A Life Interrupted

The following blog was composed on Thursday, September 13. Needless to say, today is not Thursday. It's Monday. After writing the blog and planning to post it the next day, we discovered, to our dismay, that we had no connectivity for 3 days in Pinnacle National Park. That is not, is not, I repeat, a totally bad thing at all, but it meant that it's been quite a while since I've updated our travels. We are now looking out over the Pacific Ocean at El Capitan State Park near Santa Barbara, CA. The sun is slowly sinking, the waves are crashing, the kids are playing in the tent (where they actually spent the entire night last night, alone, without Grandma and Papa! Yay!), and we have connectivity (but no electricity, much to Andy's chagrin - no TV).

So, pretend it's last Thursday. A Life Interrupted

It's been a week since I last wrote a post to my blog. I've tried a number of times, but was always interrupted. Interrupted, usually, by small voices needing this or that, or just wanting attention. It's been a week of interruptions - conversations cut short, thoughts cut short by other priorities, hikes cut short because small legs get tired out, even stays cut short - when it became apparent that the drive from Redwood National Park to Lake Chabot campground in Oakland would be 8 hours long, Sandi decided to take the car (and the kids) a day early, stopping along the way to cut the daily drive in half and visit a museum in Sausalito before joining us at the campground. Of course, that left Lew and me "stranded" at the campground, limited to hikes accessible from that locale only - a short nature trail and a stroll along the river - but did give us a moment of quiet among the tall, magnificent trees.

And time for some more reflection!

This drive down the coast is not for us. We finally accepted that. We can retrace our steps on the way home in 1 1/2 years and see all the sights and explore these and other places in California at our leisure. In the meantime we recognize that 4 and 6 year olds are not interested in the beautiful scenery, the amazing sunsets, the quietness of the forest or the magnificence of the redwoods (unless the tree has fallen and they can climb on it). No, they are interested in riding their bikes, playing with legos and crazy gears, watching DVDs, and talking at the speed of light, constantly. They like splashing in the ocean waves, playing in the sand, taking short hikes (under duress), and climbing on rocks. They like to eat every hour and invariably have to pee at the most inopportune times. Sometimes they get on each other's nerves (and more often on ours), but usually they entertain each other and play well together, giving us a brief respite in our responsibilities.

We have them alone now, for the next 12 days, before Disneyland and a reunion with their parents. This is "our life interrupted" - but interrupted in a good way. We understand better now that this trip is entirely about them and what they want to do and what they need (within reason - we have to have some standards, you know!). Not what we wand to do, or see, or need. We plan to thoroughly enjoy these last few weeks with our grandsons - playing games, listening (trying to teach them to listen), laughing, and having fun. Well, we'll try anyway. And we know we will miss them when we go our separate ways at the end of the month....miss them AND breathe a sigh of relief. In the meantime - bring on those interruptions!

We've gone about 1000 miles, with 5 or 6 hundred to go. We hope to enjoy these more. WE WILL enjoy these more.

PS since this post is coming 5 days later. We still get frustrated, but we've done much better. At the Pinnacles, part way on a cool hike, Dylan exclaimed, " I'm not impressed! " Shoot, but then we came to some really great rock formations and he was a "little" impressed, and then we walked through some caves and he was over the top excited. Patience. We are learning patience. And, now at the beach, they are having a fabulous time, playing in the surf, sleeping and playing in the tent, and everyone is getting along better (except during the bewitching hour - 5-8 pm. Still tough, but we are playing games - Go Fish and Ocean Bingo, so far. And the kids are only missing TV a little.

Heading down to Oceanside (Camp Pendleton Fam Camp) on Wednesday. Long drive through LA traffic. Only 8 days to Disneyland. The kids are counting.

 Redwoods

Oregon Coast with fog

Andy's 4th birthday party in Oakland on boat

View from El Capitan campsite