St. Michaels, MD - My 5 Days

9-26-14 – St. Michaels, MD – My 5 Days

Sydney taking a break at the gas station on the way.

It’s tough to be the new guy.  Mostly because you don’t get much vacation, and after coming off a year long perpetual vaca.  Having the privilege of getting 10 whole days to myself seems somewhat pathetic.   I know it’s been about a year and a half since we returned to the work a day life, but the trip still haunts me, especially in these situations.  Like the high school football player who won the state championship, someday I’ll stop talking about “the trip”, forgive me if its 20 years from now.

So we have 5 days, a 8 month old baby and the desire to do something interesting.  The west coast is a long way away, we like the water; at least we like to be near big water because your dreams seem to reflect the size of the body of water you are near.  I guess that leaves the East coast.  In all honesty I don’t really know how we came up with St. Michaels as a destination.  In the end Elizabeth said this place looks cool, we can get a cottage overlooking the boat  yard and harbor and the price was reasonable.  I’m in, oh yea….where is this place? That’s irrelevant, ocean is ocean, boats are boats and not at home is not at home.  It’s mellow enough to take Sydney, new enough to be adventurous, not a “once in a lifetime” trip, and not overly active that a baby couldn’t tag along.

Roberts Cottage.  Not big, but perfect

Hanging out in the front yard

It turned out great.  I’ve never really been to the Chesapeake Bay area.  Apparently, everything was built in the early 1800’s out there, so there is a lot of history if you’re into that sort of thing.  I can’t say enough about the 2 Swan Inn and the little cottage we stayed at, Roberts Cottage.  Maybe it’s because we lived on a boat for a year or because somehow we are just ok with simple things especially when we have time, but the little cottage fit us perfectly.  It’s not big, and it seems that most people had spent a long week end there, not a whole week.  But we did fine and enjoyed it all.

We had lots of oysters at the Crab Claw?!

What do you do in St. Michales for a week?  In reality, not much.  Especially with an 8 month old baby.  We ate at some good places, had oysters (a couple of times)  Kept the brewery and coffee shop in business, and searched aimlessly for little pieces of hidden trash, strategically placed around the area.  I guess this is called geocaching.  While Sydney took naps in her car seat, we would pull out the red Solo cups and sit behind the car and look out at the water from some public park or another.  The lawn of the Two Swann Inn looks out over the harbor, and it’s hard not to enjoy a bottle of wine and some play time with your baby there.  We even spent a few hours shopping at the tourist shops, and there are a bunch of them.  In reality it was a little weird to transition to actually being a tourist and not a traveler.  But we managed to do so and ate at the popular restaurants, bought souvenirs and generally spent money like we were on vacation.  We even took Syd for a couple of jogs around the neighbor hoods that look out over the Chesapeake. 

   

E & S hanging out on the law

Daddy I want a boat.

So that was my 5 days.  Pretty Cool.

View from the lawn at the Two Swan Inn

Sydney Goes for a Run

7-14-27 - Brecksville, OH

 Well I suppose it’s time to get back on the horse, with this blog thing.  By now I figure anyone who was following this for the fun filled world of Mexico sailing has probably abandoned ship and moved on, so I won’t be boring people with our new adventures of the world of Sydney.  6 months goes by quick, everyone said it would, I didn’t believe them, but it really does.  Sydney just recently turned 6 months old and this was a major milestone for us.  Mostly because of our blind faith in and adherence to the rules our pediatrician tells us.  Basically we figure she gets paid to know this stuff and this qualifies as our first try at raising a little human.  The only other living thing we have been responsible for was our dog, and she had some distinct behavioral problems; so we listen to her.   Apparently, unbeknownst to me, babies brains have a much greater chance of hemorrhaging when slightly jostled prior to 6 months.  After 6 months, jostle away.  For this reason we have been anxiously waiting for this day so we could take little Sydney on a jog with us. 

Pre- run - Ready to Go

In order to make it more fun and less exercisy, we decided to take a nice long jaunt on the “towpath” trail near our house, from Brecksville to Peninsula.  If you’re not from the area then it’s worth mentioning that the towpath trail was actually the trail next to the Ohio Erie canal that the mules used to pull the canal boats up and down the canal.  Thankfully that also means it’s very flat.  Once in Peninsula, about 7 miles down the trail, we would stop for some lunch and a beer before hopping on the old historic railway that would take us back to Brecksville.   Sounds like a nice 6 month birthday for Sydney. 

