Hiking along the mighty Mississippi River like Huck Finn and planting vegetables were the highlights of this week.
Day 43
Today I had to mow the lawn. We had a DVD of the second Spiderman movie so I let Andrew watch that while I mowed. I also feel this is the best one.
I was pulling out the weeds and found a baby turtle on the cement by the house. I was going to tell Andrew, but then he was doing something with David and thought it was best to put him in the grass and let him find his way to the lake. This was the second alive baby turtle I’ve seen this year. Must be baby boom right now since I’ve never seen this many before.
We spent some time outdoors. He is learning to ride a bicycle without training wheels. We practiced some in the driveway. We might need to do this on the bike trail, which is flatter and I could guide him better. I put less of my hands on the bike so he starts to do more of it on his own. I remember doing this with my dad, who was not the most patient person and really pushed you. Although once I learned, I loved it and still do a lot of biking today on the trails near our house.
He watched a few cartoons while David made dinner. Tonight we grilled hamburgers and hotdogs. We lucked out that the rain never came.
David has a busy day tomorrow so I am going to take Andrew on a hike in the morning.
Day 44
This morning we headed out for the day to walk along the Great River Road Bike Trail north of Alton heading towards Pere Marquette State Park. On the way, we stopped at Mister Donut. The only one still opened in the US with the rest being in Asia, this one is privately owned and makes the best donuts on our side of the river. It is an institution.
First, we had to be ready for our adventure under coronavirus. We used Andrew’s long sleeve shirts that he doesn’t use anymore as masks. They work well since you can use the sleeves as a way to tie them up easily for both of us.
I hadn’t driven in a while, so it was nice to be on the road. Andrew watched some downloaded cartoons on the Ipad as we headed to the donut place. David had a full work schedule so it was best that we be out of the house a while today.
I went in with my mask on and there was only one other person there. I stayed six feet away from him and waited for a bit. The best ones to buy here are the twists, Andrew’s favorites are the ones with icing and sprinkles and for myself, I found some blueberry ones.
We ate some on the way to the bike path. Not all the bike path parking lots were open. I guess it depends on who is managing it. If it was the county or locally done, they were open and if it was managed by the state it was closed. I think having limited access where you end up with more people parking in only a few lots as opposed to scattered out doesn’t help anyone, but that is my opinion.
Anyway, we couldn’t stop to see the Piasa Bird painting since this lot was closed. The Piasa Bird is a mythical Native American legend that was painted on the cliffs north of Alton and was noticed by Lewis and Clark.
We stopped at Godfrey Park along the river road and a sign talks about The Circle of Life here. We’ve had some rain recently so there were little dripping waterfalls going down the cliffside, which was cool. We walked below the cliff face a bit and Andrew played some on the rocks. We started to go down the bike path, but he had enough of this park so we went down the road.
We went through the town of Grafton and I was looking for another parking lot that was open. I noticed we were near the ferry and asked if he wanted to take it across. He did so we waited a few minutes on the ferry. The river for some reason was really busy today, there were three barges coming by before we could cross. This was the most I’ve ever seen. When we made it back I went searching for an open parking lot.
I found one across from the ferry. It led up to the bike trail. It was gravel. So it was a bit of off-pavement for us. There was a tiny stream next to the trail with water trickling down. Andrew needed to go to the bathroom so I got him off the trail a bit to do that. It was better he pees here than dealing with a gas station bathroom, which might not be available due to the coronavirus.
We walked a little more along the trail then he said he was hungry. I suggested we go by the lock and dam and have lunch there. He was fine with that. There were only woods and trail, so no place to do it here anyway.
The trail was open; this is the part that goes along the levee. We parked in the lot. I brought out the picnic blanket we have and he says it is too hot. We find some shade and he sees a bunch of bees. I tell him that we can just eat in the car where it is air-conditioned. We have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, chips, and some water I brought from home, then a donut for dessert.
Afterward, we head for a rocky trail that goes closer to the river and I spot a lot of pelicans. We head towards them.
I see what seems like somebody was making a wooden raft, very Huck Finn like, and we stop to admire it. I wondered if they were going to use it at some point or if this was for a demonstration, I was left to wonder.
I took some photos of a group of pelicans on a large log. I’ve never seen this many together in one place. You can see them on the Mississippi River since there is plenty of fish for them to eat.
We then headed back to the car and back home but not before I hit a bump in the road and the soda with a top on it that he was drinking goes everywhere. I told him we’d have to clean the SUV up when we get back.
