Blondie

Watching Blondie eat
Poor kitty. She is banished to the back porch. While I was bathing Susan, she came into the bathroom to see what was going on. I got a whiff of her encounter with a skunk. I grabbed her and socked her into the tub. Susan got out of her tub and went to let Garrett dry her off while I soaped Blondie and dunked her into Susan's tub. I don't recall she has ever had a bath before, and she hates to be wet. I don't know how I escaped being bitten or scratched.

I told Susan to shut the bathroom door so the wet cat wouldn't escape. She smells better, but not completely de-skunked yet. I remember waking to the smell of a black and white visitor this morning about 5. Garrett said he had let her out a little before that. Poor Blondie. I wonder how long it takes for that odor to leave. I have Febrezed the place, but didn't spray the cat. It probably wouldn't hurt her, but I didn't know for sure.

Susan and I had lunch outside today. I had been watering the yard and garden, and she soaked herself by the faucet. We sat out under the tree and ate until her parents called to say they were on the web cam. After naps we went to the library for more videos. I'm tired of Dora the Explorer. We found Barney, Baby Mozart, Elmo, and Little Bear. Baby Mozart is part of the Baby Einstein series. The music and visuals are wonderful.

This place still smells skunky.

Wagon

Susan with wagon and tricycle and Rabbit








When we moved into this house, there was a Radio Super wagon, old and rusty, left here by some previous resident. I used it on the front porch to hold flower pots in the summer. The wheels hardly turned. Sat. morning when Susan and I were pulling weeds (she was mostly pulling off flowers), she discovered the wagon and wanted to pull it. I oiled it and moved it to the patio with the tricycle. She has pulled it all over the place and let me pull her a little. Yesterday she had Rabbit outside with her, but wouldn't put him in the wagon because it was "dirty". It had some dirt in it from the pots. We washed it, of course. She also tried to ride the trike, but it is really too big. I'm happy to say that we used repellent and were not bothered at all with mosquitoes as we had been earlier.

She sat with Garrett at church yesterday. He took her up for the children's sermon and then back to their seats. When the choir stood up for the anthem, he said she saw me for the first time and said "Granma". She went to the nursery afterwards.

She must have some allergies. Her nose has started running, and she has coughed as night. It doesn't seem to be a cold. If she doesn't get better this week, I'll have to take her to Dr. Shum.

Susan loves to go to the mailbox every day. We have a race to get back to the house.
Mail race

Snow cones

Susan went to "school" again this week. They made and ate snow cones. The teachers said she loved it. What I know is that she came home covered with blue juice and a snow cone made of a styrofoam ball colored yellow, a paper cone, and a straw. She cries when I leave her, but is happy soon. This is Rachel Johnson's daughter Jillian with Susan the day they had snow cones. JJ had pink and Susan had blue. Susan and Jillian

Last night Michelle (Taiwan student) and GianCarlo (boyfriend from Peru) came to eat hamburgers. Susan was slow to get acquainted, but then was happy to talk and play with them, especially Michelle. Michelle is a first grade teacher here working on a Master's in Education. GC is working on an MBA in finance. Michelle got in on the bath and toothbrushing. She thinks Susan is very smart and mature for her age. Susan hadn't taken much of a nap, so she went to sleep about 9.

When we went to Tammy's this week to sew on Wednesday, Susan found a pet she loved. I don't know if she ever touched Harry Rabbit, but she fed him some carrots and watched him closely. We will have to go back by sometime so she can see Harry again.

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Susan went to Santa Fe with Carl and Grandma to see Matina. Matina is Carl's cousin and Grandma's niece, and she is at a seminar for a month in New Mexico. It was a long drive, but we stopped to rest and stretch our legs. We also had food to eat and cold water to drink. We checked into the motel about 5:30 and went to get Matina.
Carl and Matina at White Rock overlook
Her school was way across town, and we made a few wrong turns getting there. She looks very much like her mother, but like herself too. We four went to dinner at Coyote Cantina. It is a rooftop restaurant downtown with delicious food. Afterwards we got the stroller and walked around about an hour.

Saturday we all had breakfast at the Cloudcliff Bakery. It was so sunny we decided to eat indoors. Susan especially liked the watermelon and a biscuit. Actually she didn't eat much bread, just licked the jelly off and held it out for more. I ordered 2 hard boiled eggs for Susan and me. They have no real idea what that is. I opened the first and sent the second back for another 5 minutes.

We had decided to check out some of the pueblos. I wanted to go to Chimayo to the weaving shop. Matina wanted to see some pottery. Carl didn't seem to care so long as we were all together. We didn't ask Susan. We drove through the Tesuque reservation, but didn't find anywhere to stop. In Chimayo we visited a chapel were there is supposed to be miraculous dirt. Actually we only walked around the grounds which were interesting. Susan wanted to feel all the flowers. We drove on past the restaurant and found the weaving shop. We were able to watch a weaver for a while. Susan chose a purple rug for her mother, and Matina found one with birds. There were lots of weaving shops in that area.

We drove on to the Santa Clara pueblo and stopped at a house to see some pottery. Susan was tired, so I took her outside to see the hummingbirds at a
Santuario de Chimayo
feeder while Matina looked at the pottery and pictures of the process. We found a place for ice cream and cold drinks.

