Friday, July 16, 2004

Gah. We're not panicking. Two weeks until the New Zealand in-laws arrive for a visit and to see their oh-so-huggable grandson and my father-in-law's namesake. It's been three years already since Peter and Sylvia have visited us, back when we were living in mountainous snowy Lake Tahoe, and more than a year now since we last visited them in Auckland.

Much has changed, of course, notably the addition of the squirming bouncy monkey-man Peter to our lives. It'll be a whirlwind of activity for all concerned; the Kiwis fly into San Francisco in about 10 days, spend a little time there and then drive 8 hours (!) north to remote Oregon to visit us folks. They'll stay here for about another 10 days, and Avril and Peter will attempt to show them the glories of the Beaver State (which is sadly bereft of beavers). Crater Lake, the Coast, Portland and Powell's all on the menu if they can do it. I have to work still for most of it. Fortunately we have a pretty spacious 3.5 bedroom house right now (only one bathroom though) so all five of us plus two spastic cats should be OK. Then, Aug. 6 or so, I get a week's vacation and the whole caravan of us drives back down to California to spend a week with my parents. It's pretty rare all the in-laws and relations get together -- the last time really was our wedding almost five years ago -- so it should be a blast, as long as baby doesn't get too temperamental. There will be much entertaining cultural mixing and pollination ahead, and Peter finally gets to meet his other grandparents. Hurrah!

In the meantime there is much cleaning and spiffing up of the house to do. The infernal new screen door is attached more or less but there's always other things to do. Wash the doors! Scrub the tub! Polish the refrigerator! Bleach the cats! Etc etc etc etc....

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