The Queen Fairy is making crepes

In the morning, we got the kids excited with crepes. Actually I am the one loving crepes, but I rarely make them as Paul is not a crepe lover. But today I was pretty sure that I would have a enthusiastic reception for them. I made a large bunch, and Ehal, as a sous-chef, learned how to spread the dough in the pan. Even Noam enjoyed his first bits of crepes. From his high chair, he also enjoyed the show of the other three talking, laughing and eating their breakfast. They are cool kids, with lots to say, with their little British accent! The breakfast dissolved into a dress-up game where I transformed into the Queen of Fairies. Leo wanted to make sure I was a real one, and I convinced him my popsicle stick was a magic wand in disguise, to fool Super Boys like him or Bad Knights like his brother.

As the sun was bright again, everybody got ready to go to the beach. We toyed with the idea of joining but decided against, as it would add an extra hour to our return trip to Upstate New York. The kids were really bummed out that Noam was not going to join them. In their really cute way, they just wanted us to stay... After some hugs and kisses we hit the road, right in time for Noam's morning nap. 

The art of country-road driving - part 2

We took the road with the return route scribbled on a piece of paper. No need for the GPS, I trust Google Maps better. The instructions were easy to follow, to some extent. As we got further away from Durham and closer to Taghkanic, we entered small and smaller country roads. But at some point, we experienced a certain sense of doubt about where we were going. I have to admit that we both don't know at all the area and we did not know the Boaz house's full address. Instead of mapping the correct address, I had google mapped Taghkanic, which is the village next to the house, but both of us never even drove there.

In addition, as we were getting closer to Taghkanic, Noam was getting restless. We had stopped on the way to visit some antic stores (more like expensive junk yards). Back on the road, when we could not see where to turn left on the 11A, we decided to go into a dinner and take a break, hopeful that Noam's mood would improve itself.

After a good american meal of open chicken sandwich and gravy, mash potatoes and fish and chips (the american version, not the brit one) we asked for directions. Unfortunately, we ended up in Philemont, turning left instead of right. Noam turned to yelling to tell us he really wanted to get out of the car.

We found a Family Dollar store to pause, purchased some wipes. Looked for formula in vain. Then drove back to the dinner (we knew it was not too far from the house). There an old guy pulled his map. The only road I could recall was Post Hill, so we found that. We hit the road again, this time going south, me at the wheel, Pauli doing the entertainment in the back. We turned right on Post Hill road from the 11, drove on it for a while, and the winding road took us back to the main road we left. At that point, we stopped. Everybody out of the car, Paul tried to reach Boaz by phone. Of course the coverage was horrible. Murphy's law is always efficient for this kind of stuff. After some lively discussion between me and Paul, while friendly passerby stopped to help us in vain (what could we ask? we did not even know the name of the road Boaz's house was on), and Noam exploring the grass, we hit the road again. This time we got on Post Hill from the west side, and ended up slowly recognizing the area. We made it, but overall it took us closer to 4 hours (including stops) than the 2 required ones!

An old historical house in Durham, CT

Angie and Ehal live in London with their three kids, the twins Leo and Noah, and Talia. They did a house swap with a family who also has three kids, so it was a great arrangement for both families. For the kids, it was a great deal, the house is coming not only with the right equipment (double cribs and third bed) but also with a great number of new toys! 

The house is very quirky and old. It is set around an immense chimney. I don't think I ever seen such a large chimney before. Essentially, on the ground floor, two living rooms and a large dinning room share each a face of the chimney, the dinning room having the largest fireplace of all, with a integrated bread oven. The upper floor has series of rooms in enfilade, opening one onto the others. The attic, where Noam, Pauli and I slept, was more recently renovated. There are various doors to storage spaces and closets a bit everywhere. The best room is a large TV room/garage, with more window and light than the rest of the house. The adjacent kitchen is also a space where all of us congregate, while the other living rooms and dinning room seem to be more for show. The house walls are lined with electric heaters, a sign that it is probably really freezing in here in the winter. There is a large garden set with a pool, kids toys and sand box, a patio and lots of flowers, even a hamac. 

The art of country-road driving

We slowly pack and get ourselves ready for an early afternoon departure, right about Noam's nap time. Our destination: Durham, CT. New England small quaint place.  There is no direct route to go from here in Taghkanic. 

