Random observations

We're on the East Coast for a quick visit with the in-laws, and it's prompted some random thoughts.

- Before we got settled in Portland, I used to pine for New York whenever I visited. Now, I spend a lot of our trips out here wondering how we will ever leave the West Coast. It's too cold here. It's noisy. It's crowded. It smells ... odd. Our life is so easy in the Little Green House. How could we give that up for a place that's so difficult? How can we stay so far away from the bulk of the people we care most about?

- Why is it fun to be scared? We took TheBoy to the Museum of Natural History this week. The trip was mostly successful, until he came to the diarama depicting a sperm whale grappling with a giant squid. He hid behind Judybat's legs. He whimpered. He refused to go any closer than a safe 10 feet. Then, during our lunchtime discussion of what else we should see before departing, he demanded we go back to check out the whale-squid action again. Because abject terror is a new sensation.

- I am a strong, strong woman. I made it through our first night with a babysitter for TheGirl without going insane. Or more insane than I am now.

- I am a weak, weak woman. We return to our part of the world Sunday night. Bright and early Monday morning, I'm expecting a visitor: The cable guy. Yes, I broke down and did it. Judybat, of course, is still rolling her eyes at me.