We drove into the mountains on the west side of I25 north of Santa Fe. One thing we saw was a huge radio telescope that turned out to be part of the Los Alamos National Labs. We drove to a place called White Rock that we all agreed was a super view. It was getting hot outside. We felt a little cooler looking at the waterfalls. White Rock overlook

Bandelier was our last stop. I remember going there as a kid about 12. It's the place where Anasazi Indians build their pueblo. We walked up the hiking path as far as the kiva.

Looking into the kiva at Bandelier

Sitting on the lodge patio

School

Susan went to "school" Thursday for the first time. She went to Mother's Day Out at the Methodist Church. We had to take diapers, another set of clothes, bebe, Rabbit, lunch, a snack, water, formula. I was exhausted by the time I got her ready!
We had already visited the room, but it was empty at the time. Filled with adults and children, it was scary. She has a basket in the hall for all her stuff. Bebe had to go in with her. She was crying when I left.
When I went back at 3:30, Susan was smiling and playing with the other children. She had played outside, made something for Papa for Father's Day, eaten lunch, napped, and played some more. I think she had a very good day.



Eating lunch at school

Drawing with Apa

It's hard to believe Susan has been here two weeks already. She understands a lot of things we say, but doesn't carry on a conversation yet. We talked to her parents this morning, but she was sleepy because she had just waked up. I'm afraid it wasn't very satisfactory for them. She is standing in the blocks can now and watching Sesame Street.

She and Garrett love to draw together. He kept her twice over the weekend while I helped give a shower for a friend's daughter. I think they had a very good time, but he was tired when I got home.

Susan went with me to quilt Tuesday and Wednesday. She was overwhelmed at the quilt shop; too many people and too big. Wed. we went Patty's house. She had fun there. It was a home and fewer people. We went to Walmart and she chose a doll. I'll take a picture of them together. We also got 2 Sippee Cups and more diapers.

Saturday night the three of us went to the library; Susan picked out a ladybug book that has ladybugs to count. Afterwards we ate at Los Insurgentes. She was really hungry and had chips, chicken, rice, and flan. By the time we got to the grocery, we were all getting tired, but on the way home she told me she wanted to use the potty. It worked! It hasn't since.

Susan and Jillian were the center of attention during the children's sermon. Don asked the other kids what children need and how they can help them grow up. They had some good ideas. In the evening we went to the park again, but the mosquitoes bit through our repellent, so we went home soon to wash the repellent and the bites in the shower.

She's here!

Susan has been here for a week. She, Garrett, and Silvia arrived about 7:45 Sunday on the plane from Houston. Silvia was very tired.

We had a great week together. Garrett didn't go to school Monday and Tuesday, so we stayed home most of the time. Carl came over Memorial Day for dinner. I had intended to cook the chicken outside, but the fire wouldn't stay lit, so I had to use the oven. We had barbecued chicken quarters, slaw, and rice. There were plenty of leftovers. Afterwards we went to Dreamland to see the jackrabbits. Susan had a fit about the car seat. She isn't used to sitting in one. However, we found out later the harness was too tight. When we loosened it, she was fine.

Wednesday we went to Don Phang and an Asian supermarket and Sams. Silvia wanted vitamins to take home. Susan made a big hit at Los Insurgentes. Lluvia was there with her children. Susan called Bentley "gugu" and he was a bit offended until Silvia said it meant brother. Then he was okay with it and squirted her with water. She loved it.

Thursday we had the chicken again, and Carl came. Susan really likes him. She ate most of his yogurt. The best thing was watching her use tongs to pick up the French fries. After she had watched some of us use them, she picked them up and did it herself. It was amazing in a child so young. She eats ramen noodles from a plate with chopsticks too.

Friday morning we had to make a visit to Dr. Shum to get Susan's checkup and innoculations--four of them! No wonder she cried. She is doing well and weighs about 26 lb. The nurse measured her at 35", but she isn't that tall. Dr. Shum said she should about double her present height and weight at 21.
We also made a quick trip to Sam's again. Silvia had intended that Susan would be asleep when she went to the airport. It didn't work that way, so we all went. Susan wasn't happy to say goodby, but was okay later.
The shots made her feel bad, so I gave her some Tylenol. She slept well and didn't wake until after 8, about 10 hours.

We had dinner at Chilis. Susan loved her fries, but wasn't too crazy about the chicken. It was breaded. I didn't much like it either. She did eat my rice sticks and carrots, Carl's bacon and burger, and Garrett's celery, so she had plenty to eat.
She has asked for her bottle today, at the right times, but has not taken the milk. She just used it to hold before sleeping. She slept all night in her bed. I moved it over next to me, so she could see me if she woke.

Today we took Susan to church. It was Pentecost Sunday. Garrett read the scripture in German, I read in French, Laura read English, Edgar, Spanish, and Cloyce, Italian. It was quite neat. Afterwards, Susan went to the nursery where they said she did very well.
Susan and I walked to the park (stroller) to play on the playground. I took a few short videos. I will add pictures to this narrative tomorrow. It is late.