First Mother’s Day

My wife and I have both been looking forward to today and dreading it at the same time. There has been a lot that has happened since the last time that the calendar noted this holiday. There is a lot that we have to celebrate and a lot that we are missing on this day. To my wife’s credit, which says a lot about her strength, she decided to focus on the joy of the day and I did my best to make that a reality (even in the face of a few trying moments). Like many things these days, time is moving both fast and slow. It seemed to take forever for this day to come but it also caught us a little off guard.

For the past couple of months we had been anticipating the good and bad of the day. In an effort to focus on the former we decided to get away for a couple of days. I nearly dropped the ball on this one but managed to make it happen by booking a room early last week (more on the trip itself in my next post). It was also late in the week when I was finally able to order flowers for my mom (for which we got a call when they were delivered yesterday)... ProFlowers.com kind of saved me on that one. We both owe a lot to our mom’s and now that we have a son we understand even more the importance of this day.

We were a little apprehensive about the overnight stay at a hotel with the baby given that this was his first night away from home but, in the end, the entire trip went better than we could have ever hoped. There wasn’t a single moment of crying for much of the getaway and he seemed to be happy to explore a new place and simply spend time with his mommy and daddy. Of course, it could be that maybe our son is already learning that you don’t mess with mommy on Mother’s Day.

While we did our best to think of all the good things that have happened and the fact that it is the first Mother’s Day that we have celebrated with our son, I couldn’t help but think about the one thing that I couldn’t give my wife today. I didn’t buy a card or flowers as there wasn’t really anything that I could find that made sense… at least not this year. I could have bought a “First Mother’s Day” card but it was also a first for another reason… one that I couldn’t change. It was a hard day but a great day as well. I just wish that I could have given her the gift that she really wanted today.

Family Day Trip… To Delaware

My wife and I grew up in the Philadelphia area but there are many places in eastern Pennsylvania that we have yet to see. This is largely what motivated us to begin taking day trips last summer. While we have been less active this season, we are still getting out when we can and visiting places that, for one reason or another, we have not explored in previous years. Thankfully, my aunt and uncle helped us check another one of those places off our list yesterday when they treated us to a day at Winterthur.

After falling behind schedule early in the morning trying to get a few urgent items taken care of for the lodge (it is that time of year again) we made our way south and across the state line to meet them in the parking lot of the historic site. We got there a little later than expected but the timing actually worked out well as it allowed us to enjoy a nice lunch in the cafeteria before beginning the tour of the old DuPont estate. Of course, we also discussed some recent genealogy findings during the meal but that is another topic for another post (very exciting new information though).

Half past noon and we boarded the tram car at the visitor’s center to meander through the gardens, forest, and fields. While I wasn’t able to capture much of the 25 minute journey I did manage to get a few reasonable pictures across the vast fields of the gazebo….

…and a farm house in the distance.

It really is an excellent little ride and I am certain that it would be even better during the spring bloom. Maybe next time we will just spend the day walking around the grounds and enjoying the sights and smells.

The ride terminated at the massive mansion which truly is something that you have to stand beside to appreciate the immense scale. Even when looking at the main entrance it is startling to think that this once was a private residence.

Within a few minutes of arrival, we were back in the reception area waiting for the house tour to begin (actually, it is only one floor of the house that you are touring). Before piling our small group into the elevator we passed an interesting hallway that gave a little hint as to what was to follow.

While that small hallway was a hint, it really couldn’t fully provide us an insight as to the elaborate staging that was to follow as was evident in the first room that we entered after getting off the lift…

After a couple more rooms and many details, most of which I cannot recall, we turned the corner and I couldn’t help but notice the silhouette at the far end of the building…

We made our way in that direction and while we didn’t venture out into the sun room with the sculpture, we did find ourselves beside pains of wavy windows…

…and in front of a magnificent staircase.

When you look at the staging and the impact of the sweeping curve it just makes you want to ascent the stairs. As that was not a possibility, I had to at least lean over and take a picture up the center of the spiral…

At this point we were at the far end of the building and while we made a few stops and toured a few rooms on the way back, it was a few of the items in the rooms that caught my attention such as the chandeliers that hung from the ceiling and the varying designs and styles of each one.

However, every once in a while you come across items that make you stop for a moment. The kinds of things that you nearly forget that you have a camera in your hand because you are just caught in the history of the objects before you. That is the kind of feeling you get when you stand in front of George Washington’s china set from Mount Vernon.

While it seemed like it had just begun, the tour was over, we went down the escalator, and we were walking back through the main foyer with a feeling of wanting to see more. Still early in the afternoon, having seen a little bit of the inside, it was time to explore a little of the outside spaces. So we made our way past the soup terrene exhibit and up the stairs where you can get a clear view of the extensive window work currently underway.

From there we strolled down the paths past the open windows…

…the blooming trees….

