A Visit North: Tutor Family

Several weeks ago, I received an unexpected text. Judy, Jarrod's mom, asked if we were still in the area. Jarrod, the boy I used to tutor, wanted to check in. She said he wanted to say "Thank you," etc. 

How many times have you wanted to say something to someone buy never did? I wanted to give Jarrod a chance at closure, so Shane and I met them at sweetFrog. 

Shane had a chocolate mustache by the time they arrived!

Judy, Jarrod, Shane and I hung out and talked for a little bit. Jarrod was taller and still a Cowboys fan (bah!). He's in to political science now and got a job teaching soccer to kids for the summer. Shane regaled us all with tales of tornadoes and how to eat ice cream before I gave him my phone.

After we talked for a bit, Jarrod gave me one of the coolest thank-you presents ever: His copy of The Essential Calvin and Hobbes.

And the inside was autographed!

Very, very cool. I love Calvin and Hobbes. I plan on reading those with Shane when he's older. Jarrod had already heard about Hobbes and Bacon, too. They gave us a light stick and a pocket monkey tool, too.

I enjoyed tutoring. The extra income was nice, but what I really enjoyed was a chance to make a difference. Apparently, God used me to do that and it felt great. 

A Visit North: John's House

It took two and a half months, but we finally gave John his birthday present! Just in time, too. I almost opened it up and started to read the rules.

Shane was excited to see John. He followed everywhere he went. 

John went upstairs; Shane went upstairs.

John walked back downstairs; There was Shane. It was fun to watch.

Shane found plenty to play with while John and I grabbed gear to go outside. He loved John's Nerf magazines. He never saw (or needed to see) the guns.

The air pump was the next big hit. We pumped up a football.

John's house is a short walk from a rec center. Perfect for a Shane visit. Too bad it was in the 90s, The field house was a furnace.

We were there for the tennis, though.

John overestimated Shane's ability to focus. I saw it coming and pulled out the camera!

Shane decided he was done with tennis after a few misses. He got mad and tried to run off but couldn't figure out the gate latch. He watched John and I bat the ball around for a little bit before we detoured to the playground.

We returned to John's house for air-conditioning. I let Shane hop on the Kindle and play some Sonic to cool down. John and I had to help him out.

We would have loved to stay longer, but we had another stop on our to-do list. Next time, I hope John and I will play a round of Memoir '44 to see how it works.

Discovery Museum Membership

Shane and I are determined to make that Discovery Museum membership worth it. He discovered the art room our last visit.

He wanted me to post his tornado up with the other art so "everyone can see it!"

I hung it wrong at first. He wanted it 'square.'

Shane got to experience a little frustration later when a little girl didn't want him to play Panera with her. It worked out.

Then Shane discovered he liked to play postman better.

I noticed a lot of older kids this visit. I talked to an aide for a little bit and tried to get Shane to deliver mail to some of them. He took it a step further and tried to pass out mail to everybody. Have I mentioned that he's not shy?

We won't be able to visit as often when school starts. Teacher orientation starts next week. It's good to front-load and get the value out of the membership now.

Kids Need Other Kids

I am of two minds whenever I see Raheem knock on our front door.

1st Mind: "Woo-hoo! A friend!"

2nd Mind: "Do I really have the energy for this right now?"

I wish I could write the selfless 1st always drowned out the selfish 2nd.

It's a lot of work for Shane to have a friend over. You have to supervise, talk-through disagreements, role-model, play along, and sometimes provide ideas/entertainment. The age difference makes Raheem take more effort on my part than Daniel did.

The flip side is that a friend makes things more fun for everyone. I never expected to hike a trail, introduce twister or teach anyone HORSE, but I regret none of it.

I believe kids need other kids. I cannot feel the same level of excitement as Shane when we find a grasshopper. I can fake it pretty well and I love to share it vicariously, but it's not the same as another child's joy. Also, I am an authority figure. Shane has to interact differently with me. He cannot learn how to play, argue, and patch through differences like he would with a friend or an equal. I try to hang back some and give Shane and whoever he plays with leeway to make their own decisions and experiences.

John the Baptist comes to mind. When he was asked how he felt about people following Jesus he said, "He must become greater; I must become less" (John 3:30).  I feel the same is true for me. My job is to help when needed and start him off, but he's got to grow into his own man eventually.

