Darah was up crying nearly the entire night, which meant that Patty and I were up nearly the entire night. Not a fun night. First thing in the morning we took Darah to an urgent care, the same one I went to last year. She was in and out in no time but we didn't learn anything new. The doctor suspected exactly what we already suspected; that Darah must have caught a virus at the airport or in the airplane on Saturday, and that we'd just have to wait it out.

I didn't want Maegan to have to sit around the house on her vacation so my mom and I took her out for a while while Patty stayed in the house with Darah. We took Maegan to find a letterbox, and we planted one of our own (a good hiding spot if I do say so myself). At night we watched Disney's Enchanted and then it was another night awake with a sick baby.

Labels: Florida, vacation

On Tuesday we went to City Place in West Palm Beach. We ate lunch at Bruzzi's and for the third straight time, a waiter asked if I wanted diet coke or regular coke (as I ordered). Should I be getting a hint here?

In the afternoon I took Maegan to play miniature golf at Adventure Mini-Golf in Lake Worth. While we were out I got a phone call from Patty telling me that Darah was sick with a fever. We needed to adjust any plans we had for the rest of our vacation. Coincidentally, even though it wasn't me this time, this now continues the streak of somebody in the family getting sick while visiting other family.

In the evening I had to go out to the pharmacy to get medicine for Darah. On my way out (for the second time because I picked up the wrong medicine the first time) I noticed a large animal near a corner in my mother's retirement community. It was dark but it looked like a cat, but it was much larger than our dog Boomer. Then when I stopped it jumped through some bushes and into somebody's back yard, and I could tell from the quick fluid motion that it was definitely some sort of cat, possibly a bobcat, which are fairly common at the nearby Wakodahatchee Wetlands. The next morning we were watching the news and they had a story on bobcats that were spotted in Boynton Beach last night. It was a bobcat that I saw wondering the neighborhood.

Labels: Florida, vacation

On Sunday I took Maegan swimming again. This time I went swimming too, and learned two painful lessons. #1 is that when you're losing your hair (like I am), you have to protect the top of your head from the sun. #2 is that you shouldn't close your eyes when trying to pick up objects from the bottom of the pool. I came back from swimming with a sunburned scalp and a bruised bridge of my nose.

In the afternoon we traveled north to Palm Beach Gardens so that Patty could visit her Great Aunt Sandi. I've known Patty for 19 years now and never met either of her great aunts. We had a nice time talking about family, eating dinner, and browsing through photographs.

Labels: family, Florida, vacation

We're on vacation right now in Florida, visiting my mom in Boynton Beach. We flew out early yesterday morning. Because the entire city of Charlotte has the same spring break we knew the airport would be an absolute mess, and it was. Last year we couldn't even get on the first shuttle bus to bring us from long-term parking over to the terminal because it was too full, and cut it a little close to making our flight. This year we arrived extra early, leaving the house at 6am for a 9:30 flight. Again the bus filled up at the first stop but luckily we were among the first to get on. The the line at check-in was literally stretched from one end of the airport to the opposite end, but I will say that US Air kept it moving. Again, because we got there so early we were okay. Several different times I overheard conversations from strangers just arriving to the terminal, seeing the line, and saying to their spouse "I told you we should have left earlier!"

The flight began a little bumpy due to bad weather in Charlotte, but was smooth the rest of the way - except for a seriously annoying kid behind me who kept kicking my seat and pushing on his tray table. I kept pushing back, eventually giving his feet a swift elbow through my seat back, and this little brat had the naive nerve to complain to his mom that I kept pushing his seat. Before the flight I had made a deal with Maegan that she could have my window seat for the 2nd half of the flight. I warned Maegan about the kid but she still wanted that window seat. As that brat kept kicking and pushing, Maegan became as thoroughly annoyed as I was. I told her to sit back in her chair hard next time he did it. When he did, Maegan didn't hold back at all, flying back in her chair. I thought the seat would rip out of the floor she did it so hard. Good girl.

Most of the afternoon was minor shopping for baby supplies and we had to pick up a crib for Darah to sleep in. I took Maegan to the pool for a quick swim before dinner but I didn't bring my bathing suit. Too bad, the water could not have been a more perfect temperature. Then dinner at a restaurant and Jenga before the kids went to sleep. And that was day one.

P.S. Patty's father is staying at our house, our dog is at home, and the neighbor knows we're in Florida too, so criminals can just forget about targeting our house while we're in Florida.

Labels: Florida, vacation

I'm in warm sunny Florida yet late last night I suddenly began to feel freezing. I piled on several heavy blankets and yet I was literally shivering. Couldn't sleep at all and I felt even worse in the morning, feeling totally drained of all my energy.

This is a total repeat of the last time I took a long-distance vacation to visit my family. Just before New Year we all traveled to visit my sister Amy in Washington and on the second night Maegan and I became violently ill. This time I'm not nauseas and Maegan is fine, but what's the deal with me getting sick while visiting family. This just sucks.

I didn't want Maegan to just sit around the house on her spring break vacation so my mom took Maegan miniature golfing without me. After they got back I went to the urgent care doctor. I tested negative for the flu, but that's still what it feels like.

Note: This post was uploaded on 4/13/07

Labels: family, Florida, vacation

Today Maegan, my mom, and I went to the Morikami Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach. We took a really nice stroll around a large pond, immaculately maintained in traditional Japanese style. Bamoo structures, bonsai trees, rock gardens, and a waterfall. Maegan even got to feed the nearly 100 coy. We got lots of great photos and I'll upload them to the photo album when I get a chance.

Note: This post was uploaded on 4/13/07

Labels: family, Florida, Maegan, vacation

Greetings from Florida. I'm currently on vacation visiting my mother in Florida. Maegan is with me but Patty stayed in Charlotte. We got our tickets back in December under the assumption that Patty wouldn't be able to fly in her third trimester. Within the past week the doctor gave Patty clearance to fly but now a last moment single ticket would cost over $600 (and not even to the same airport).

Maegan has enjoyed swimming in the pool every day, just like ever year. Today we went to the beach. We normally go to Delray Beach but this time we traveled 20 miles to go to Deerfield Beach. Much nicer. It was much more crowded, with thousands of people as far as you can see just like those oldtime photos of Coney Island - but that was actually nice because it had almost a fair-like atmosphere. Maegan ventured waist deep into the ocean and loved jumping into the big waves as they crashed ashore.

Between swimming, the beach, and other activities, Grandma also bought Maegan both Happy Feet and Charlotte's Web on DVD so we all watched those two movies the past couple of nights. I'll try to write more before I get back but this 26k modem is just killing me.

Labels: family, Florida, Maegan, vacation

Once in a while I stop in to let everyone know I'm still here. Earlier this month we all went to Florida. It was great. Lately I've been working on my newest website, The Dugout. Also, softball season begins next week. I'm sure other stuff is going on but I can't think of it right now. I promise that after I revise my website this summer, it'll get updated more regularly.

*^{The blog entry above was originally posted in March of 2002, but was just re-posted from backup files in 2007. Despite the promise above to regularly update the website, this is apparently the last time I posted to my blog until 15 months later.}

Labels: blogging, Florida, vacation, webmaster

Patty and I were on vacation in Florida last week visiting my mom. It was great. We went to a spring training baseball game between the Mets and Cardinal, went to the zoo, the beach, and went swimming several times.

After returning, I finished up and launched a new website. It's been a couple of months of work, and it's only 90% done, but it's ready for the public. Check it out at www.CharlotteMLB.com.

Labels: baseball, Florida, vacation, webmaster