This morning found Gavin, Tyler, and I in a long line at the post office. I did my own Christmas mailing weeks ago, but I had special cards for our ward's missionaries to whisk off to other corners of the world. So, without a shower, hoping to beat the crowd, I left home with the kids at 8:10.
We arrived five minutes later and had to wait for a parking spot and then in line behind 20 people. It was amusing to me that although the USPS announced on the news last night that today would be the busiest shipping day of the year, only one clerk was working this morning. This was the first of many interesting observations today.
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Gavin woke up on the wrong side of the crib and didn't appreciate our wait. Tyler, however, was highly entertaining. He put his burgeoning reading skills to the test by reading aloud every sign he could see.
"Please wait until called by the next available clerk," he said with perfect clarity. Bravo, my boy! "Mom, what's a CLERK?" Tyler asked. I explained. "You mean a clerk is a person? That's so weird!" Since he had used his loudest voice for this exclamation, I quickly clarified that being a clerk was a person's job, and a perfectly good job at that. Satisfied, Tyler just read the signs over and over until we actually made it to the front of the line.
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I [almost] laughed out loud when my total at the post office was $10.99. Do any Dixons remember what that means?
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Tyler recently changed his car seat's position in the van so he's directly behind the front passenger seat. This allows an excellent view of the road, not to mention the instrument panel and dashboard. Apparently this perspective also lends Tyler the right to critique my driving skills. This morning we hadn't been in the van three seconds before Tyler started peppering me with questions about the gear shift, the emergency brake light, the sign that comes on when the road is slick, and the gas gauge. He wants to know everything about driving that there is to know. Tyler also likes to point out the speed limit, the color of the traffic lights, and whether he thinks I'm driving at the right speed or applying the brakes soon enough. Good grief! A four-year-old backseat driver???
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I am coming to terms with Colorado snow. However, I am baffled on one issue. This is a place that gets snow each and every winter. It's predictable. There's a pattern. And yet, there are no snowplows to be seen. Sand only comes out occasionally. The city streets are treacherous, not to mention the neighborhood ones that get less traffic. If the city employed snow plows more often, it seems that school wouldn't have to be canceled as frequently.
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I've also decided that snow and freezing temperatures (it's a balmy 9 degrees this afternoon) are much more tolerable because sunshine comes with the package. As long as Jack Frost and Mr. Golden Sun play nicely together, I just might survive this winter.
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Yesterday at church we were amused by two comments. One guy said to Garry, "If there was an award for Best Hair, you'd get it!" Garry and I both chuckled at that one. While Garry does indeed have awesome hair, no one has ever really called attention to it. Little did this guy know that Garry has had a close personal relationship with his hair stylist for 10 1/2 years. Yup, it's me.
The other comment comes pretty much every Sunday from the same lady. "Your baby," she observes, "is just so heavy-looking!" That's probably because Gavin IS heavy. Good thing the lady has more sense than to say that about me and my other baby.
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I discovered today that driving with a freezer in my van (yes, literally, an appliance that freezes things) is tricky, especially in aforementioned driving conditions. We purchased a 20-cubit-feet freezer we found on Craigslist and were happy to fit it in the back of our van. However, the thing liked to slide around when I turned, stopped, started, etc. I drove in the slow lane and was very cautious but my seat still got bumped in the back a few times. That's better than having the thing fly out the back window!
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A final observation: few things are more delightful that observing babies as they learn to talk. Gavin's latest: "nana" for banana, and I love, love, love to hear him say it.
4 comments:
Yup, I remember. Time for a ?? break.
Tyler is so hilarious! I love to hear his little brain go. He certainly is always thinking. Glad you got your freezer. You'll love having more room. Watch out though! It will be more than overflowing before you know it.
Oh my goodness, Devlin used to be the most terrible backseat driver but luckily he's laid off a little now. I would really be pulling my hair out if he could READ my dashboard lights!
Also, it is one of my life goals to eventually have room at my residence for a chest freezer. And numerous other things as well, but you just mentioned the freezer.
And finally, I will be going to the post office today - but I, in a shocking turn of events, have had a shower today AND I have makeup on. And clothes. Of course, it is 2 in the afternoon...
heidi, i think it's awesome that you just might have the same feelings towards the snow and driving in the snow as i do. :)
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