Where's Waldo 100k Aid Station Report

We helped Todd's running bud Scott man the aid station at Charlton Lake for this year's Waldo run, which took place Saturday. Well, I should say that Todd helped by filling runners' water bottles, Trevor helped by spritzing runners and ringing a metal bell with the Sunsweet logo on it (which he clocked himself upside the head with at one overzealous moment, leaving a black bruise), and I helped by sitting in a camping chair and occasionally pretending to keep Trevor from becoming yet another trip hazard for the beleaguered runners. We also organized the signage, which hinted as to the theme of the aid station (wow, I never knew aid stations had themes! I thought the theme was get some water and maybe some m&m's or an IV here), which was "California Surfin'." Note that I say "organize," since it will be clear from the varying creative styles that it was a collaborative effort. The aid station actually did offer cold beer, but it seemed like most people kept their clothes on.

All in all, it was a fun weekend, despite the mosquitoes and those pesky runners who insisted on disrupting our peaceful lakeside retreat with their demands for gu2o (whatever that is) and ibuprofen and stuff. My favorite part of the whole trip actually occurred the evening before the run when a thruhiker on the PCT by the name of Dogwood sat and chatted with us for an hour or two, ate a piece of the blueberry-blackberry pie we brought (now that's an appreciative audience for fresh homemade food!), and asked if the ultrarunners were part of some kind of jogging club! HA! That strikes my funnybone. From now on, when people ask about my hubby's hobby, I'm calling it jogging.

Dinosaurs

Long before he was ready to play with them, I bought Trevor a really cool set of dinosaurs from the Cat's Meow thrift store. Probably one of the best $10 purchases I've ever made...he now loves playing with them just about every day. They are scale models with the name and size stamped on the belly, from the British museum of natural history. He is always asking us their names, and unless it's brontosaurus I invariably have to flip them over and read the name...and now, he knows names of dinosaurs that I've never even heard of (like mamenchisaurus, pictured above, and iguonodon.) Valuable information for a two-year old, I'm sure.

My lovely birth experience, with few details included

I have an admission to make. I recently realized that before I gave birth to Trevor, I had an idealized and very unrealistic image of labor. I was disappointed when we got to the hospital, rushed to labor & delivery, and the nurse checked me and said I could start pushing (which I actually had already started doing, in the elevator with my entirely cool and collected husband and the orderly who was frantically and repeatedly punching the 4th floor button.) Oh, yes, I was relieved of course that the end was near, but I was disappointed that there would be no time for the whirlpool bath. My idea (although it has taken me two years to admit it to myself) was that I would be relaxing in the tub, lounging in the jets, with the occasional interruption in the form of a mild contraction which I would gently breathe through with a look of focused determination on my unwrinkled brow, only to immediately melt back into a sea of dreamlike serenity. Hmmm, it wasn't exactly like that, but I'm sure that's only because I didn't get in the whirlpool bath soon enough.

United Airlines can kiss my patookiss*.

It's getting really expensive to fly anywhere. You have to pay to check your bags, and to drink water or eat pretzels; it'll cost you to watch the movie or listen to music, too. This is not a joke: you now have to rent the pillows and blankets (I had always considered those a nuisance; I didn't realize people actually use them!)
A friend of mine who works for a major airline (no names will be mentioned) filled me in on a recent upper management meeting in which budget recovery strategies were discussed. (S)he assures me that on the very next flight any of us board, several new fees will be in place. They are, as I'm writing this, installing coin-operated locks on the bathroom doors. (Don't buy the water! There's laxatives in it!) First class customers, of course, will be given tokens upon boarding.
Go ahead and lower that tray table, but keep in mind, it's going to cost you $3. Recline your seat? Sure, but bring lots of quarters to feed the recliner regulator. Need air or want to turn the reading light on? More quarters!
As they've already gotten away with so much, the airline has decided to stop worrying about offending people and weigh suspiciously large people, charging them an additional $10 per pound over a certain weight.
The in-flight magazine and Skymall will still be free for your perusal, but if you do any of the puzzles, there will be a charge, and as for Skymall, a minimum purchase will be required--read the fine print on your e-ticket!

*Spellcheck, anyone?