Baching It
With Sarah back at Reed, and Cindy off visiting her family in Gig Harbor for a couple weeks, Max and I were baching it (…and I don’t mean hanging out at a bach at the beach!). I of course was busy at work during the week. Max was spending time getting ready for school to start, reading (the “Silmarillion” by J.R.R. Tolkein), and creating a world and associated language (and even a computer font!) for his next Dungeons and Dragons (”D&D”) campaign.
We got our bicycles ready (after being stuck in a container for months), and I rode with Max to his D&D game at a friends house, then rode back later to come home with him. I was able to start back to commuting by bike (~20-25 minutes each way), which I really enjoy - get some exercise, save on gas, and feel re-energized both in the morning and after I get home. Max went out for bike rides exploring the area, and now is riding to school each day.
I got my kayak ready (also after being stuck in a container for months), we rented a kayak for Max, and went out one afternoon. It was pretty windy, so we slogged through the waves for about an hour-and-a-half before calling it a day for our shakedown cruise.
We did our usual Tuesday night at Laserforce, and also tried another laser tag place.
We watched a hilarious look at D&D players in “The Gamers“, where the film alternates between the college students rolling dice in a dorm room, to live action where their “characters” are in the “real” world. I loved the thief who rolled high enough to successfully steal the pants off a guy at the bar, and how the character for a player who was absent was always standing off to the side. And of course the coed who would come yell at the geeks to shut the f*** up as she was trying to study. (Guess who the princess was who they were trying to rescue in their campaign?!). And a great surprise ending!
In watching the extras on the DVD, we found out that it was produced around the Pacific Northwest, and even credited a couple SCA groups that Cindy and I used to play in (The Kingdom of An Tir, and The Barony of Blatha An Oir in Tacoma)! We didn’t recognize anyone in the film, but did recognize some of the old WWI bunkers like at Fort Worden.
I took Max in to get registered for classes at school, and pick up his uniform. I also took him shopping for school sandals (must be brown or black leather) and shoes (must be black leather) for the first and last time - Max takes after my brother, in that he likes to wear nice clothes, and is very particular about what he buys, where I’m more traditional beach bum t-shirts, shorts, and bare feet where possible! So where my approach to shopping is as little as possible, get in and get out, Max needed a couple hours to find sandals that were just right… Next time, he goes with Cindy or on his own!
Max really surprised me a couple nights after work, by having not only cooked dinner, but also having the table all set as well! (Of course, I managed to be late getting home from work those nights, which he may never forgive me for!)
One task I wanted to get done before Cindy got back was to really be unpacked and set up. So, I got the garage all organized (camping, bicycling, caving stuff, tools, etc.), all my software books and files unpacked and shelved, built stands for my kayak, set up all the computer and office stuff, and got all the electrical stuff organized. (I brought four transformers for the 120V stuff we brought - small TV and DVD/VCR for our movies, CD player for music, a couple kitchen appliances, a few lamps, all the computer stuff and chargers, Max’s fan and clock radio.)
The other task to tackle was to get everything cleaned up (no, not from the wild parties) before Cindy got home - just to remind her what a nice, thoughtful guy I am! - So, while Max cleaned up his stuff, I spent the day cleaning the car, patio, floors, windows, kitchen, bathrooms, laundry… Don’t let anyone ever downplay the work required to run and maintain a household!
It was great to go pick up Cindy at the airport on her return - my bride, my partner, mi amore!