People of science and industry

At risk of sounding all Cat in the Hat the rain was pretty intense this past week.  Hardly what one looks for on spring break.  We were  very housebound and cranky.  Freyja got out a little more often than  Maxwell, as she was able to come to work with me Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, where we don rain gear and head out regardless.  Let's just say Thursday and Friday were LOOONG.

Just as I was about to throw in the towel and start construction on an ark in the back yard, the most remarkable rainbow I have ever seen appeared in the  eastern  sky.  I told Rolf "see proof that god will never destroy the world again" which caused him to look at me funny, with his Catholic lack of old testament biblical knowledge.

For our Saturday dinner I decided we should make salad rolls and that Maxwell should help me.  He was hesitant at first, but got into the spirit after a bit of coaxing.  

We had excellent results, and I was good, resisting the urge to rip the ingredients out of his hands to make everything perfect.  Freyja keeps telling me "no one is perfect Mommy." and "practice makes improvement"
Oh the things they teach in school these days!

We also had a grand mushroom, omelet and rice dish, featuring woodear and straw mushrooms

Rolf and his girlfriend were instructed to bring dessert, and it had to be something pretty great, as this dinner was in honor of our dear friend John, who once again was saving our asses by making electrical repairs on our elderly overheard lights.  Knowing an electrical engineer isn't a bad idea either, now that I think of it.  

 

They decided to make "liquid nitrogen ice cream", which only really works if you happen to know a bunch of chemists, who can bring a big flask of liquid nitrogen to a dinner party.  

Rolf with the nitrogen, in the mudroom which isn't very pretty, and not usually photographed.

pouring some into a glass for Freyja's entertainment.

Catherine siring the ice cream

Viola! Raspberry ice cream!

Later, another chemist friend dropped by and Rolf entertained everyone by demonstrating the awesomeness of his latest invention, some kind of vacuum flask that insulates so well that he can hold the nitrogen without burning (freezing) his hands.

cheapskate

Maxwell is going to a nature camp in Bend for a week.
He is staying with Mark's brother and sister in law.
In addition to the nature camp, he is going to a horse ranch for some horse play (ha ha) neither one of us are thrilled about this whole adventure, but Mark seems to think it is a good idea, so there you go.
I have nothing against nature, in principal, but I find the idea of my city kid slogging around in the woods for a week, a long way from home, scary.
I also am not delighted by the idea of horses. Most people like horses, but I am not one of them. I see them as giant scary beasts just waiting for a chance to squash my baby.
Maxwell is traveling to Bend with Wawa, Mark's mother, with whom I have entrusted the oversight and care of Maxwell with. I hope she does a good job.
They are going by Greyhound, which is creepy enough just on it's own merits, without the horse and the woods thrown in for extra nerve wracking measure.
The camp had a long and expensive list of doodads that the children are to bring along.

This being our second really long and expensive list in less than a month, has made me very cranky and set me on a sort of camp supply scavenger hunt around the city seeking out cheaper versions of the stuff he needs. For the past two weeks I have been on a quest for cheap water shoes, to no avail, and today at the eleventh hour I had to bite the bullet and shell out $50 for a pair of Keen sandals.
I got off easy for the $50, as Maxwell's foot is now right at the top of the children's size and had it been even one size larger, I would have had to pay DOUBLE for an adult size. I really wouldn't mind spending $$$$ for shoes that he was going to wear say, all winter, but I can tell that we will be lucky to get through summer with these puppies, since his toes is right at the end of the shoe.
Last year Payless had tons of Keen knock offs, and this year you cannot find any plastic sandals to save your life. We have always gotten off easy with Maxwell, since he has very normal feet, while Freyja has very thick and wide feet that pretty much can only be stuffed into the expensive "see kai run" brand.

"what with the economy being what it is... "

I may rip out my hair if I hear that sentence one more time.

Today I went to Target to purchase a Batman Lego for my son.

It is the only thing he requested for his birthday and seemed simple enough, considering the movie was just up for an oscar, and well it involves BATMAN!! Iconic figure in popculture.

RIGHT?

Well, NO, sorry, no Batman Lego in stock.


Well, is it just sold out?
shrug

Do you NORMALLY CARRY BATMAN LEGO?
shrug

CAN YOU PHONE THE GATEWAY STORE AND ASK IF THEY HAVE ANY?

no,
no they cannot.

No one in the toy department knows if they carry it, and no they cannot phone another store for me.


So off I go to "Customer Service", which in Target language, means Freaky, hideous, cranky woman who could not give a shit if my hair was on fire.

She is totally unwilling to call for me, but being the person I am I force her.

She grimaces, she pulls faces.

Finally we find out that

NO,

no one in the Portland metro area, has the goddamn Batman Lego.

So I say

"that seems really weird to me."

insert that cricket noise effect from TV

So I continue on...

"And the really crappy customer service from the clerks seems shocking too, considering how dead it is in here! "

To which she answers "what with the economy being what it is, we are really short handed"

Short HANDED?

Are you insane, this joint is crawling with red and khaki clad slackers chatting each other up. The problem is none of them know anything about their merchandise.

"no, it is the economy."

OK, so would that not motivate the people working to provide BETTER service, not worse service, so people like me that seldom shop, will come back again?