…and into the open courtyard.

Just above this entertaining space was the heated pool full of fish (I couldn’t catch any with the camera so no picture of the pool this time). Just beyond the far end of the water, you could really appreciate and you could almost see the houseguests slowly making their way down the long staircase from the house to the pool.

 

We took a few minutes to sit and chat when I noticed that the camera card was full so this is where the pictures end. Front this outdoor entertainment area of the main house, we made our way across the entry courtyard (where we first entered the house) and into a smaller but still grand structure which served as the second DuPont residence when his collections overtook the main space in his home. Now the gift shop and café, we were able to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee and continue our conversation throughout the remainder of the afternoon.

By 4:30 we were heading back to the car and on the road again heading toward the state line. I honestly can’t remember the last time that I spent the day with my aunt and uncle beyond the usual family get together or being at my parent’s house. Actually, I had sadly forgotten how much I enjoy spending time with them and talking with them. I’m glad that we made the time to do this and I am happy that my wife and I were able to see Winterthur for the first time with them. I really couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a Saturday.  

Careful Mr. Bunny…

The past few days I have been forced to exercise the breaks on my car as various creatures have been darting across the road. This is not all that uncommon on the outskirts of Philadelphia but this year there seems to be more animals mimicking the idiocracy usually reserved for humans. Within the past week I have nearly blasted Bambie, destroyed Donald, and went thump thump over Thumper (multiple times). Those bastard bunnies are a particular menace this year as they hop across the asphalt as if they were late for work. As an added bonus, the deluge obscured the plethora of potholes by making them seem like innocent little puddles. Welcome to the season of road kill.

And it’s not just the animals, even the weather seems to be running late this year. While the temperature is getting warmer and the trees are coming into bloom, the page turned on the calendar from what is supposed to be a rainy April to the fragrance heavy month of May. However, the rain seemed to be running a bit late and, knowing of its tardiness, has been doing everything in its power to make up for the dryness of the previous month.

The torrential rain has brought traffic to a halt on numerous occasions and has causes those ballsy bunnies to run even faster across the busy streets in an effort to dry their little bunny butts. Last week was particularly bad as the Schuylkill River seemed to have a mind of its own as it became bloated and busted over the banks overtaking homes and highways. The precipitous precipitation seemed to wash away brain cells as it was a full couple of days of dodging cars, people, and animals all vying for the right of way during my daily commute.

However, even with all the headaches caused by the weather and the mindless actions of man and animal alike, it is great to see everything beginning to bloom so early in the month. Seeing the pink, white, and green coating the trees along the highway just makes for a more pleasant experience when diving to work. And it will continue being an enjoyable journey until the day that all the pedals begin coating the roads, cars, and street signs turning an enjoyable experience into an adventure that is by no means pleasant when you account for the aforementioned people and animals.

So, for now, I will gladly take the good and try and forget about the bad. I just hope that the seasons and weather get back on track so that things can, once again, run on time rather than scurrying about like the White Rabbit. Actually, more like the White Rabbit playing a game of Frogger.

Smells Like Spring!

The weather has been getting much warmer lately and it is only a matter of time before we begin seeing the green leaves peek out from the stark brown branches. Even the grass seems to be returning to life as the sun slowly warms the soil. It is a comfortable time of year when the windows begin opening and the breeze whips through the windows of cars.

It is also the time of year when the seasonal smells begin filling your nostrils. Not the floral and earthy aromas of midseason but the transitional wafts that make you question the seasonal change. They make you long for the scentless season that has just come to a bitter end and make you eager to move things along to the hot and sweaty sweltering summers.

I began my commute home with the windows down, the heat off, and the radio just loud enough to hear above the din of the wind. The pace of the drive was like any other day with the occasional slowing down and speeding up (because no one understands the concept of constant speed) and weaving in and out of traffic (including right in front of me) of the mindless drivers in a hurry to advance three car lengths before their exit. With the aroma of spring asphalt flowing freely I noticed the sharp olfactory notes of cars that have experienced a particularly rough winter.

As I arrived home this evening I was confronted by one of those smells that is stuck in the middle of the change. While the flower beds looked very clean and aesthetically pleasing, the full bodied and bold fog of feces seemed to wrap around my head, permeate my clothes, and leave my nose clogged with the perfume of poo. Nothing like spending your evening in a sealed off apartment (we are on the first floor with the pile of poo chips just on the other side of our wall) smelling like a cow fart trying to get work done at your computer.

However, the welcoming scents and sounds will soon fill the air as grass is cut, trees are trimmed and chipped, and the rain steams on the pavement. These are the smells that I am looking forward to and what I wait for every year. Fill the air with thunder and the clouds with lightening following a day when the grass has been cut and I could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sensory experience of the season. But, until that time, I am stuck here sniffing turds.