We're back. . .

Hi there, everyone - yesterday, we arrived back after a weekend in Chicago with Nancy, Dan, Vincent and the little-one soon to arrive. Yes. Nancy is definitely 9+ months pregnant. We're looking forward to meeting the little one in a couple of weeks.

We drove this time, spending two days on the road, because we wanted Vincent to meet Gracie. Vincent is four and a half - old enough to be gentle with Gracie, and he was. . .for the most part. He's becoming a good little boy. The building picture is Vincent's school, and we're sitting on the bench outside, on Friday when Nancy and we picked him up. We were concerned about their Siberian husky, Ivan, and how he'd feel about another dog being in their home. Well - he was fine. So was Gracie - she gave him the "respect" he needed. She wagged her tail, washed his face, ears, neck. He wagged his tail and never growled once. His eyes are not devilishly red, as shown in the picture! They're a lovely brown. Gracie loved his food, but all he had to do was to stand up, go over to it, and look at her and she'd respectfully move away. We think, however, that most of the food she had over the weekend, was his.

Saturday morning, we used umbrellas to walk in a sprinkling rain to the community center around the corner from their home. This was to be Vincent's first soccer practice but it ended up just being informational about scheduling, rules. All the families and their children met in the gym. We didn't want to leave Gracie at home so she sat on Paul's lap on the bleachers and didn't move. It was (without exaggeration) - bedlam. Two hundred 3-4 year old children running around after soccer balls. Crying, yelling. Add onto this, toddler brothers and sisters, older kids. Outside, it wouldn't have been as loud as in the echoey gym. Finally, when everybody was signed in, they put the soccer players on one side of the gym and a phys ed person did Simon Says "kinda things" with them. The parents were on the other side and got information about the program. That was it. We were there for about an hour. Dan told us that the games were scheduled as 10 minute halfs (sp?) five minute half-time. If things weren't "going well" , they didn't play after the half-time.

It cleared up in the afternoon, after Vincent's nap, Nancy and I took him for his second group piano lesson. He loved that! Having been a piano teacher, I was very interested in what they'd do with five little kids. Well. . .Look at the inside of the piano. Color and cut out page of piano. 10 minute "private" lesson. Lots of interchangeable activities. Nancy and I weren't allowed in, so we went to Starbucks for some coffee. He has his own little piano book. Everything, I'd teach beginning second graders, was taught. . . but these lessons were more drawn out. Finger numbers. Black notes. Other group activities. Two teachers - one for private lesson, the other did the group things.

Sunday we went to a gorgeous city park which included a children's park, Dog park, and a beach volleyball court. Did you notice the picture of Gracie beneath my legs? That was her first time at a Dog Park. There were only two other small dogs there, so we took her inside. She was a little overwhelmed. The whole area was beautifully shaded with huge old trees, and within a short walking distance of each other. It was an outstandingly sunny day - one of those days in September when the weather is perfect. The picture of Vincent is in the beach volleyball court which the little ones use as a sandbox when it's not being used for its original intent. It was situated right next to the swings and things.

Had a chat with Jil this morning. He's home alone til tomorrow, because Epril and her family went to another island for a funeral. Travel is pretty difficult when going from one Filipino island to another. It takes hours to travel. Jil and I had a nice long chat. Thank goodness for telephones, e-mails, blogs.

I'm feeling fine now. Everything seems to be much better. It just takes time to recuperate.

Okay - that's all the news for now.

So. . .how're things goin' in your neck o' the woods?