In the meantime, I'm here. My parents made friends look easy. They must have been constantly exhausted. We had neighborhood kids over all the time.

I hope the effort I put in now helps when Shane is more independent. I also hope that we can be a blessing in Raheem's life.

PS - I had to get up right before I posted. Raheem knocked. He's got a whistle and waiting for nap/quiet time to end. How's that for timing?

Hard-Fought Nap Time

Carrie, Shane and I explored Scottsville after day-care Wednesday. I've wanted to check it out since I spotted it on the map and naps are hard to come by lately.

Carrie - "You know he's really asleep once his jaw drops." 

Rivanna Walkabout

It started with a shortcut to the playground Raheem showed us. It was effective, but I will neither confirm or deny that we had to walk across a large pipe over water. No one slipped either way.

However, after Raheem showed us his short-cut, Shane wanted to show him ours. We doubled-back down the Rivanna trail. We almost ended up where we started, but Raheem wanted to see the river one more time. "You can probably see it from right over there," I said.

Only we didn't see the river. We found where the trail picked up again. It circles the entire city and goes on for miles and miles.

We hiked over 2.1 miles according to the map. We were on the trail half the time and then walked up the street to complete the circle.

We did take a detour. Raheem wanted to read the sign up a hill. A nearly vertical hill.

Unfortunately, when we crested the hill we found the land got more vertical behind the church. The foliage was thicker and we had to trek down the road and hill further to find our cut through.

At least the view was nice. 

What you don't see in any of the pictures is me playing Sherpa. I carried my mail, a baseball, a baseball bat, and Raheem's scooter most of the way....in flip flops. I did not expect to go on a hike! I wanted to check the mail! My flip flops got wet from pulling Shane out a small stream and kept falling off. I had to run to keep up with Shane at times until we settled on Raheem as line leader. Then I had to carry them and all the other stuff in one hand up the hill and push Shane up with my other! Shane spent most of his reserves on the climb and I had to carry him piggy back up the next hill.

We all slept soundly.

It's Raining

Parental Conversations

Bill messaged me Sunday. He and Jill asked how life in Charlottesville was going. Here's how it went down:

Bonus question: What was the minimum amount of time Shane spent in the bathroom? 

(Hint: Check the time stamps)

Old Sow

Grandpa and Grandma stopped by Sunday night on their way back from Maine. They thanked us for the cat help and then blew Shane's mind. 

Grandpa and Grandma had a map. A map with Old Sow.

Old Sow is the largest whirlpool in the Western hemisphere and the third largest in the world. It's in the Bay of Fundy between Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.

Not common knowledge, but definitely Shane knowledge. I only learned it because of him! Shane will go on about it at length.

Grandma told Shane he could see Old Sow next year. Now he asks, "is it next year yet?"

Surprise Night Out at Grandma and Grandpa's!

Surprise! Grandma and Grandpa weren't home, but we stayed at their house anyway! We checked in on our way to our time-share adventure, and Carrie discovered Boo's litter box was a mess. Then she found some other signs that the cat care wasn't up to her parents snuff and took action. "I'm glad we stopped by!"

We returned to spend the night and take care of Boo. It was a bummer Carrie's parents wouldn't return until Sunday, but at least they had chutes and ladders.

Shane won. First at chutes and ladders and then at inflatable beds.

Shane was pumped.

Carrie cooked a small dinner and Shane turned in at the usual time. The internet and cable was down, so Carrie and I played cards before we turned in, as well.

We picked up and headed out early the next morning. Our drive home was that much shorter than the drive down.

Time to Share a TimeShare Tale

Saturday, Carrie and I embarked upon a dubious right of passage: a time-share pitch. 

We knew what it was going in. My parents suffered through one of those in Florida when I was a kid. Pop said the salesman worked himself to tears. 

However, it was worth a $50 gift card and a free place to stay in Williamsburg, so we went with it. We didn't have any other plans. Carrie likes vacations; I like a good story. Shane didn't have much choice.

We drove down in the morning, filled up on gas and food at a Wawa, and stopped at Grandma and Grandpa's for a bath (Shane discovered he could write on himself and his car seat instead of the notebook on the way down!). We got to our appointment early and met our guide, J. 