Boaz set ourselves with a Garmin GPS with a half working screen, which meant that we could only rely solely the lady's voice!  I always have doubts about electronic equipment that is supposed to tell me what to do. My concerns are doubled specially since the machine is not 100% in good health. Not everybody seems to share my concerns, but I still I take a back-up scribbled Google map itinerary, just in case.

We were not 20 minutes out of the driveway that I fell we are getting lost. We are sent out to some small road, that really does not look at all like nothing serious to get us somewhere... When the road turns to gravel, we really both admit being lost. Woods, green lush forest, maybe a couple houses a couple miles before, but nothing to help us find our way. At a crossroad we stop a guy who laugh when I open our conversation with a "We are lost!". Using the directions I scribbled, he is able to get us oriented. After that Pauli insists on trying in parallel the Garmin while we follow the written directions. It did not take long for the machine to ask us to turn at a point where there was absolutely no signs of intersection. He finally got convinced it was not so good after all.

So we arrived a couple hours later in Durham, under the rain. Our friends Ehal and Angie, and their three little monsters were really happy to welcome us in a three century old house. 

A day amist nature and modern achitecture

We were awoken up in the middle of the woods, not by the warbling of
the birds, but by the chirping of Noam. 8 AM... What a nice treat!
(usually he wakes up a bit before 7!) Our room's window gives onto a
wall of rock and ferns, the light is sublime.
We slowly discover the house and the landscape it integrates so
nicely... We feel at peace, relaxed, in vacation.
Later we go in Hudson, the hopping hub (less than 6000 souls). We wolfed
down escargots, nutella crepes and massive salads in a french bakery,
and stroll around antique stores. Looks like anybody wanting to do
business has the requisite antique store integrated in - wether it is
a restaurant, a barber shop or a real estate agent. A parade past by
us, a big band, a boat float and a few loosely arranged majorettes/
walkers. Noam enjoys the music of the fire truck.
We slit into girls and boys cars, drive up to Taghkanic lake where
the girls have a blast. The sun is good, but the water is fresh, and
me and Stacey prefer the sandy towels to the water. Can't help
feeling like some waves would make the water cleaner...
We return to the house and slowly prepare dinner - Eden and Boaz roll
up some pizzas. Noam eats like a pig and it takes again more than an
hour to put him in bed. The rest of the evening is spent discussing
the history of the house's construction. 

New York New York

New York is always impressive... Noam was for the first time in the
big apple, and he spent the day looking around like if everything was
going to jump in his face. Noises, lights, cars, people... An intense
dose or urbanity! 

We paused in the New Art Museum. Passing by the stack of silver cubes that is the building, I initially thought it was a museum about gay art, because of a rainbow colored sign reading "Hell, Yes". But I guess this is art. The whole museum was a bit disappointing, the spaces a bit small and the pieces not that inspiring. But I guess I got most annoyed when I was told not to let Noam roam on the empty floor because it might be "dangerous". The concern was not about the art, but about "dust" that could harm him. ! Ah! I won't get started here about the ordinary American Paranoïa. 

It was hard to put Noam in bed, he was just wired and tired 
from the day, unable to settle himself. Once he was asleep, an hour later, we left for the countryside.  By departing in the evening, we tried maximizing the quietness or 

smoothness of the 2 hours car ride to the summer house Upstate New
York. We arrived almost at midnight, transferred the kids (Noam and
our friends' 2 kids) in their respective beds, and had a quick tour
of the magnificent house that was just completed a few months ago.

In the mist of all that it did not even occurred to us that we were missing the opening of the Olympics. Oh! Well!

on the road - day one

So we left in the morning. Slowly making our way northbound.
The car is packed except for a little space beside Noam's car seat,
so I can squeeze in in case he needs something. The ride was smoother
than expected. We discovered the little miracle of baby CD when Noam
started to whine a bit. As soon as he heard the songs he knows, he
started to giggle and laugh. Wow!
We stoped in New Jersey to visit an old aunt and uncle of Pauli. The
uncle is quite affected with Parkinson and it was a little sad to see
him, unable to walk, talk or see. Lydia, the aunt, was really happy
to see us, and took us for dinner to a great steak house. Noam had a
good time picking at the food there!
We reached New York around 9 at night, and happily crashed for a well
deserved night!

