Visiting Grandpa
Mar. 1st, 2008 02:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lydamorehouseVisting grandpa has been tough, but in a way I hadn't really anticipated.
Grandpa is doing pretty well, but he's very, very weak and really can't take too much excitement. So when Mason and I go to the nursing home to visit him, we find we really exhaust him. Plus, of course, sitting around a hospital bed is not really terribly exciting for a four and a half year old. Mason and I discovered "Connect Four" in the nursing home's lounge, but then we just sort of sit and play by ourselves and make noise, which grandpa's poor, old ears have to try to hear around.
So we're really kind of in the way.
Our solution has been to watch a lot of BBC: Walking With Dinosaurs/Walking with Monsters (I've learned a lot lately, including learning about the giant spiders and other arthropods in the Carboniferous Period). We also snuck away to the Natural History Museum in Chicago yesterday. Mason had a blast there. We got there kind of late, as I finally had an appointment to fix the squeaky wheel in a AAA-recommended in Chesterton (about a fifteen minute drive from Valpariaso). I arrived there at eight -- precisely when it opened. Thanks to a miscommunication (probably on my part), the mechanic thought I was just "dropping it off" and that he could take a look at it sometime today. I ended up having to beg him to put me at the top of the queue, but I promised get out from underfoot and hiked a half a mile or so to a local diner for breakfast.
The place I found was the "Country Cafe" in Chesterton. It was... interesting. I almost thought I'd stepped back in time when the waiter asked me, "smoking or non?" What the hey? Is that even still an option anywhere in the world? "Non," I replied somewhat horrified to realize that, just like in the 70s, all that meant was that the non-smokers where seated at the front of the restaurant and the smokers at the back. Of course, just as my food arrived someone two tables down decided to light up. The food was okay, although it seemed like the kind of place you might like to try for dinner as they specalized in Polish food.
As the smokers were still at it, I decided to risk heading back to the shop at 9:00 am, even though the garage hadn't called my cell to tell me the car was ready. As I walked up, the mechanic had just pulled my car out. It was fixed! And it only cost $78.00! I love AAA!
After arriving home, I picked up Mason and Shawn. We dropped Shawn at the nursing home with her knitting (she mostly just sits with her dad all day. Sometimes they chat, or he dozes and she just keeps him company.) Then it was off to Chicago. On the way, I phoned our friend Susan Harris, who agreed to meet us for a late lunch "by Sue."
Mason and I headed directly for the "Earth's Evolution." Mason watched the Cambrian Seas video (they also did a kind of CGI reinactment of all the weird things that made up some of the first complex creatures on the planet.) Mason just watched and watched. Hordes of school groups walked around where we'd ensconced ourselves on the floor.
Then we moved through the eras, and he was so excited about reaching the Carboniferous Era that we had to do a little dance there. He ran over to the giant milliped and managed to ruin someone else's photo before he realized it. We apologized and waited very impatiently, and then we had to hug the giant milliped several times.
The other thing Mason really loved there was the underground exhibit. Going through with him was very reminscent of when I tore through the same exhibit years earlier with Maureen McHugh's husband Bob.
Mason is pulling on my elbow because he wants to monopolize the computer by playing PacMan! Alas, I must submit to small creature!!!!
Grandpa is doing pretty well, but he's very, very weak and really can't take too much excitement. So when Mason and I go to the nursing home to visit him, we find we really exhaust him. Plus, of course, sitting around a hospital bed is not really terribly exciting for a four and a half year old. Mason and I discovered "Connect Four" in the nursing home's lounge, but then we just sort of sit and play by ourselves and make noise, which grandpa's poor, old ears have to try to hear around.
So we're really kind of in the way.