J was very friendly and a good talker - a must for a professional salesman. He asked if we had a car seat for his car and we ended up driving ours instead. Carrie drove and J provided directions and entertainment. 

Shane provided righteous indignation. We turned off Hank the Cow-dog and he was not allowed to play any game at any volume he wanted on the Kindle. 

Most of it was the silent treatment (Hallelujah!). I got cross when he started to make faces and hit the door.

He missed out on some fun views.

He came around eventually. Carrie and I did not plan on an extra forty minutes in the car, but we were prepared. I had books, snacks, paper, pens, and full batteries on our devices. Shane and I split half a chocolate chip muffin from Wawa while Carrie happily talked travel industry business with J up front.

We were still glad when we got out of the car, though. Shane made friends in a play area, ate a (free) hot dog, and made faces in a mirror. Carly Simon wrote a chorus that comes to mind.

We enjoyed the tour. It was time to get down to business, though.

The whole set up was very professional and cleverly set up. I found it interesting.

The salesman started off acknowledging no one "woke up and wanted to buy a time share." He also said many variations of "No pressure!" We were his last presentation for the day and he'd probably have to call time before we did. If we did not travel or if we only wanted to see the same place every year this product probably wasn't for us, etc. etc.

The time share business has changed, as well. You no longer buy a physical unit and are no longer tied to a single location. You do get a deed for time in a unit, but it's part of a global network. You can exchange time in and around the network. The salesman told us he'd never stayed in Williamsburg, because he lived there. Aruba, Mexico, Bahamas....he took his daughter all over. The experience has 'evolved.'

J proceeded to show us around town, the properties, their competitors, and try to make it a "logical sale." The concept was to take vacations and compare them to real-estate. Specifically, renting versus buying. If you buy in, they even give you a deed. It conveys, too. The tagline could have been "Pay a little more up front to save long-term and enjoy the benefits for years and years to come. Think of your children."

And they had lots of great numbers to make the deal make great sense. Actually, I think the deal does make sense for the right kind of person (assuming they deliver and there aren't any hidden fees conveniently not mentioned). Do you prefer to stay at resorts and spend a lot on your vacations year after year? Do you prefer to not spend more than a week in any one place before trying somewhere new? Would you be okay with limiting your choices to (albeit a large world-wide) network of resorts in exchange for savings? Do you play golf?

If you answered yes to all four, a time-share could be for you. Crunch numbers and do your homework before you go to a presentation, though. The pressure will be on to make a decision at the end.

For me: No.

The presentation was very slick. They do a great job of creating an atmosphere that says "You will save so much," "This is the smartest discovery," and "You will sincerely regret if you pass up this opportunity."

If you do decline the initial offer, a manager comes over to make a better deal. If you continue to decline, the salesmen speaks to the manager on your behalf, and if you still decline you still have to drive back to the office with the salesmen (feel guilty?).

Upon your return, there is a final woman who surveys you before you collect your gifts. She should be called, "The Closer." I thought we were done, but she slashed prices a final time for me to rebuff.

As I said, a very slick operation.

Everyone was very personable. J told us about his family. The Closer asked my wife about the history of her custom ring. I felt like they believed in their product, too (as a good salesman should). Carrie and I listened politely, asked questions, and declined as nicely was we could. I tried to look more tempted than I really was not to hurt feelings. Perhaps it would've been kinder to blow them off and save some time.

We walked out with our gift vouchers and Visa debit card and immediately went out for ice cream.

By the numbers:

Gift card: $125 ($50 they give you + a $75 refund from "saving our space")
We spent the $50 on a full tank of gas (~$30), breakfast at Wawa (~$10), and Ben and Jerry's (~$10).
Verdict: Win.

Advertised length of presentation: 90 minutes.
Clarified length of presentation by J: "They say at least 90 minutes, but normally it doesn't take more than 2 hours."*
Assurance by J: He wanted to get out for the day and go on a week vacation, so "I'll probably call it around 2 [hours]"*
Actual length of time before walking out: ~195 minutes.
Verdict: Netural. We enjoyed the tour and talking, but the last hour could've gone a lot quicker.