Goodbyes by the pool

 

After running around today to get the last things out for our storage, get the place cleaned and finish some errands, I ran to the pool to meet everyone for a little goodbye. Not a real goodbye yet since we are back in September, but still an "au revoir"... Kerstin showed up with 5 cute Beijing mascots, and offered one to all the babies there! The babies chose their own. Noam picked the green one.  

I will truly miss everybody. It has been so special and intense to share motherhood experiences with Willa, Kerstin, Franckie, Leora and the others. We truly have connected and helped each other in hard times... I am happy that we could meet and get to know each other!

One day's worth (a thousand) of images

Here you go, a visual summary of our last big day with the movers:

boxes all over but still smiling

Things are slowly getting cleared up

and loaded.

Loading up our lives in a truck. And a minimum of 2 1/2 months special tour before we see our stuff again in Beijing. (Unless the ship sinks, of course.  Ah! I am thinkin of all those important papers that got loaded in there by mistake!)

After the movers' passage. All a sudden our place feels larger.

At the end of the day, at the hotel. 

We were trying to get Noam to sleep so we headed in the only place left in our hotel room, the bathroom, were had a take out dinner... romantic!

A little bit of stress today

Today was the first day of a set of three. REAL packing. with real professional packers, and their tools. papers, boxes, bubble wrap, tape. Speedy they wrap everything they touch. DO NOT leave anything you want to keep with you around, unless you have put a RED sticker on it. You get the idea - some of our stuff we were going to use in our trip got pack!

And then in the middle of that, my nanny, Melinda, called with a strange voice. "Ça ne va pas." Right away I thought Noam was not going well, as he just had recovered from a bad stomac bug and I was not sure it was completely over... NO... Melinda's mom had just past away. What a terrible news. It took me a few seconds to be able to feel compasionate to her, my mind was struggling trying to figure an emergency option for Noam's care in those next few days, or hours... I managed to say the appropriate things and Melinda came back home quickly to rush home and organize her departure to Ivory Coast.

Even before she returned, I enlisted my group of best friends, all moms from the neighborhood, to help me find some alternate care for Noam. In within hours, I was able to figure something for both days. Thank you so much girls!

So as Noam is sleeping now, I am going to do the same. I need to be ready tomorrow...

In the mist of packing, a moment to remember

Today my son Noam stood between me and my husband as we were both sitting on the edge of the tub. He was but naked (my son, not my husband), fresh out of the bath, and while tapping my lap, he started saying "Ma ma ma ma", as he does a lot these days. Then he proceeded to turn around, looked at Paul, and laughed and then said "Ba ba ba"!  It was such a cute moment! To be remembered!  And it is the proof that in the middle of chaos there can be a flower rising...

Preparing the last bits before the big day

Trying to sort out things and to prepare my suitcase, my mind is racing. I am preparing a bag of important stuff to leave in DC, and to take along when we are heading for our final destination. And sorting out papers, bills and closing accounts. Not sure to be able to be done on time.

Boxes boxes boxes

This weekend are the pre-packing days. In order to facilitate our task and help our focus, our nanny has taken Noam with her for the whole day today. A very strange feeling for me, as in the last 10 months, I never being separated from him more than a few hours at the time! 

We have to sort out everything for the movers. We are creating four piles. The easy one: Throw. Then there is the Store pile; stuff we are not going to take in Beijing and is heading to a storage unit here in DC. Then the Container pile; things that will meet us in Beijing. Then last but most important: the Luggage one, the things we will live with for the next 2 months (or three depending on our shipment delivery).  

Our place is now full of boxes lying around, drawers are pulled opens and things are scatered around in every room. Our suitcases are getting pregnant... The diapers arrived, so we have a wall full of diaper boxes. (By the way, I wisely asked my nanny to advise on this, so we ordered lots of pull ups, foreseeing diaper training. Maybe I will have to do a post about diaper training the chinese way at some point.) We have little stickers - red for things to go in the Storage pile, green to go with the Container. Once we finish with those, and our place will look like a sale floor with tags on every item, except that there was a tornado in the shop. 

I am trying to get my head around all our stuff and make priority of our things. Not easy. I would take everything and land there tomrorrow it would be simpler. I am also having this endless running list of to-do before we go, and I keep adding to the list or start doing 5 other things at the same time but can't complete any. In fact I stand around gazing at the mess most of the time. 

I hope most of the sorting will be done by tomorrow lunch. Then Monday, the REAL thing will happen... The movers will be there!