Our solution has been to watch a lot of BBC: Walking With Dinosaurs/Walking with Monsters (I've learned a lot lately, including learning about the giant spiders and other arthropods in the Carboniferous Period). We also snuck away to the Natural History Museum in Chicago yesterday. Mason had a blast there. We got there kind of late, as I finally had an appointment to fix the squeaky wheel in a AAA-recommended in Chesterton (about a fifteen minute drive from Valpariaso). I arrived there at eight -- precisely when it opened. Thanks to a miscommunication (probably on my part), the mechanic thought I was just "dropping it off" and that he could take a look at it sometime today. I ended up having to beg him to put me at the top of the queue, but I promised get out from underfoot and hiked a half a mile or so to a local diner for breakfast.
The place I found was the "Country Cafe" in Chesterton. It was... interesting. I almost thought I'd stepped back in time when the waiter asked me, "smoking or non?" What the hey? Is that even still an option anywhere in the world? "Non," I replied somewhat horrified to realize that, just like in the 70s, all that meant was that the non-smokers where seated at the front of the restaurant and the smokers at the back. Of course, just as my food arrived someone two tables down decided to light up. The food was okay, although it seemed like the kind of place you might like to try for dinner as they specalized in Polish food.
As the smokers were still at it, I decided to risk heading back to the shop at 9:00 am, even though the garage hadn't called my cell to tell me the car was ready. As I walked up, the mechanic had just pulled my car out. It was fixed! And it only cost $78.00! I love AAA!
After arriving home, I picked up Mason and Shawn. We dropped Shawn at the nursing home with her knitting (she mostly just sits with her dad all day. Sometimes they chat, or he dozes and she just keeps him company.) Then it was off to Chicago. On the way, I phoned our friend Susan Harris, who agreed to meet us for a late lunch "by Sue."
Mason and I headed directly for the "Earth's Evolution." Mason watched the Cambrian Seas video (they also did a kind of CGI reinactment of all the weird things that made up some of the first complex creatures on the planet.) Mason just watched and watched. Hordes of school groups walked around where we'd ensconced ourselves on the floor.
Then we moved through the eras, and he was so excited about reaching the Carboniferous Era that we had to do a little dance there. He ran over to the giant milliped and managed to ruin someone else's photo before he realized it. We apologized and waited very impatiently, and then we had to hug the giant milliped several times.
The other thing Mason really loved there was the underground exhibit. Going through with him was very reminscent of when I tore through the same exhibit years earlier with Maureen McHugh's husband Bob.
Mason is pulling on my elbow because he wants to monopolize the computer by playing PacMan! Alas, I must submit to small creature!!!!
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-01 09:24 pm (UTC)We love the Field. We're even members. Caitlin loves the creepy dead animal room. I think that she's just happy that she can see them. Her visual impairments make it tough for her to see animals at the zoo.
If you sneak back Downtown, I highly recommend The Art Institute of Chicago. They have some amazing children's programming there along with their world-class art collection.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 03:53 pm (UTC)Intelligent design? Sure, I told him ALL ABOUT the Flying Spaghetti Monster. ;-)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-01 09:57 pm (UTC)If you're venturing further into Indiana, I've heard good things about the Indianapolis children's museum.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 03:55 pm (UTC)It sounds like something Mason would love. As I have a sad feeling that we'll be back in Indiana a lot over the next few months, I'll put it on the top of our list.
How far away is the Indianapolis Children's Museum from Valpo? Do you know? Thing is, Chicago is actually VERY easy to get to, and is only an hour away.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-03 10:32 pm (UTC)I do, however, know of many cool things to do in Chicago. Chicago obviously has its own children's museum at Navy Pier, but I don't know much about it.
A couple of interesting destinations in Chicago outside the Loop that you might enjoy:
Myopic Books (http://myopicbookstore.com/) in Wicker Park (great used bookstore with big sf/f section-- it's where the Think Galactic book group meets. Speaking of which, did anyone tell you _Archangel Protocol_ is the book for March? (http://community.livejournal.com/think_galactic/29953.html))
The Boring Store (http://www.methodsreporter.com/2007/02/27/826chi-boring-store-eggers/1/) is also in that neighborhood. Would Mason like spy gadgets?
Oh, and of course Women and Children First (http://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com) (which you may know about) in Andersonville has fun kids books.