We left early, because pretty much everything happens early when you have a baby, loaded up the BOB stroller (yes we are that yuppie that we have a BOB, but boy is it a sweet ride) with everything we needed for most of a day away and hit the trail.  By the time we had everything for Sydney, change of clothes, diapers, wipes, milk, toys, hat, blanket, jacket etc….and some water and snacks for us, along with our cell phones, keys and a wallets I felt like I was pushing a grocery cart down the trail.  We had a great run considering neither of us had run anywhere near 7 miles in a long time.  We were thankful for an early start as it was still cool and the full force of the humid Ohio day didn’t quite hit us until the end.  Sydney was a great rider.  She slept and generally just checked out the passing trees and people.  Everyone loves to smile at you when you’re pushing a cute baby along.  We ran almost the entire way, taking our time and enjoying the scenery.  Once in Peninsula The Winking Lizard wasn’t open yet, baby’s fault again, so we settled for Fishers across the road for a little food.  We should have known what was coming when Elizabeth ordered an Irish Coffee and the server said “I don’t think we have Irish coffee, I think its Folgers”  That about sums up the Fishers experience.  Needless to say we traded the Irish coffee for a beer, yea, it was that bad.

Post Run - Still looking Good

Happy we made it!

Ready for a Train Ride

The trip back was a little adventure in its own right.  The historic train gives bike riders a ride up and down the trail, stopping at about five locations and dropping them and their bikes off for $3 a person.  While a non-bike rider pays $9 for a trip on the train.  We figure it must be subsidized by the bike sellers mafia of Summit County…or something.  Anyway, we waited in line with all the other bikes and handed up our stroller onto the bike car and quietly took our place in the “Bike and Ride” train car.  They were none the wiser and it only cost us $6 for a ride home.  Not to mention, Sydney got her first ride on a train.  It’s been a few days now, and it appears no hemorrhaging occurred, so I guess it’s a good thing we took the doctor’s advice and waiting until she was 6 months old. 

Selfie on the train

That was a tough run. Good Job Mom and Dad

Baby PK becomes Sydney Louise

1-25-14 – Casa PK – Broadview Heights, Ohio

Due today...1 week to go.

Well, the big news of the past few months for us is that baby PK has become Sydney Louise.  Admittedly, we knew it was coming, but our lives changed in a big way on January 16^th when Elizabeth gave birth to little Sydney Louise.  Weighing in at 8lbs 12oz and 20.5 in long, I guess she wasn’t really that little.  She had an extra week to cook past her due date, so at least according to us she came out looking very cute and plump.  Not like some of those babies that are all skin and bones.  Elizabeth did a great job and I feel I did a pretty good job also, doing all those dad things on the birthday.  Like getting water, not being too close when the contractions were painful, asking repeatedly “is there anything I can do?” until I was told to be not quite so caring and go for a walk.  Overall, everything went very well and mom and baby are doing great.  After a relatively short 36 hours post birth hospital stay we were happily discharged.  I use the word “we” liberally as I was really just hanging out, not actually admitted.  Sydney was a full moon baby and from what they tell me lots of babies are born on the full moon, so the maternity ward was boiling over with new babies and E&S were doing well so we got the boot. 

Leaving the hospital

Driving home the first time with a new baby in the back seat was a little weird.  I describe it as driving as if you had a cup of coffee in the back seat and you didn’t want to spill it.  Somehow I felt that if I turned slowly and braked slowly it would be safer I guess? 

Sydney and Elizabeth breaking in the rocking chair

There's a baby in there somewhere

Somehow Elizabeth timed it so that Sydney came out just after “Polar Vortex #1” and before our current Polar Vortex #2.  I guess we are lucky enough to be back in Cleveland for the coldest winter since 1976.   Yea for us!  I mean, it’s 40 degrees in Alaska right now and -12 degrees in Cleveland, that’s just not right.  Anyway the new furnace is pumping out warm air and we are dreaming of the summer, or at least above freezing temps.  The girls are anxious for some outside time, and we are getting used to the life of a new baby.  Talking about poop and pee more than I ever thought I would, trying to find that thing that makes her sleep and doing our best to prep her for a well rounded future life with above average grades and a good career potential…or better yet just trying to get enough sleep to keep everyone sane.

Now that's cute, but I suppose I'm a little biased

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