I pulled the car behind the house and found a bucket and soap and then also grabbed the vacuum. I did the vacuum myself, but he did help with washing the outside of the car for me. I cleaned up the inside and took out some garbage and a lot of crumbs were swept up, with a young kid, this happens.
That evening we had barbecue chicken and salad. Andrew watched some cartoons afterward but on the good side, he fell asleep pretty fast after all this activity today.
Day 45
David thought there was a way to brighten up a cold and rainy day. We got the beach tent out for camping in the living room and David had an awesome idea. He found a campfire photo with afire and came up with the idea that we could pretend we are roasting marshmallows. So we printed it out and Andrew colored it then I cut it out and we put it up on the side of the tent. Then David found our marshmallow skewers and put the marshmallow at the top and we all acted like we were cooking them on the fire. This was fun for everybody.
His teacher had a video for him to watch about the cycle of the rain. How rain comes down from the sky after the clouds fill with moisture. Then the sun causes the moisture to make water vapor, which goes back up to the clouds to form rain again. He liked the video and today we could really see that rain.
In the video, the narrator said you could see water vapor if you blow air onto a mirror. I lifted Andrew up in the bathroom and he formed water vapor. He touched it briefly. I am glad the video had an easy experience for us to do together.
That afternoon when the rain was down to sprinkles we took a walk. We looked for frogs in the ditch. Spotted three duck families with little ducklings and he splashed a little in some puddles. I didn’t let him do that too much since it was cold today. We also used an umbrella, which he held and he wore his yellow raincoat.
I read to him tonight out of the 5-Minute Batman Stories book. We read about the Riddler and he liked figuring out the riddle with me. At least this story had something to figure out together.
Day 46
This morning I had a donut and Andrew had Honey Nut Cheerios, but they were without the hearts. I guess they were doing a promotion earlier in the year and they had been shaped like hearts, he was slightly disappointed that they went back to plain circles.
I am putting together garden boxes today and buy vegetables to put in them. First I went to one part of the Lowe’s to get the wood. Before, I had gotten untreated cedar, but for some reason, they were out. I called my dad; he was a farmer for advice. He told me that I could use the untreated whitewood, it might not last as long, but it was cheap. He had more issues with the soil than anything else.
I then had one of the associates cut two of them in half for the sides than another in one-foot pieces. The other four were full length 2 by 4s. I also picked up screws. I found a large package that came with a drill bit. I thought that would be the easiest and came in a plastic container. Since I was using deck screws we had them available to use when we replace some rotted boards on the deck.
I picked up cucumber, strawberry, cherry tomato, eggplant, and rosemary plants for the garden boxes. I might buy some more later on, but this will get us started. We already have blackberry plants that return every year and then, of course, the mint. I picked up some huge backs of soil that were as big as I am and slung them into the SUV. It was a busy day.
The hardest part at Lowe’s was figuring out which wood to use since my first choice wasn’t there. There had been a long line, but it was gone by the time I finally got up to the cashier. They were training someone so it was slow, but I was not in a real big hurry and I’ve been the new guy myself.
When I got home I had to strip and put my clothes in the washer due to the coronavirus.
I started with the garden box that I had bought wood previously for as my first project and tomorrow I would build the other one and figure out where all the vegetable plants will go.
Andrew came down and helped, but mostly watched me work on it. He liked the drilling part the best with the noise and the drill causing the screw to slice through the wood. He would hold up the wood for me, as I would drill. He did get a little bored after a while then was playing with other stuff in the carport. I was just happy that he helped some and was interested in me doing garden work like this and building stuff. Although, when he gets older I will probably ask him to help out even more.
After putting together I put in the weed barrier and used a mallet to put in the staples. Andrew wanted to practice on his bike so I did this fast. Then I helped him practice on his bike for a while.
Then I put the soil in and was done with day one, tomorrow was day two and we can add the vegetables. He watered the strawberries in a completed garden box with his little watering can.
Dinner that night was leftover Chinese and that was tasty and Andrew liked it also.
Day 47
This morning David made eggs. I wasn’t feeling eggs so I had a donut instead. Then Andrew saw my donut so I shared it with him, which was fine.
David had a lot of work phone calls this morning so I spent the morning with him playing superheroes. We also did a few mazes in a coloring book. Then he wanted to color the War Machine from the Iron Man shows and I cut it out for him to play with. He also watched a few cartoons.
