Traveling stinks

I am in Texas for a few weeks doing some training in RDI - relationship development intervention. But my trip getting here stunk! Our little cutie went home to her mommy on Monday (YEA!), but this meant I had to put her on the bus in the am and drive myself to the airport rather than take the shuttle. The drive wasn't so bad, but after parking my car, the park and ride van past me twice and didn't stop. SO I ended up being late to check-in, which meant I had to run through the airport, like a crazy person, cursing the luggage weight limit (I had to pay an extra $25) and the security line, and my miserable middle seat (ofcourse between to men who wanted to use all the arm rests and some of my leg space).

Upon arrival in Houston, I was asked whether I wanted a Taxi or a Shuttle. Being my frugal self, I chose a shuttle for half the cost. Two hours later, I shook my fist at the skies while waiting for a bus to take me away. In Houston, shuttles are slow as molasses. 2.5 hours of waiting and I boarded my coach. Huzzah! Or so I though. Apparently, we needed to circle the airport for another hour picking up other passengers. With six more aboard, we set off. The driver reassured me that we would get to my hotel in about 45 minutes. Little did I know, shuttles in Houston are not just for hotels. No, they deliver you directly to your door and I was going to be the sixth drop off of seven. Dhyar, foiled again.! As we rode out of the city into to the residential areas, for drop off number 2, a woman sitting beside me (the 7th drop off) said, "We are right near my place; can we go there next." The driver turns to her and says, "Sure, if you can give me directions. You see, this is my first week on the job."

Dododododododoododo......Welcome to the twlight zone.

I had to restrain myself from screaming. Hours later, finally all the other passengers were dropped off and I told the driver that he had to take me to the grocery store. This had taken so long, that there was no way I would have to go out again before my workshop the next day. He agreed and we pulled up to my hotel at about 11:45pm. Did I mention that this journey began at 8am and I had gotten to the airport at 6pm. I fell into the bed, exhasted. Note to self - take taxi in Texas. Buisnessmen of the world, I applaud you!

J'adore le fromage!

Apparently my Vegan ways have come to an end. Patrick took me to an Artisan Cheese Festival last Sunday. Yum, I love dairy. We probably tried over 100 kinds of cheese. Most of it was local, but a few came from Washington. Upon arrival, we got little blue cooler bags with an ice pack and a wine glass. Ours was filled with aged cheese for Patrick and creamy ones and goat cheeses for me. I also tried this weird, non-alcoholic, sparkling tea that was aged in barrels like wine. It was oddly addicting - Jasmine Moon mmmm.

Charity

This weekend I volunteered at an fundraiser for the Foster Parent Association. I was selling raffle tickets and people were ignoring me when I tried to wave them over to my booth. However, once I started saying things like, "Save Drug babies," and "Do you want to support abused and neglected children," people had a harder time walking away. Ha, guilt rules. Today, we went to Feast of Learning where we ate hummus, talked to rabbis and schmoozed. It was a good time. Later, I took Little Miss to the park and I saw this man signing to another man. I turn to them and tried to join the conversation ('cuz I know some ASL). Anyway, both men looked at me like I was crazy. They pointed to their ears and shook their heads. I persisted and one man finally handed me a piece of paper and I had a pen. It turns out that they were speak SSL - Spanish Sign Language. Only in Cali.

Violin & Volleyball

Have I mentioned to y'all that I am learning to play the violin? Yes, another instrument. But it is my first string (not counting the guitar). I started at the end on January and I have recently mastered Old McDonald well enough that my five year old foster kiddo can sing along and she actually asked me to play it again. And Patrick told me that it is almost starting to sound like music. Go me! I will upload a video soon so you all cane share in my musical stylings.

Patrick is playing rec league Volleyball and he had his first practice this weekend. He, ofcourse, is the star, but I'm not sure about the rest of his group. Lets all cross our fingers that his team doesn't get slaughtered next week in their first game.

Last Weekend

My mom was supposed to come for the weekend, but she was scared away by the rain. SO, Patrick and were left with her theater tickets to see Cybil Sheppard in a one-woman show in the city. She was funny, but as usual Patrick and I were the youngest people in the audience. Granted, the show was about a woman in her late 50s starting to internet date, but WHERE are you, young cultured couples? She was hilarious and graphic. Patrick picked to go out for Indian food after, so we ran down the street in the pouring rain until we found a cheesy looking place. The food was great and I had a particularly good mango Lassi. (Cheryll would have hated it! She's anti curry.) On the way back to the car, we got trapped behind the Chinese New Year Parade. My camera is still in Sac so photos coming soon.

Family Massage

So in my emergency foster care group meeting we had a speaker teaching and talking about the power of touch. She taught about how to do infant and child massage. I am not sure how I feel about all this touching people business, but she did have a little research about the brain and learning through touch. She shared this one study about Sweden, I think. Apparently the whole country is doing massage in the schools from k-12 grade. And one benefit was that children's self drawings started out just heads and bodies, but after about a month of hand and foot massage, their drawings sprouted limbs and digits. Interesting. What do y'all think?