The children have been really calm and self-entertaining this morning for a change, which means that even though Kevin is in bed sick, I can actually catch up on a few things, like unpacking our luggage, straightening the house (preparatory to an actual cleaning person coming to rescue us tomorrow), and editing photos. The photo below is from yesterday -- Carmela drove down from Madison, and Lisette was visiting from L.A., so we had a little mini high school reunion. Showed off the kids, walked Carmela and Lisette through the house (they were encouraging about the renovation, and it turns out that Carmela's husband Dan has gone into landscaping in the last few years, hmm...), had lunch at Marion Street, and talked and laughed and talked and laughed.
At one point, I was so distracted by the great conversation as we drove back that I forgot I was navigating and we missed our turn and drove thirty-five (!) blocks out of our way before somebody noticed. Oof! We were just having too much fun. I kept trying to convince Mela to apply for a job at UIC and move to Oak Park, but Madison has too strong a hold on her. Pfui. I really miss old, good friends like these, and Roshani and Kirsten and Karina and Alex -- people I can just talk and talk and talk with. Once we emerge from the wilds of infant-care, I really want to work on finding my tribe here in Oak Park. There have to be some geeks here, right? Somewhere? Is there an Oak Park gaming group, maybe? Maybe tomorrow night I'll just leave the kids with Kevin and finally make it over to Buzz Cafe to meet the local knitters, at least.
Below: me and Carmela at Gepetto's Toys, where we stopped to pick up a birthday present for Robert, who just turned 4. (We got him a Playmobil pirate ship.) Wizard's hat courtesy Lisette.
