Clouded Behavior

I’ve been tracking sun spots (on my handy app, of course) for the last 14 months in the hopes that I would make it out for a long weekend to the arctic circle and catch the aurora borealis (AB). Kids, of course, were in tow and I had figured we would go to Alaska, merge the timing with the Iditarod Dog Sled competition and see 11 year climax of sunspot activity manifest in brilliant Northern Lights while listening to ‘Under the Milky Way'. Dog sledding in the day, tracking in the night and while I came close three times to pulling off the trip – made it all the way to Manitoba, the more I researched the more I wanted to see the AB from a nice, Norwegian hotel where room service wakes you up to catch the fabled light show.

I had this amazing suite that overlooked Niagara Falls however I always miss the Crew. 

I am not sure if I am losing my optimism,  but I could see the alternative version of this trip where I am sitting in a very cold truck, so cold the air burns your nose as you inhale acrid, dirty snow smell sitting on hard, cracked, green vinyl, eating frozen granola in the middle of northern Canada, waiting in vain for the AB, hesitant to wear headphones in case a serial killer has tracked us for the last 300 miles while trying to disengage from a half-hearted discussion about the existence of alternate life forms with some odd dudes who use the word dude too much. The metaphorical power of clouds.

Driving home from the office

Tings on his perch.

In reality, I am finding a plethora of studies on weather and behavior. In our family, my mother firmly believes in “Captain of your soul, Master of your fate” philosophy and Dad & B prefer to be left alone on cloudy days.

B seems to have fun when I actually drag him into playing cards. 

This year, I have missed the sun and hazy, warm laziness I attribute to the summer months.

It’s been ‘go, go, go’ and then ‘go’. Oddly enough, there does seem to be conclusive evidence that during the maxima of sunspot activity, human behavior is stimulated. 2012 was predicted to be the climax year of the 11 year cycle. I can imagine solar flares, invisible to the human eye, jabbing their way through layers of thick clouds and igniting all the cells in my body. A booming voice in the sky shouts ‘Activate’! (a la Wonder Twins) as I spin around like a Mario-cart character and ‘Go!’ shooting off over the hills. And so we have gone – we moved homes, we got new jobs, started new schools, had a lots of lovely house guests, and gardened our hearts out, including plenty of bouts with poison ivy.

Fun! Fun! Fun! Go! Go! Go!

We had high hopes for summer.

First day of summer vacation.

First time in the Jacuzzi

Year 1 optimism of having a pool had us making excited pre-summer plunges. Tings and I would dare each other – he was definitely the instigator! I couldn't let him down and both of us were hoping the other would call chicken as we nervously got closer to the edge. We don't back down! We plunged into cold water!

Birthday plunge! In lieu of his body, Hun's signature move is to fling his trunks into the pool! Little guy likes his creature comforts.

The pictures below are a deceptive indicator of how often we have been in the pool. However even with the limited run, we are addicted. We love it.

Rocking the Pool in the Summer of Rain

Fact is, Atlanta is on pace to have its wettest year since 1879.There have been few rain free weekends.

There are, fortunately, ways to cope, of course.

 #1 : I suggest drinking plenty of pina coladas. That seems to help most things.

#2 : Make use of rain gear by actually going out in the rain. That's Tingu calling to the wild in the first picture. I think Hunie was mirroring my expression!

This epic walk in the rain took ages as Hunie and Nani named every anthill colony on a two mile walk. They seemed to follow a Chinese restaurant trend: MudPalace I, MudPalace II, Green Forest Colony, Green Forest Colony IX....

#3: Catch and deposit toads into lego boats and watch them float through the “monster waves” of the pool.

We kept having to fish this little frog out from the saline water, I mean lava. The lego man was equally annoyed.

#4: Experiment – at least it is partially supervised. Every now and then there is a rather large flood...on the plus side the washing machines are right there so the boys just strip down and carry on -

#5 : Teach the Nana how to take ‘selfies’

#6 : Sit and be mesmerized by the rain.

#7 : After all that contemplation, be inspired to climb the walls. Literally.

This was redacted and no longer allowed - I need an erase function on the kids.

#8 : Get some culture : Enjoy a afternoon snack of banana chips, coffee while Nani & Nana teach chess

#9 : Continue a locked-down blog that no one reads anymore! : )