How it all started

It was just me and the dogs. Living happily and much to easily and much to stresslessly and much to much disposable income (not really) and plenty of time.. Then the family expanded by a wonderful 10 year old girl from Russia (the kid).... people said I should have my head examined "What a kid!" Followed by "Have you thought about it?"
"No, it's an impulse item,there I was at the check out counter in Safeway and I decided to get a kid...." I digress.

The kid, arrived in August of 2007 and life ceased to be the same . Still living happily, and somewhat easily, once the childcare person came on board, but gone are the stressless days and the disposable income and gone most certainly is time and going to bed early enough to get to the gym by 6 a.m. ......But I would not trade it for the world...What has happened is that life has become so much fuller, so much richer and so much more intense. In the last year I have done things, sometimes simple things that I would never have thought of doing at my age (60). Sliding down the playground slide, because ..."mama you have to"....ice skating...and rolling on my sides down the sand dunes because it was expected and because the last thing I want the kid to know is that mom is old...I digress again,

The Road Trip was however an impulse promise. Much like the one I made for next year....Russia

So off we go with gas at almost $5.00 a gallon. Kid, me and dog(yes, through no fault of the kid there is only one dog now) through the billowing smoke in Northern and Central California. An adventure. By the way no such word in Russian....