Weekend Whirlwind

This was a great weekend. the weather was perfect, both my boys were in town, we had a dinner on Saturday with my mom and my brother and sister in law and I didn't lose any exchange students.


My son Eddie and his girlfriend Grace arrived on Thursday evening about 6. We talked for a while and I told them I would introduce them to Vanya and Betty, our German exchange students, as soon as they returned from their walk. They were due back at 6:30. When they still had not arrived at 6:45 I was getting nervous. They had only been in SF for 24 hours and I let them wander around alone. Eddie was making fun of me for being worried. I tried to be cool, but by 7:00 it was pitch dark and they were no where to be found. I started looking around in the car. I wasn't worried about their safety, per se, but I feared they were lost. Eddie stayed home to let me know if they showed up. They did at 7:15. When I came home they were all apologies, but I knew it was as much (or more) on me than on them. We ate dinner and the girls turned in, still jet lagged from the trip. An hour later the second earthquake of the day jolted the house. I made the decision right then and them to buy them a go phone (pay as you go cell phone) to use while they were here. Grace and I bought in on Friday. For $25 I have the perfect solution to my anxiety. I gave them the phone Friday after school and now know I can reach them or visa versa whenever we need to.

Steve returned from his trip on Friday night to find only Maggie and I at home. The girls had gone to a high school football game with my neighbors and Eddie and Grace were out with friends. Maggie and I were holding down the fort watching chick flicks. Within a few minutes everyone else arrived and Steve was introduced to the girls and caught up with Eddie.

Maggie and I took the girls downtown on Saturday morning to meet up with one of the host students, who was going to spend the day shopping with them. I picked them up later in the afternoon, stopping in the middle of busy Market Street to retrieve them. I was  urging them to jump in the car before a) I got a ticket and b) the Occupy San Francisco people enveloped us. Vanya and Betty were fascinated by the protest because they said they don't have things like this in Germany. It was a good opportunity to explain both the academic - the importance of free speech is in this country  - and the practical - how you don't want to be stuck in traffic because of someone else exercising that right.

Maggie is thrilled having visitors. She is calling them by name via her dynavox. When they first heard her say, "Vanya and Betty, hello!" they were taken aback but delighted. That helped them "get" Maggie a little better. She doesn't always appear to be engaged, but she is listening and paying attention all the time. 

Maggie was even more thrilled to have BOTH brothers home at the same time. Tim came by on Saturday and Sunday morning and I was able to get a picture of all of them together. This is becoming an increasingly  rare occasion.