The Gordian Knot

Not long before 9pm tonight, we heard one Birdie B. Bird crying out in distress. Julie dashed upstairs. A nightmare? Not quite, Brigade. No, Our Birdie was in distress having caught up a red string from her lacing cards in a knotty tangle around her ankle. She was trying to create a shoe like Barbie's, with ties wrapped fetchingly up her wee calf. And, Birdie noted, there was too much stuff on  her bed! And her neck was getting tired! And she didn't come downstairs because we get mad at her when she does! Well, after she'd clarified the times is appropriate to get out of bed, Julie set about untangling the Gordian knot. It took a few minutes, but we got it done. No "red scratches." We checked. Brigade, you should imagine this whole scene playing out in a heavy fog of overlapping lip smacker chap stick scents. Birdie got several for Christmas and she loves to put them on. All of them. At once. Goes well with a red lacing card string.

To the Sunshine State!

Fans, we have left you hanging for too long. Most recently, we have been in Florida celebrating Grandpa Tom's 75th birthday, early, with assorted Ekkers. Now you might think that Grandpa Tom's birthday was the main event, but looked at from the bambini's perspective, you would be wrong. Joe and Clara met their cousins Julia, Josie, and Quinn and once that happened, "When will Julia and Josie get here?" and "Is Quinn coming?" were near constant refrains from Joe and Clara, respectively. These three were the brightest stars in the weekend's firmament. Joe was especially taken with Julia, at nine and in fourth grade, a decidedly older woman. They were big dogs for Birdie to run with; Quinn, also four, was more her speed.

We visited two pools and two beaches over the course of the four days we were there. All four of us got sunburned. It was -3 and snowing when we left Minnesota. Our sunny-day-at-the-pool-or-beach skills are embarrassingly rusty! But so much sun and warmth and family hugs were a tonic for the winter-weary spirit.

We Minnesota Ekkers think Grandpa Tom was terribly clever to celebrate in advance of his regularly scheduled birthday in May in a warm place. We suppose you learn some things on you way to 75.

Select photo gallery below. (Curated full shoot to be posted on Shutterfly in the coming days for those who would like to view them all or order individual shots. We will circulate that information via e-mail when we've got it together.)

Let's Go See A Kite

Fans, it's been cold here, but for a good portion of January, we had a thaw. (That's when it gets into, say, the high 30s and people skip around without coats because it's not two below.) It just so happened that the Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival happened during the thaw. Lake Harriet is one of a handful of lakes quite near White House and one day each winter, one can tromp out on it and fly a kite--or watch other people fly kites which is what we did. There were kite-themed songs playing like Summer Wind and Let's Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins, and with at least 50 kites flying, it was all very heart-lifting. Turns out, in spite of the thaw, it was rather chilly out there on the open frozen lake with the wind that was making it a perfect day for (winter) kite flying. So when Clara took a tumble on the ice chasing around after Joe, we headed into the nearby center of the Linden Hills neighborhood for hot chocolates. Half the lake was already there at the coffee shop which might be why the milk steamer machine decided to call it a day before our drinks could be made. But the bakery case was still open!

Lockdown

Fans, we know: we've left you hanging. We have so much to report! And we shall get you all caught up with all the bambini's doings. For tonight, we bring you a news bulletin from this afternoon that resulted in the St. Louis Park KinderCare, where Our Birdie goes, being on lockdown from about 1pm until its close-!!! A repeat felon was on the lose and as part of the as-yet failed efforts to apprehend him, police had converged on Byerly's, a large grocery store quite near the KinderCare. (The Grandparents Trump may be interested to know that Highway 169 was briefly shut down in the northbound direction, on a stretch encompassing the exit leading to the Marriott at which they sometimes stay.) The manhunt has since moved far south, and not long after 3pm, KinderCare Director Lacee had said they would remain on lockdown, but that they would open the doors to authorized pick-up people. (A "soft lockdown"?)

So the lockdown represented more an abundance of caution than a response to a true threat.  One can see this fact clearly in hindsight, now that Rational Brain is in the driver's seat again. At the time, Julie's Emotional Heart shoved Rational Brain in the back seat and floored it right on down Oh-My-God-A-Person-With-A-Loaded-Gun-Could-Be-Walking-Into-Clara's-Day-Care-Right-Now! Road, while Rational Brain screamed from the back seat, "Oh for the love of GOD! Get a Big Gulp of perspective and take a sip!" Had she been able to reach Ted, she feels certain that he would have said the same thing then as he all but did later: when she reached him later to discuss estimated times of arrival home given the snow that began falling around 3pm, and said, "Did you hear about this lockdown thing?!" he said, "Yeah?" So see, he probably didn't need the Big Gulp.

Rational Brain eventually managed to clamber up to the front seat and at least ride shotgun and the bambalinos are tucked in, safe as houses, in their White House.

Ring-A-Ding Duh!

This just in: Julie has found Clara in bed, propped up on her pillow in her Santa Claus hat, with her toy Frozen-themed cell phone up to her ear. Clara has glanced up at Julie framed in the doorway and said, "I'm talking to Emma."

Um, like, hello???