Snapshots from a week

Sunday 

Today is the last day of our staycation and we have A & J over for a brunch

I don't mean to boast - but DH and I are the BOSS  of brunch

Our menu is

1. Mimosas
2. Italian Sausage 
3. Fresh bread ( super easy owing to a bread machine ) 
4. Samosas ( All our non india friend LOVE This ) an added bonus is that we buy them ready made 
5. Scrambled eggs ( I make AMAZING scrambled eggs ) 
6. Fruit ( fresh cut pineapple and grapes ) 

We also have the jellies we got from Pike Place Market, and the tamarind sauce that DH is the master of 

J and A are really nice .

A has also recently joined Microsoft which is why we have a special bond as we can discuss the special situation that moving to Seattle and joining Microsoft is

We walk to the park - J loves kids and teaches R to do math with numbers and then with flowers

In the evening we go to the bounce house

On the way back as I am "starting a diet tomorrow" DH suggests that we get some Thai - we get some Panang curry ( 4star hot ) and we devour this as though we had just ended a diet.( instead of starting one tomorrow )

This is a perfect culmination of a week of excess

Monday 

First day back in the office - SUPER BUSY - I have about 400 emails to get through as I have not checked email at all last week

But since there is still some sun in the evening we go to the park and are able to have a picnic when all of a sudden it starts to rain

R is very reluctant to leave though we are getting wet and the reward of his "stop and smell the roses attitude" is a DOUBLE rainbow

WOW

Tuesday

Once again there is a light and sun and so we make our way to the park

We make a picnic basket  ( this of course involves lots of Executive Functioning and a chance for  a lot of back and forth

Today he told a man "Sad" The man was quite startled. . ( he did look sad so I could not blame him ).

But we must teach R about the art of diplomacy

R wants to take

1. Cheetos
2. Sprite can ( liite one ) 
3. Straw ( green colored if possible to match with the Sprite can ) 
4. Numbers 

( while I know EXACTLY what he wants - I use the ancient floortime technique of "playing dumb ) 

I pack for me and DH 

1. Jasmine tea
2. Cheese
3. Grapes 

R does his math

DH walks down later and we have our feast 

Wednesday 

Once again - I try to finish my work at the office in time to get home to have some light for the park and yayyyy I succeed

As R swings, k another mum with a cute boy walks  up to me and said "is your son on the spectrum"

I smiled and said "yes- how do you know"

she said " because of the eeeeee.. its what I hear all day !

Her son S -also  has ASD

We chat intimately ( such is the solidarity of ASD mums )  - she tells me

1. She is a divorcee - her ex husband is 6 ft 4 which is why her son looks older 
2. She is in a relationship with  a guy called J. whose parents  are very against him marrying her 
3. My advice was - avoid the MIL and don't feel bad if J has feelings of guilt and to not think in a binary way ( example - if he loved me truly /enough he would not need to feel guilty) as this is not how we think about things - Even though all the magazines and aganoy columns advice us to "stand up to our man " in this way 
4. She does not do any therapy for her son ( he is doing very well ) she plays with him really well 

I also tell her a lot about myself -

Such is the solidarity of ASD mums

I have seen her son before at the park with a babysitter ( who also incidentally asked me if R was autistic because of the eeeeee- guess Sand R have the same kind of autism )

Its super cold and I am very glad that we are wearing our full jackets

He insists on touching the water - the water looks dirty to me  - but his eyes are shining and I cannot say no

Today there is an Asian man out here with remote controlled speed boat -

 OMG R  is so fascinated -

 I make a mental note to ask DH to get R one !

Thursday 

Is so rainy

We do laundry in the evening and watch the new PBS show " Selfridges"

Amazing !

Friday 

Is my Zumba Day  -

 I LOVE ZUmba - there is one place and one place only where you will find ALL the portly housewives of King County on Friday evening

Derek the guy who teaches the class, has great presence and everyone loves him ( though he plays for the other team :-) )

DH and R are swimming and R bursts into tears for no reason that we can think of 

Saturday 

OMG R cannot get into the big computer as he has been banned for 2 days owing to his crying and his tantrums  ( DH's pet peeve)

Since he has nothing to get up for  - he comes to our bed - him and I snuggle and we do not wake till 10 am - this is the most I have slept in months and my whole body feels different

R has his social skills class in Mercer Island so DH and I drive to Seattle

As we are looking for parking a man gives us his tag as its valid for 1 more hour - how nice people are!!

We roam in Downtown and fall in love with Seattle a little .

All this while we have been seeing Seattle as grey and grungy and smelling a little like Kolkata and Mumbai ( cities that are both near the sea and smell of salt water )

But today we see also the charm

Wouldnt you with signs like these ?

Do you see the sign behind DH - its the "Cadillac Hotel" which started for the people who came to prospect in Seattle in 1897 and we go to the Klondike Museum

I love reading the stories of the prospectors here - its really nice to just be with DH( no R )  as we are able to do this at our own pace

We get an Access Pass for R here

Can you see the gorgeous Waterfall Garden?

Such is the ordinary week in our life.

So precious to me