New sand and a vision of heaven

May 14 to May 16
Every day we watched the work at the playground where workingmen replaced the sand. The man who operated the Bobcat scooped up and dumped sand, maneuvering around the playground equipment while others, including John McGill raked. It was a huge and exhausting job. On Wednesday, a working woman came out to us with some sand toys so Jack could play in the piles outside the playground (making Jack the first kid to play in the new sand). Jack made a hole and told her it was for a gopher. At last on Thursday, we were inside the Rec Center playing with the little kitchen and riding toys when John McGill entered and told us the playground was open. Jack ran up to Jenny crying, “Jenny, Jenny, John McGill says the playground is open.” As Jack and I hurried around the building, Jack called out “Yea for workingmen”!

One day Jack and I were looking at the photo book of Jack and his family. I asked Jack if he remembers Gigi. “Yes, she has broom and dustpan. I want to go see her tomorrow.” I told Jack we couldn’t do that because Gigi has died and that means we can only see her in pictures. “Where is she”? “Nobody knows, Jack.” A pause and then “Maybe she went to drive a bulldozer. Maybe she is driving a bulldozer.” When we got to the photo of Gigi and Jack, Jack said “That was before she died.”

Glen Park Family Fun Fest and more

Jack and I went to the Glen Park Family Fun Fest on Saturday which was a little dull. We had a good time anyway. The new sand was great. The playground was packed. We found a nice place for Ripley to hang our by John's shed. We saw a police van and Jack ALMOST went into the bouncey house. It was really close. The band that played in the afternoon opened with a LeTigre song which was odd.

Michele and Jake came over afterward and we dug in the dirt pit. After they left Jack slept from 4 to 9:30. Then he woke up ate some food and played for an hour or so and then we went back to sleep.

Sunday we tried to go the beach but were blocked on all routes by the Bay to Breakers. arggg. We ended up at Hill park which was packed and windy but fun. After hill park we came home and had lunch outside and then prepped the site for the new veggie beds. Jack took a loaded wheelbarrow up to the compost pile, unloaded it and then brought it back for me. Super. All without asking or supervision. So great. He then helped pound in 2 pegs for marking out the sites.

We slept from 2- 5 and then walked into town for groceries and a burrito.

now jack is drinking fire milk. here is a video for context on "fire milk"

Jack the Library Patron, and Owls, Floods, Machines

Tuesday morning Jack asked me about books about carpenters. I told him to ask the librarian. So when we got to story time, Jack walked across the room to John the Librarian and asked him for a book about carpenters. John escorted Jack up front to Kate, the children's librarian. Again, Jack asked very clearly for a book about carpenters. Kate found us two--mission accomplished. I think it's pretty cool that Jack feels so comfortable at the library and can state his own needs.

At the park there are two attractions this week--a nest of three baby Great Horned Owls and the action at the playground. If you look sharp, you can see one or two of the baby owls high at the intersection of several branches of a eucalptus tree. Stacy got a good photo and we think Jack has been able to spot them.

One of the toilets overflowed into the playground sand, so the city has brought out a Bobcat and dump trucks to completely remove the sand. Last week they were letting the bare earth dry out before they replace with new sand. We hope to be on hand when the new sand arrives. It was pretty neat to see the operator manuveur around the playground equipment to get every last grain up. The workingmen waved to us as we watched from above the playground.

Jack and I also spent good time watching the ditch digging and pipe replacement on Wilder Street. Machines included a backhoe, an excavator, double dump trucks, a tamper, and a little machine with a brush that squirted water and then raised huge clouds of dirt cleaning up the street. Emma came over twice last week to play in the dirt pile.

Jack visited his new doctor and we learned he has gained a pound in the last two weeks. Congratulations to us and Jack! The photo shows a chubby, tired Jack in his favorite backhoe shirt.