Another year, another license

This past weekend I celebrated a birthday. I didn't dwell on it too much; Any day that is set aside for celebrating life and eating things like cake is okay in my book. We celebrated with a quiet morning at home, and a quietly joyful evening at my parents'. I don't feel old, I feel liberated; "Fitting in" no longer concerns me, I'm getting much better at leaving mole hills to their original size, and at the same time I still feel really young and with it.

This was that once every few years that I had to actually go into the Secretary of State to renew my driver's license. Expecting the usual long wait while the government workers behind the desk shuffled from one computer to another, spendng ten minutes to do five minutes worth of work, I prepared Calvin for the event and packed a bag full of books. I was right, too; we got through most of the fifteen books we'd packed before we were finally called for our turn, then I signed a paper, paid for my right to drive, and was ushered (with surprising efficiency) to the camera for my new mug shot. Calvin stood between my legs, smiling indulgently at the camera aimed well over his head towards my own smiling face, and then we were done. It was actually thirty easy minutes and an errand well done. Then I got my new license in the mail today, and you know what? I look a lot older than I thought. Oh well.

We had to try twice to get a picture of the candles on the cake—the little boy sitting on my lap blew them out the first time before the pan had even hit the table.

NAI Auto Show

It had been quite a while since I ventured into Detroit proper. In fact, I can't really remember the last time I was there, other than that I'm pretty sure it was before Calvin. There are lots of reasons to go to the Detroit and when I was in college I made it to the big city at least once a year, if not for a Lion's game, then maybe the Tigers, if not for a stage play, then maybe a musical performance, and the one event that kept us returning every frigid January was the North American International Auto Show.

Now, I could swear that the last time I went to the show was, well, not all that long ago, but if that were true, then Jon would remember having gone and he swears up and down that he has never been before this year, so that would mean that this was my first visit to that illustrious event in at least nine years. Nine years??? That's not possible, we're not that old, are we? At least we're not old enough to remember cars like this one that greeted us when we walked in the door.

On the other hand, there's nothing quite like seeing your firstborn climb into the driver's seat of a car to make you feel ancient, right? I can't tell you exactly what car he's sitting in here, but there's also a good shot of him sitting in a Corvette convertible.

The thing that most caught my attention this year was the very toned down atmosphere of the usually elaborate event. In comparison to years past (be those ever so long ago) it seemed that fewer representatives were breathing down your throat, far fewer elaborate stages were set, and exponentially fewer of those gratuitous, and often undesired, booklets were being shoved in your face. I can only imagine why (oh so tongue in cheek), and these seemed like vast improvements to me. It's hard to say which is the "greener" improvement, the paring down of printed materials, the decrease in materials used for elaborate but worthless displays, or the greater emphasis put on greener vehicles; the whole downstairs this year was dedicated to a test drive track for electric vehicles, and it was decorated with what seemed to be entirely reusable resources (as in still potted trees and plants).

A good time was had, in between chasing the quick little three year old who was intrigued by everything, that is. Between boxy cars displayed in boxes, trucks hung from the ceiling, and working engines displayed in cases...

his little legs just could not carry him fast enough to see it all, which was good because that way we were able to keep up.

I think his favorite thing about the whole trip, though, was the ride we took on the People Mover over to Greektown and back. The kid does love trains, and this is about the closest he's come to one since riding the El in Chicago while visiting Uncle Curtis (which makes Uncle Curtis, who also gave him train stuff for Christmas, a very popular fellow).

A quick tour on the People Mover is a great way to not really see Detroit. The only part of that tour that really caught our attention, besides decrepit buildings of course, was the view over the river into Windsor. And any trip that results in a stop at a little bakery for ice cream and mini mouse cakes is a winner in my book, although I don't recommend ever eating at the Parthenon for any reason whatsoever, even for the flaming cheese.

And on the way out we stepped back into the show for one last view of those last classy cars: My favorite, the Morgan, and everyone else's favorite... Mercedes anyone? All I can see is the Delorian from Back to the Future; it's those darn gull-wing doors.

Project 365, days 15-21

Lots of crafts this week, from gluing textiles to paper to cutting out circles to make a snowman family, and even a day spent learning an entirely new hobby—yay! Calvin showed his flexibility by entertaining himself for 2 full hours while sat in a meeting for work. Damp, chilly winter days like these call for lots of cuddling up and reading, be that to yourself in the library, or to the cat at home. And those cold winter days just scream for homemade soup and bread.

Don't bother me, I'm reading

Cats love a good book

Either that, or they love a warm body near them in a cozy chair. Cookie and Calvin have always had what others might be tempted to call a thorny relationship; when Calvin was young he loved nothing better than to "love" the cat, and sometimes that kind of love still sneaks in under the guise of toddler exuberance. For the most part, though, their kinship has along with Calvin's greater sense of responsibility and tenderness.

Calvin is responsible for feeding Cookie, and it is to him that she directs her plaintive mews first thing in the morning or in the waning light of evening. Calvin is the only one in our family who is sucker enough to turn the bathroom faucet on at a dribble to allow her to drink. Calvin is also the only one who really takes a good nap  every day, providing Cookie with a comfy and warm cuddle spot to while away the afternoon.

It works in the other direction, too. Of all the household memebers, Cookie is the only one who doesn't have interrupting chores or work to do, and who will sit still long enough to be the recipient of a well-planned tea party, an acted out play or felt story time, or the reading of a delightfully long book (especially, you see, if she is napping). She is also the only pet mindful of the kid's personal space, whereas the blind little dog and the clumsy big dog tend to step on train tracks and collapse block buildings.

I am allergic to animals, particularly to cats, and there are days here and there when, as much as I love our pets, I find myself wishing them away along with my stuffy nose or itchy eyes, but this kind of companionship is a lesson in itself, and a valuable one at that, and while we'll probably never adopt a cat again, I am thankful for Cookies presence and the friendship she gives, in particular, to that precious little boy.