Catching Up

I had a short business trip to San Diego last week. This is the bay view from my hotel room in Coronado. Despite the guilt of being away, I enjoyed the adult conversation and the chance to recharge, even if I did come home with a sinus infection that knocked me out at the end of last week. I foolishly took the redeye home. When I arrived at the airport check-in line, I began to think that my decision was incredibly stupid. Also in line were scores of Marines, some of whom were pitying the civilians who would be on the "party plane" with them. Fortunately, the Marines were all talk and no action, and they slept just like everyone else. The flight was particularly smooth, perhaps because the testosterone level took us higher than this plane usually flies. I managed to sleep for several hours but was still a zombie when I got home.

I only travel for business 2-3 times a year, and this trip brought some changes: Doodle and I communicated by e-mail (as well as phone) daily, which was a lot of fun even if she did keep asking if I had taken a walk on the beach to collect shells for her. I scored on the final morning when I found about a dozen sand dollars on a 6 a.m. walk. Both girls have been clingy since I got home, and they want to sleep with me every night, all night. My mom reported that Doodle was convinced that something was going to happen to me and that I wouldn't be coming home. My worrier. I would have done more to reassure her if I had known about her concerns in advance. Tootle gave me daily reports by phone on her day at preschool and her nighttime dreams, as usual. On the last day, Tootle told me that she had had a nightmare. She dreamed that I was the last one to get to use the bathroom in the morning. The horror! Speaking of bathrooms, I wished I could have transported my hotel bathroom to my house. I spent several evenings relaxing in the deep tub, and the separate shower was also heavenly. The cramped, dated bathroom in our house is immortalized in a poem by the former poet laureate on Maryland (he lived in our house for 20 years before I bought it), but I would trade it in for the one in this hotel without a second thought.

I've had the chance to spend time with both girls at school recently. I love this action shot of Tootle on the preschool playground, as she chased her friends. I made my final tuition payment to the preschool on March 1. It will be a relief to have no daycare expenses next year. Tootle is so excited about kindergarten; I hope it lives up to her expectations.

I went with Doodle's class on a field trip to a science museum. I was the assigned chaperon for Doodle and four of her friends (all girls). We had a blast (I don't think I embarrassed Doodle too much) and even came up with a name for our group, The Peeps. My Peeps would take roll call by calling out for Peep 1, Peep 2, etc. I was Peep Leader. On the bus, I eavesdropped on the girls' conversations about pets, families, and BOYS, but as amusing as that was, the bus ride home in traffic seemed like it would never end. The 40-minute trip took about 2 hours. I think it will be awhile before I sign up for a field trip again. I am signed up to help chaperon a Brownies camping trip in a few weeks, but I'm sure that will only be a positive experience, especially since we'll be camping on my birthday.