Jordan, no preservative hummus (really).  Better luck next time old chap.


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

Another 'Bring Warmth' Gig and More Construction

I'm actually in Falls Church Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. paying visit to Pulandia and the #2 clan and getting to meet newest edition 2.4.  They also asked me to bring some warm weather with me.  Evidently it got lost in the airline luggage and won't arrive until tomorrow.  I was in Denver for business before I came out here and lucked up on my flight.  They changed planes to a larger one with the international 3 class configuration so I got upgraded to business class with the lie flat seats!  Sweet.

Little 2.4 was a bit of a crank yesterday so both #2 and 2B looked a bit bleary.  And they had finally received their goods from Manila (its been a month and half without most of their cloths and stuff).  2.2 and 2.3 were both deeply involved with playing their computer games they'd been without since December so I basically got a glance, a "hello grandpa" and back to the games they went.

During the week the construction project continues to pick up pace.  We are really getting into the closing stages.

Drywall Applied

Taping and Plastering

 

 First Layer of Stucco

Showing the 'Open to Outside' feature of the room

The Construction Beat Moves On

The level of activity was very high this week.

The microwave and cabinet over the cook top and stove were removed

Insulation was put in

They put the first stucco layer on the raised front wall

(Kind of wish I had put turrets on the two posts to complete the fortress look)

(Actually they put one more row of blocks on than I thought they were)

(But a drawbridge might complete the look)

The lath is all on the outside in preparation for the stuccoing of the main structure

The wall to our neighbors has been finished - nice and square and true

Out have come the kitchen window

And the old sliding glass door from the kitchen outside

Low Country Eating

I told partner LCJ about this Chicago restaurant I read about in Saveur magazine, Carriage House, that serves South Carolina low country cuisine.  I've eaten in so many parts of the county but the South Carolina coastal low country is not one of them though I've read about tons. 

LCJ's wife LL and baby M weren't in town because she is at a conference so it was just the two of us.  I was a little concerned that it would be too pricey but we had a really great meal and thought it was a reasonable value for the quality.  The format we were told was designed to be shared with mostly small plates with a few larger, main course sized offerings.  Our waiter suggested that we order two small plates, one main course, and one side to share between the two of us.  I've often found that these suggestions lead to too much food but his was not the case here.  It was just the right amount for the two of us.

Our Small Plates

On the right - sauteed mushrooms on soft eggs & grits with truffle vinaigrette

On the  left - shrimp and grits

Foreground left - cornbread

We loved each of these

Our Main

On the right - a boneless beef short rib on blue cheese grits, creamed Brussels sprouts and red onion jam (yes that's right three of our dishes had grits in them...we actually weren't reading the details particularly closely)

On the left - a gratin of sweet potatoes.  This was the only thing that we just thought was good.

Joe and I give Carriage House two thumbs up

Mr. New Mexico Chases Away Chiberia

I've had my my quarterly business trip to Chicago planned for some time.  It has been freezing ass cold in the Midwest all this winter as I'm sure all you folks who live there no.  I told my partner Joe that I expected reasonable weather when I arrived and I didn't want any excuses.

Even as of last week when daughter #3 was in Chicago for business from Amsterdam it was freezing.  There was even 4 to 6 inches of snow this morning in Chicago.

But when I stepped of the plane at 4 PM it was 48 degrees!  All the snow from the morning had melted.  Even when we returned from dinner at near 9 PM it was near 40.  Tomorrow is to be warm and sunny.  On Thursday, when I fly out, it is still warm with rain.  Then it is supposed to get cold again.

If you would like some respite from this winter, I will come and visit your town...for a fee.