I added some plants to the finished garden boxes and he helped me do it and watered them with his kid’s watering can. He enjoyed doing that in the morning.
Lunch was again sandwiches. I’ve made it easy for both of us. David came up a bit later to eat lunch.
That afternoon we did a bike ride, David walked while Andrew and I rode our bikes. We explored another neighborhood. He is wanting to go down different streets in the area. I think he is curious about our town now. Before we always did the same loop now we’re going down roads I don’t ever go down, mostly because they are roads in nearby subdivisions that end at dead ends.
Back home I put together the last garden box. Andrew watched as I drilled once more. Then he played around as I put it together and added the soil then added the last of the plants that I had bought. I might add some more plants later.
We walked some more and saw some kids in the neighborhood. I let him keep a distance as we are supposed to do, and the ended up having races. I know he really misses other kids so this was nice that he was able to do this for a bit.
Then we went inside and he wanted to show them his Black Panther costume but by the time we got out they were already back in the house. He was frustrated and agitated and he had to spend a little time in time-out. It was a little sad, but he became over-agitated, which was the problem.
Dinner that night was hotdogs and a small salad. We ate in the kitchen together. He ate well and it was a nice quiet dinner.
He took a bath afterward then watched a cartoon. I read to him a Spiderman book and then he fell asleep.
Day 48
We had cereal and Andrew had Apple Jacks and I had Honey Bunches of Oats. David played some Uno Attack, a device that flips out extra cards if you don’t have the right suite in hand was added to the game. It is more fun for the kid, although he doesn’t like the loose, and sometimes getting the extra cards frustrate him.
David did some work in the morning and he went downstairs with me. I figured out that through cable we can use the Nick Jr. App to get to all the shows available on that channel. This was easier than taping them on the DVR. I keep finding new things on the new TV. I sort of like you are able to do different things with it. He watched Blaze and the Monster Machines while I worked out.
Lunch today was hamburger quesadillas. I was going to do it in the microwave but David took over and he cooked them in the oven. I am getting used to doing lunch at home, I’m really not sure if we’ll go out to eat as much once this is all over.
This afternoon we took the boat out on the lake. There were lots of people out, it was over 85 degrees, so it was a really nice day for this time of year. We anchored on one of the coves and Andrew wanted to swim but the water was still really cold. I had him put his feet in and he agreed. We did splash our feet. I showed him that if you keep your feet in a while it turns red. That he understood better. The water on a hot day on my feet though did feel nice.
We live aways out of the city, but days like this where you can take a boat out from your house makes it nice to live here. I couldn’t imagine living in the city during this time. Just not as relaxing.
When we got back David grilled bratwurst and hotdogs and made a pasta salad. It was the right meal for today. We watched a not so good science fiction series called Vagrant Queen. They had moved the show to late nights after only a few episodes so it is not going to last, but Andrew likes it and it is better than cartoons.
David read to him tonight. Although he kept wanting something else in his bed, so he was not the quickest about getting to sleep. Finally, he calmed down and he fell asleep.
Day 49
David told me that the rain didn’t come last night. It had been in the 80s yesterday so I went out in the morning to water the garden. Andrew came out and helped me water the plants. We also took the dog for a short walk so we got all the chores done first.
Lunch today was a split of ham and cheese sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly. Andrew wanted half of each so we split them. It was fine with me. As long as he eats lunch I’m happy.
Mother’s Day is coming up and we thought it would be good for him to make this year’s cards for his grandmothers. We found some Mother’s Day coloring pages online and I printed them out. They had little hearts on them and said, “I love grandma’s hugs.” He colored all the hearts red and I helped a little on the background. Then he wrote his name on the cards. This is the first time we’ve done this, but since he knows now how to color and write his name we thought this was a good way to involve him with this holiday. We did it today so we could get them in the mail on time.
That afternoon though he was a bit fussy and had to be in timeout, he gets bored and gets into trouble. It will be good for all of us if pre-school start up again hopefully this summer. He needs to be out with kids his own age to play. I am really hoping we’ll have kindergarten in the fall. I don’t think I’m prepared to teach him as an elementary school teacher. Pre-school was one thing, this next level will be tougher because we will really need to do it, but that is another worry for another time.
That evening David made baked pasta and Andrew really liked it and had second servings of it. David made a blackberry cobbler for dessert and breakfast for tomorrow. This will be an easy thing to have on my birthday.
I am taking Andrew out on an adventure on my birthday. I will talk about how this went in my birthday blog update.
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