Back in Black

Here we are back in Connecticut.

The drive wasn’t too awful. We switched off every few hours and it wasn’t unbearable until around midday Monday. At about 3 AM I felt like I could keep driving forever, but I did eventually get drowsy. We were VERY lucky and rode the front end of that nasty storm the whole way. We never saw hide nor hair of interesting weather and not even any evidence that it had snowed in the last month until we got to Ohio. Pretty fortunate since shortly after we went through I-70 in Kansas was so bad that they actually had to shut it down. Here it’s just been rainy.

I did manage to put my finger on what it is about Colorado that’s so unsatisfying to my eyes. Because in winter, most places are pretty brown, right? With patches of green where the pine trees are. But no. The eastern half of the US actually has more greenery, even in winter because there are simply far more varieties of everything. For one thing, the grass IS actually greener on this side. Even in the winter because it’s grass and it only goes dormant in certain conditions and if it’s even a little warm it will be happy. But even though we tend to think of the east as this riot of color when the deciduous trees change in the autumn, there are really TONS of evergreens. Rhododendrons, boxwood, ivy, a huge variety of fir trees… even the moss. You don’t think about moss, but it’s all over the place here. It’s just so much greener, even with all the other trees completely bare. I’ve missed it.

We’ve had a pretty relaxed visit so far. Dinner here on Monday, followed by blissful blissful sleep. Tuesday Alan and I picked Zach up at Walgreens and brought him to his job at the tattoo shop, where he did Alan’s tattoo. I took some good pictures, especially of Alan’s face, since he was miserable through the whole thing. It’s on his back, so hitting the shoulder blades and spine were particularly painful. Alan was twitching involuntarily at points, which annoyed Zach, but it’s not like he could help it. It was a pretty entertaining experience, actually. Wednesday we went to The Colony. It’s a pizza place that Alan’s whole family absolutely adores, but I’ve never considered it worth the effort to go because the place is crowded, dark, tight, the waitstaff is slow, and the pizza takes ages. However, they opened a location in Fairfield, which is not only closer, but larger, has more tables, and the staff actually seem to care that you’re enjoying your meal. They also clearly have a much larger oven because our pizzas all came at the same time. It preserves the feel of the original with the same booths and similar tables, but it’s on a larger scale, so you’re not tripping over people just to get to the bathroom. Also, there are no sad clown pictures on the walls, which is a major improvement.

Yesterday morning Alan was nice enough to take me to Trumbull so I could visit Bright Horizons. I had to explain that I used to work there to the new director, who was apparently not convinced that I wasn’t a complete psychopath until she had walked me to Erica’s room and I was greeted with great enthusiasm. So I got to see everyone who was still there (a few people have left, including Kim and Semire) and see my kids. They’re all in preschool now and so big and SO talkative. Karina seems to have gotten them all, since apparently they were reluctant to split up my girls. Of course, some of them could use splitting up, but that’s life. They remembered me in that vague way that kids have where they act shy, but show off and play and "flirt" with you that sets them apart from the rest of them who just kept playing. It was cute. I only stayed about an hour because they were getting ready for lunch and naptime, but it was great seeing everyone. My belly was rubbed a lot, but it’s okay when it’s people you know.

After that we went down to the Aquarium and had lunch with Lisa. Then Alan and I walked around and looked at the holiday lighthouses. My grandmother made one from toilet paper rolls (the cardboard bit). I have no idea why. Shar had one in as usual, but it lacked her usual perfectionist touch, though it was pretty. Hers are always nice because she does art with punched metal. My favorite was a sugar cookie rendition of the Sheffield Island Light. Very cool. Then Alan left me in the volunteer lounge and went to go see his grandfather. I started reading "The Hunger Games" and am now hopelessly hooked. I also chatted a bit with some of the volunteers and as it turned out, Alan’s grandfather bailed on him… an act that’s pissed off everyone. It’s utterly ridiculous, really, but I won’t get into it just now. There a LOT of drama there… far more than I can even begin to cover. Suffice it to say that he’s basically cutting himself off from his entire family and he’ll have no one to blame but himself and his stupid lies.

Today we’re going back down to Norwalk so Alan can see some of his friends. I’m going to take Lisa’s Kindle with me so I can keep reading if they find something to do that I have no interest in. It’s so cute and convenient… I really hope Alan got me one for Christmas. I think he did, because he said he spent some money, but I can’t be sure until Sunday.

My grandmother is being crazy. She wants to take the train to Vermont on Sunday and have my dad pick her up so that he’s not alone on Christmas (he’s only going to be alone because he’s got a day full of private request lessons with a bunch of Jewish families who don’t care that it’s Christmas, but who tip him VERY well for the fact that he’s missing the holiday). My mom thinks she doesn’t want to come to Waterbury because she and Lisa don’t always get along well, but if that’s the case, I don’t understand why she called Lisa three times a couple days ago trying to find out if Alan and I planned on Christening the baby so she could get the family heirloom Christening gown back from Hilary. Whatever.

Anyway, Alan is getting antsy, so it must be time to go. More later and pictures when the trip is over.

~Liz