A bizarre day

Stating the obvious

Lorena pointed to a truck as we were driving to the Science museum asking me what it was carrying. I answered that it had plants. "Look mom!", she said excitedly, "a truck carrying plants!!!"

The girls love the Science Center and we visited the areas we usually see; we then headed to the cafeteria for lunch. Both lines wrapped around one of the food islands; it was really crowded and the cashier was moving slowly. After the girls picked up a PB&J sandwich, carrots, and apples; Arantxa decided to go look for a table. Lorena followed her and I couldn't see them, even though I knew the direction that they were headed had no other exits. I saved my spot and went to check on them, Lorena was already strapped to her high chair.

A good while later I was close enough to see that the cashier had a cell phone in hand which he was using as a calculator! Mmh... As my turn finally came, he input numbers in his phone and said "let's call it an even $14". I showed my credit card, but of course the whole system was down. "Just go and I'll look for you later" he replied as I explained that I had no cash. We were all hungry, so I just did. Halfway through lunch I went back and everything appeared to be working. The cashier effusively thanked me for going back to pay. Unusual day!

Before we left, Arantxa announced that she wanted to eat her remaining sandwich half later. I told her I would not be carrying it around, and forgot about the matter since I did not see the sandwich again. You, however, my dear reader, will not forget.

We visited some more exhibits and headed back to the parking lot. We were to return books from the Seattle Library (we usually do King County) so I tried typing the Queen Anne's address, but the GPS did not recognize it. I asked it to show me the 5 nearest cities: "there are no cities". Quite funny being where we were. I decided that maybe the parking structure was interfering with the receiver. Arantxa then told me that her straps were too tight and she needed help getting harnessed in. I was about to help her when she said, "maybe it is the sandwich". She proceeded to pull out the sandwich from her pants' front pocket!!!! Luckily she had wrapped it in the cling wrap plastic. She was very sad that her sandwich had been deformed, I, on the other hand, had to try hard not to laugh! I finally convinced her that it could have been MUCH worse and she ate it.

I backed up and saw a minivan struggling to get out. I mean, really struggling. I got out of the car to help the driver: a grandmother that was probably using a van that was not hers. Even with my help she kept running down the orange plastic tube barrier and going over the curb. I finally suggested she backed up the other way, "but, isn't it one way?". Yes, I explained, but she was pretty much stuck and out of other options, she could then use 2 open stalls to turn around. I went back to the car to back up and give her more space. She still had a very hard time, I had to use the horn to stop her from going over the curb and tube again. Another guy came up to his car and he watched in amusement. We made eye contact and shared a comprehension and slightly mischievous smile.

When she finally made it out (still going over the curb once more as she went down the ramp), the girls and I started cracking up. You know how it goes, begin with a smile and then laugh hard. I couldn't stop myself from laughing. In between laughs, I tried to explain to the girls that we could laugh now that we had helped her and knowing that she had made it out. I am sure those were the longest 10 minutes in her life.

We got out and I parked to find the library. Nothing! It kept suggesting places in PA and the east coast. It then dawned on me: the search area was not the NW. I remembered the battery had died the other day, so it forgot our settings. That fixed, I was able to find the location. As we were driving out there, Lorena said, "mom, look, my bruise is now tiny, do you know what it is like now? PLUTO!" Again, I thought she really wasn't paying much attention as we had played with a planets small exhibit. Apparently she was.

After the library it was already past 4 pm, too late for Lorena's nap; but they were both exhausted. I had to keep them awake. We managed that, on Lorena's suggestion, by playing "fortunately, unfortunately". We take turns telling a story that keeps getting worse and better, starting with one of those words and alternating. It can be fun.

They stayed awake and were super excited to see Agnes, Nicolas and Krystyna who returned from their summer in Poland this week. The kids really wanted to go outside, and it was cloudy and cold. We had to remind ourselves that "dry is good" so they went out in sweaters or jackets. This is still August, our summer was SO short.

The real sad ending...
Afterwards we went out for dinner. We decided to go to the Old Country Buffet, the girls absolute favorite place. We should have known there was something going on when there were plenty of parking spots available; the place is always packed! Then we saw the lights were out. I found flyers on all windows (interior) from another restaurant. Then I saw a different one "Come to Denny's, mention OCB is closed and get a 15% discount". Finally, in the door to the mall, a sign that explained the OCB was closed. The girls were SO sad. They SO loved to go there, eat baby corn, mac'n cheese, baked beans, beets, and especially, that soft serve ice cream with all the toppings. They will miss the pet BEE walking around handing out balloons. Lorena got SO excited every time it walked past us, talking to it.

This was already long, and I did skip over the little things, believe it or not.