Revisiting the Hunter Valley

Mike's work hosted a "Spring Getaway" to the Hunter Valley this weekend. They paid hotel rooms for all employees and their families (or a plus one), hosted a wine tasting event, and few nice meals. All the families scored villas, I think because then they wouldn't bother anyone with their noisy kids. We ended up with a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. It was excessive for one night a family of three, but we enjoyed it all the same. We also checked out the Hunter Valley Zoo, which is pretty small compared to other zoos we've been too, but it was just right for Penny's first zoo experience. We didn't have her stroller, so she walked around the whole place, and only needed to be carried a few times. It was a fun weekend despite being at a very "touristy" place, but it was just the right amount of time away.

Revisiting the Powerhouse Museum

We had nothing planned this weekend, so yesterday we walked over to the Powerhouse Museum after Penny's nap. They currently have a Wiggles exhibit, which was very hands-on and good for kids Penny's age. They also had some other fun hands-on experiments. Penny's favorite was an area where there was a crank contraption that kids could turn to lift balls up to the top of this board. On the board were PVC pipes and other things that the kids could move, attached to the wall with magnets, to arrange a track for the balls to then go down to the bottom, where they could enter or be placed back into the crank. 

It was a fun last-minute field trip, and it wasn't too crowded for a Saturday afternoon. Also, kids under 16 get in a free, so you can't beat that. 

Be SMART

The Sandy Hook Promise is getting a lot of coverage and shares at the moment because of their shocking commercial. I have no particular comments about the commercial, but I have two main issues with the promise. 

One - I think it's really easy for people to sign the promise and feel like they are doing something without actually doing anything. 

Two - I'm all for communities trying to be proactive to prevent violence, but I don't like any programs or ideas that could turn into victim-blaming. 

I don't know first-hand about the program they are promoting, but it sounds like it is about promoting awareness about signs to watch for. I am skeptical of a program that places the responsibility of violence on the people that the violence is committed against, and not the perpetrator. Yes, people should be aware of warning signs. In several cases though, people have been aware that a person was violent, and even tried to act. Because of the laws in place or other factors, a dangerous person was still able to gain access to weapons. Also, often the people that are victims didn't know the violent person, and they are literally innocent bystanders that couldn't have noticed previous signs. 

I think the promise walks the middle of the road so that it can get support from both sides, politically, but that's also why I don't imagine any concrete change will come from it. I'm sure people mean well if they are signing up for the promise, but that's not really the issue.


I prefer the Be SMART campaign. It actually makes people aware of a real thing they can do that could prevent gun violence or accidents - having conversations with others about gun safety. So, I would promote that over making any promise. Actions always speak louder than words. 

Games, Billabong #2, and a Ridiculous Charge

Over the weekend, we had a fun game day with friends and too many snacks. 

Sunday, I went away for a 24 hour retreat at Billabong Retreat, my second time there (about an hour and a half from where we live on on the train). It was a nice, relaxing time by the pond, swimming in the magnesium hydrotherapy pool, doing yoga, drinking tea on a comfy couch by the woodburning stove, and with someone else cooking me gourmet vegan meals. I actually used a hot water bottle that was wearing a sweater. It was awesome. 

Now I'm back and it's a normal work week. We are slowly checking items off the list to get ready for our international move. Mike got a text recently telling us about a $33000 charge on our credit card. Our eyes popped out of our heads, but then we found out it was an error on the part of the bank because they forgot to include the decimal point, and the amount was what it was supposed to be - $330. That was a nice heart attack to start off the week. 

It looks like it's going to be a pretty cold and rainy for the next few days, so we are just hunkering down and doing what we have to do. Being public transport commuters is not fun in this weather, but I just wear my rubber boots and hope for the best. 

Shipping. What a Racket.

I am in the process of planning our shipment of some items back to the US for our move. Apparently, they can be completely deceptive in their quotes and quote you one price with an asterisk on the end, and the asterisk says that there will be additional fees at the destination. Then you find out that the destination fees are nearly as much as the quote itself. And this was the company that was recommended to us by someone who used them.

Anyway, it's expensive, and I'm disappointed with their service before it has even begun. 

Luckily, Mike's work is covering some of our moving costs, but still. I'm annoyed on the principle of it. 

Nerdy Boardgame Post Alert

Mike and I have been playing the new Scythe expansion The Rise of Fenris, and so far it's really good. It's interesting because you're meant to play it as a campaign the first several times, and basically each different time you get to try one of the different expansions. Then later they can be played independently, however you want. There is also an interesting backstory, which is more complex than your average boardgame backstory. It has to do with an alternate history timeline involving Nikola Tesla around WWI. I might be biased since I never won Scythe until we started playing this way, and I have won one of the individual games now. Good times.

New Teeth

I am in the midst of getting some dental work done in the last week, and it will thankfully be done next week. Penny's and my teeth must be in cahoots because the amount she's got is currently increasing 66.6%. She is getting her next two bottom teeth on either side of her front two, and she is starting to get her first bottom molars. She's been a little feverish and pitifully whingy lately because of it, in the cutest way of course. 

Fathers' Day Bagels

For Fathers' Day, we went to Smoking Gun Bagels with some friends. Everything was as delicious as the last time we were there, more or less a year ago. Penny was a lot bigger this time, so she could sit on her own little stool without help. We got her a bagel with salmon and cream cheese, and she ate all the salmon and left everything else. It was fine with me, since I got to eat what was left. Mike's gift was a pair of shorts that Penny picked out (with my help), and a mug she painted (with my help). It was a nice Fathers' Day, but it's weird when all the other fathers we would wish "Happy Fathers' Day" aren't also celebrating on the same day. Similarly, it's weird to Facetime and wish them "Happy Fathers' Day" at a time of year that it's not happening here.  

A Dream About Lightning Bugs

I'm enjoying Ben Folds' autobiography, A Dream About Lightning Bugs. It's enjoyable in a low-key way, if that makes sense. As a fan of his music, it's nice to hear the background stories about some of his songs, some of which I vaguely knew and some I didn't. At least so far, there isn't anything that surprising - his stories are pretty ordinary, but humorous. He's good at picking the details he uses to describe life events. And, like a lot of other things that I have enjoyed lately, it's a nice reminder of what life in the 1980's and 1990's was like. 

Falling Inn Love

Every once in a while, we watch some ridiculously corny Netflix-produced rom-com. Most recently, it was Falling Inn Love. Mike and I made fun of it the whole time because some of the things the characters did made absolutely no sense, and yet, we enjoyed it. It follows the classic formula and we like New Zealand.