The weblog is mucked up due to unknown nefarious souls. Maybe I should have stayed with Movable Type.

We had our first tres huevos day from las gallinas. One was kinda bloody, though. We did have a cuattro heuvo day last fall, but it was unclear if all four had actually been laid in one day.

2012 FEB 18 : SATURDAY
Amanda was on call and was gone for the morning and most of the afternoon. I took LK to gymnastics in the morning. After a snack at home, we went to the Rainier Community Center for Toddler Play Time (even though he isn’t a toddler any more). Basically, they have some mats and toys and things in one of the gyms for kiddos. It normally is only for a couple of hours, but they had it all day since it was nasty outside. And presumably because no one had rented it out for something else. AC-MC and family were there as well. KB was there with W; I had not seen them in quite a while.

I think we went to Costco that for yet more supplies and lunch, but I am not sure.

2012 FEB 19 : SUNDAY
As usual, I had a team meeting in Bellevue. Amanda and the Kai went to IKEA. Apparently bfast was free for President’s Day and there were gobs of people there. Amanda looked at the mattresses there, but did not get one. She went to some other mattress place in Renton and eventually bought one with a box spring and cover. They would deliver it later that day.

They came and picked me up in Bellevue. My meeting had finished a bit early so I wandered around Bellevue Square until they arrived. We then went to a Toys’R’Us to get a quick present for AK whose bday party was later in the day. Nothing was very inspiring, but we ended up getting her some stamps (chosen by Amanda and I) and a dinosaur creature (chosen by LK).

I was very hungry, so we stopped at a Subway to get something to eat. I did not really want to go to a Subway, what with my previous food poisoning, but while there were other options, they would not have been fast enough as we did not have a lot of time before we needed to be at AK’s party. As it turned out, there was only one person working there and a lot of people in line, so we were waiting a long time for our food.

We did make it in time for the party, which was only a couple of miles away from where we ate lunch. It was at a YMCA. They had a kiddie play area that could be rented out where all the party goers burned off some energy. Later we went to another room for food and cake. It was fun.

Back home, our mattress was delivered. They were not able to get the box spring up the stairs due to the tight turn at the bottom, so we just returned it. Apparently, that is a common problem in the older houses in Seattle. The mattress guys pointed out that our slat frame would void the mattress warranty, though, so I will eventually just get some plywood to put down on the slats.

2012 FEB 20 : MONDAY
It was President’s Day, so the Kai was out of school. Amanda was on call again, so we dropped her off at work. It was a little early to do anything else, but the Kai wanted to go back home and wait to see if his “Crazy Creatures” arrived. We had promised to getthem for him (they are generic building blocks that can be made into various critters as well as other things) if he had enough good reports at school. Which he eventually did. Kai played with his current blocks until he got bored. I had wanted to go to the zoo, but the weather was too cold and wet. Kai then choose to go to the Science Center. The science center was overrun with people and kids due to the holidays. There was a long time to get in, but since we are members we got to go to the special entrance and enter immediately.

We were only in the center for maybe fifteen minutes before Amanda called and said she was done. We headed out to pick her up and ended up eating lunch at World Wrapps in University Village. There were hordes of people at UVillage as well.

LK and I passed out at home. He work up later but I kept on sleeping. I had not really slept the night before as I worked on things in anticipation of watching the Kai today.

I made a stir fry for dinner. Amanda made the sauce which was very tasty.

2012 FEB 21 : TUESDAY
It was really windy today, and the wind blew off the stuff I had piled on the compost containers to prevent gallina escapes. Comet proceeded to escape, and later I had to chase her around the neighbor’s backyard before eventually catching her. Bad gallina!

I talked with the plumbing guys again today. They have made a plan and will work up the quote paperwork for me. It sounds expensive.

I had a class in the evening. Amanda had an evening thing as well, so BK picked up the Kai from school.

I have been sick. This is what I get for not taking my vitamins and echinacea.

Firday night we went to a potluck at LK’s school. There was also a presentation on healthy eating for the kiddies. It was fun, although LK was not behaving and we had to leave early.

Saturday Amanda went to a conference in Seatac. I took LK to gymnastics and later when shopping at Costco. Amanda came back in the afternoon. I don’t remember what we did that evening, but since I am sick I have a good excuse. Saturday afternoon is when I started feely pretty lousy. I did not really sleep much that night.

Sunday I went off again to Bellevue to meet with my project team. Amanda took the Kai grocery shopping. I slept when I got back. Amanda assembled a couple of quiches (“broccoli and chesse” and “adult flavors” i.e. sun dried tomato and carmelized onions). We went to have dinner with PKF, GF, and family at their new house in Madison Park.

Monday I met a guy from the plumbing company that I will probably have fix our water line. Cevin (what is up with that spelling?) basically looked over the situation and gave me a rough estimate on the costs. I needed to get the utility companies to mark all the lines before he can give me a better estimate. The slope itself is not the problem; the fact that the gas line is on the same side of the house is. I hope it is not a problem because otherwise the fix will be even more expensive.

Basically, they get a flexible drill to drill under the sidewalk and retaining wall, and then start angling it upwards to side of the house. When it comes up, they trench as necessary to the required part of the basement. As they pull the drill back out, they take along the copper pipe with it. Neat!

But, yes, the gas line is a problem. I dunno how much space they need to get around it. The rough estimate is between 5 and 6K, which actually is less than I thought it would be, but I guess it could still be a lot more. The fix itself should take three days.

I did call the “call before you dig” clearinghouse people (who then inform all the utilities), so all that should be marked by this Thursday.

I made lentil soup for dinner. Amanda said that it was one of the best yet, which is impressive as I can’t taste anything due to my illness right now.

Amanda and the family had all of their luggage stolen out of their rental car while they were at the La Brea Tar Pits. That sucks. They had stopped there on the way to the airport. Amanda now does not have any maternity clothes, which is a bummer. Maybe we will have to get more tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I think it was basic just clothes and Amanda’s little netbook computer.

The year certainly has not started well. On the other hand, only things were taken and they can be replaced.