Walk in the woods
I had a kind of fun experience today. I took myself for a walk in the woods. The unique part of the experience was that the me I took was six years old.
I say I took me because I see SO MUCH of me in Melinda.
I'm home for the week and as my wife will attest to, I've got about 15 minutes of relaxation around the house before I start futzing with stuff.
I started my vacation off with (unfortunately) a daily conference call. I skated out of that in time to walk Melinda to school. Yesterday it was ~60. Today, ~20. "Right smart 'o nip!" I told my wife. Both girls (of course) REALLY wanted to walk with me. Half way there (5 minutes) they had both changed their minds.
Anyway, I walked Melinda and then drove Gretchen to pre-school. Then we did some Christmas shopping. Nice to shop on a Monday morning.
After lunch I said, "Who wants to go for a walk in the woods?" Gretchen and Tracey begged off, but Melinda was up for it. I suited her up for snow (we have none, but it is cold) and off we went.
Chicago's got dozens of "Forest preserves." Just set aside land with roads in them for picnicking and walking, etc. I haven't taken too much advantage of them, but today was a great day for it. Cold, but no one around.
Melinda and I roughly followed a path around a lake. Every fallen tree, she wanted to walk along. Every branch on the ground, she wanted to step on and break. The mirror, however, became VERY clear when we had to cross a stream, via a fallen tree. Once she realized what I was proposing, her eyes lit up. She thought that was the coolest thing.
On the way back (across another tree) she wanted to walk across a big stretch. Given my proclivity to responding to gravity in such situations (and the likely reaction my first born will similarly have), I voted for an easier fording. At our next opportunity, I showed her why we didn't want such a large open crossing by putting my foot in the water (brrrr).
On the other side of the river, Melinda found some pseudo-frozen land. She took a stick and smashed all the ice. JUST like I would have (just like I wanted to). Damn the consequences, she crept ever closer, dirtying her shoes risking a swim. She wanted to break all the ice.
I marveled, smiled and of course cautioned her, "Don't step in. Don't get your feet wet. You're going to be unhappy if you fall in." She didn't but she spent 10 minutes pulverizing frozen mud."
Nice afternoon, followed by a power nap.
Good to be on vacation.
I say I took me because I see SO MUCH of me in Melinda.
I'm home for the week and as my wife will attest to, I've got about 15 minutes of relaxation around the house before I start futzing with stuff.
I started my vacation off with (unfortunately) a daily conference call. I skated out of that in time to walk Melinda to school. Yesterday it was ~60. Today, ~20. "Right smart 'o nip!" I told my wife. Both girls (of course) REALLY wanted to walk with me. Half way there (5 minutes) they had both changed their minds.
Anyway, I walked Melinda and then drove Gretchen to pre-school. Then we did some Christmas shopping. Nice to shop on a Monday morning.
After lunch I said, "Who wants to go for a walk in the woods?" Gretchen and Tracey begged off, but Melinda was up for it. I suited her up for snow (we have none, but it is cold) and off we went.
Chicago's got dozens of "Forest preserves." Just set aside land with roads in them for picnicking and walking, etc. I haven't taken too much advantage of them, but today was a great day for it. Cold, but no one around.
Melinda and I roughly followed a path around a lake. Every fallen tree, she wanted to walk along. Every branch on the ground, she wanted to step on and break. The mirror, however, became VERY clear when we had to cross a stream, via a fallen tree. Once she realized what I was proposing, her eyes lit up. She thought that was the coolest thing.
On the way back (across another tree) she wanted to walk across a big stretch. Given my proclivity to responding to gravity in such situations (and the likely reaction my first born will similarly have), I voted for an easier fording. At our next opportunity, I showed her why we didn't want such a large open crossing by putting my foot in the water (brrrr).
On the other side of the river, Melinda found some pseudo-frozen land. She took a stick and smashed all the ice. JUST like I would have (just like I wanted to). Damn the consequences, she crept ever closer, dirtying her shoes risking a swim. She wanted to break all the ice.
I marveled, smiled and of course cautioned her, "Don't step in. Don't get your feet wet. You're going to be unhappy if you fall in." She didn't but she spent 10 minutes pulverizing frozen mud."
Nice afternoon, followed by a power nap.
Good to be on vacation.
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