Prices**

Salesman
Base price: ~$28k if you were to call up on the phone and ask to buy.
Special tour offer: $24k

Manager
Deferred offer: $18k - If you wait until Jan 1 but let them use your unit for tours until then. You also get a bonus week in the system.
Deferred Deffered offer: $11.7k - Older model and you defer use for over a year...but you still bank up weeks you can exchange. If you're nice, you could still get Gold Membership benefits. Half cleaning fees.

Last chance collaboration
Best you can get: $9,990 for not constructed yet units and we're not supposed to tell you, but you can try to get Gold Membership benefits still. Half cleaning fees.

The Closer
Final final chance: What if I told you there's future construction off Richmond road for ~$5,400? Half cleaning fees of course.

Cleaning fees:
Once a year: $750
Once a year at half price: $376

Gold Membership Benefits
Golden.
Includes 10% off cheapest airfare you can find.

Exchange fee
$189 paid to Interval switch out your week in one place anywhere else.

Bank
If you miss a vacation week, you can save up to three weeks in the bank.

How to get out if you don't like it later
Don't have a clue.

Anyway, it should be obvious we didn't sign up. They really know how to sell/tempt you with their product, so do your homework and know what you want before you go in. Depending on your situation, it may make sense for you. If our experience was typical, I would advise you not to take the first offer.

I count the experience as a win, because we walked away with more than we took in and a story to tell.

*quotes are the gist of the message I heard and almost assuredly not word for word.
**Rounding from what I remember. I scribbled some notes and texted some data afterwards so as not to forget, but I am human.

Hide and Bamboo Seek

There is a lot of bamboo in Charlottesville.

If you look close enough you might see some of the local wildlife.

Shane ran in and out and in and out for almost half an hour. I sat on the sidewalk and watched clouds. I also served as the mosquito attractor. 

Sunflowers!

Shane enjoyed the sunflowers outside Carrie's work. He wanted to pet the bees. I'm still amazed he wasn't stung.

Neighborhood Friends

Raheem visited Tuesday. And Wednesday. And Thursday. And Friday's probably next.

Shane's loved every minute of it. 

They play around inside...

...and out!

Charlie, the toddler one house over, and her parents are the favorite outdoor attraction.

They're friendly and they have bubbles.

Our next door neighbor's boys are older and away for the summer, but I wonder if they'll be around outside come Fall. One of them is babysitting age!

Old Metro Pics!

Found some old Metro pics. I think it was Shane's last ride with Nana and Pop in NOVA. Nana and Shane sported their new tie-dyes.

A Visit to Harrisonburg

Shane and I visited Uncle Patrick at a Chic-Fil-A in Harrisonburg. I don't know who was more excited to see who.

We stayed and played for almost two hours. There was a steady stream of kids passing through. It kept Shane entertained and allowed Patrick and I to catch up some.

After Chick-Fil-A, we walked off the french fries. We went to a PetSmart first (Shane spotted the sign. He can't read, but he knows what the signs of the stores he likes look like!).

Patrick said, "Don't do what I'm about to do..." and pulled out a hermit crab for Shane to look at.

Shane returned the favor. He showed Patrick what not to do with cat toys.

At least, I think that's what Patrick took away from it. Shane thought it was a brilliant and fun thing to do. The intention was not quite the same.

Shane blew on the frogs and tried to grab a hermit crab later, too. I don't think anyone in my family has ever heeded, "Don't do what I'm about to do." To us, it translates to "This will be a lot of fun," with an implied "it won't be my fault if you copy me."

Shane and Patrick had fun, though. They looked at reptiles and a pet a puppy (which peed all over the floor).

We went by a Dollar Tree and a bagel shop next. Shane's $1 snake shook out a lot of salt (maybe even a dollar's worth).

It also wanted to inspect drains and the street when we headed back to our cars.

Anything to stall the approaching nap time. Shane was 0 for 3 on naps since Monday.

Thankfully, the visit with Patrick wore him out and the interstate sealed the deal. Hallelujah!

It wasn't long before he was home and awake again, but I enjoyed the quiet drive. Max liked the snake.

It was an easy drive, so Shane and I will have to do it again. It was great to see Patrick.