The Library and I.

Traveling to different countries for me involves looking at libraries and I’ve been fortunate enough to see many beautiful, old and significant libraries and collections around the world. Last weekend I checked off another Library of importance which was a must-see on my list. The Library of Congress.

My first encounter with Library of Congress was at University. When I was in high school I’d worked in the Public Library in a small country town. Saturdays would be very busy and I had a job shelving books for four hours on frantic Saturday Mornings. I would have to get a certain amount of book trolley loads shelved and so I knew roughly what all the Dewey numbers were and the order of the shelves. But on going to Uni, there was a different shelving system. There’s other systems out there besides Dewey? What a revelation this was to me! And so there is a certain amount of nostalgia that I have for the Library of Congress before I even walk through the door, learning the way around the University of Canberra Library and sitting in tutorials while doing my degree, learning about Library of Congress Subject Headings.

I try explaining to Dylan the significance of the Library of Congress if you are a Librarian. I tell him that it’s as exciting for mum as it was for him in the Air and Space Museum. He just looks at me like I’m a little crazy. At first he was excited about going there. But then when we get inside and he realises it’s not really like his public library his interest wains. “Where are all the kids books Mum?” and so I have to explain that it’s not really like our tiny little public library. The first time I took Dylan to our local public branch library he walked in the foyer and declared “this place is awesome!”. Let me tell you there were smiles all around from the Librarians at the front counters. Anyway back to the story.

It was late afternoon and I had missed the last tour (something that I want to go back and do again). There was an exhibition which had some first editions of significant American writers that have shaped American Literature, there is the Thomas Jeffereson collection which is the foundation collection for the library of congress. The original Library of Congress collection was burnt down by the British when they invaded the Capitol building and Thomas Jefferson sold his private collection of books back to form a new library of congress, which was later burnt in another fire, destroying two thirds of the collection. This is the superdooper watered down version. A more accurate account can be found at the LOC.

The reading room with all it’s wooden desks and lamps is just like I pictured in my mind when I think of reading room libraries. There is also an abundance of murals and pictures around the wall which gives the building character and makes it not so much about being in a library, and more about being in a building of art, culture and learning.

OK, no more words, just some pictures of the Library of Congress.

Superheroes and Mum Time.

Three hours a day, three days a week. Newly scheduled mum time gets added into the weekly routine. Hamish has started pre-preschool. He had a lovely first day after he gets over the initial separation anxiety and he makes a new friend. When I drop him off this morning, his new friend is there waiting with the duplo building that they worked on together yesterday. He leaves me without a fuss and goes and builds something and then comes to show me. “What is it?” I ask him as he holds it up. “a gun!” Oh crap and I shrink out the door cringing. It’s a sensitive issue here and I am not sure how to approach it. He is just being a little boy, not really knowing any better. He has learnt it from the older brother and they have no understanding of how taboo it is to pretend play shooting games because gun control issues are so different over here. Sometimes they think they are starwars clone troopers, sometimes they are pirates, there’s lots of creative game play where they shoot bad guys.

So I come home, clean the house. It will stay clean for exactly three hours.

I remove action superhero figures and return them to there accomodations. This is where I find them:

4 in the loungeroom

4 in the car (boys take them for drives)

2 in my handbag (left over from doctors visit)

5 from the laundry basket (they apparently hang on the outside and its their home base)

2 in my kitchen, lodged in the handles of the kitchen draws (a superhero has to eat).

Then after cleaning I sit for a cup of tea. I burn my tongue! Because as a mum when do you ever drink a hot drink HOT? I realise I am watching cartoons. Although I must admit I didn’t mind because it was the story of Bizarro on “Superman Animated” which I’ve always been curious about. Bizarro has a pink and purple suit and I always thought he looked cranky because, well who wants to be a guy dressed in pink and purple right?

Today brings no words, just some well earned mummy time without my little shadows.

Take me out to the ball game.

This weekend we stayed in Washington and went to a baseball game. We also went and saw the Library of Congress which is another post in itself, perhaps on Thursday when I’m finally child free for a few hours! Today I’ve been fumbling my way through the medical system and I’m exhausted. The appointment was for 9.40am and we didn’t get out until two hours after. The youngest in starting childcare, just three, half days because he misses having friends. This is a child who has been in child care since he was 6 months old. He loves to be around people and I want him to enjoy company other than the immediate family, to mix with American kids and understand them a little better. Immunisations here are different to Australia and so there are more boosters and needles that he has to have. But paperwork is done, he can now start. Childfree halfday tomorrow? No. Dylan gets a holiday as the Jewish calendar holidays are observed here. But it’ll be good to spend time with him on his own too. Anyway back to the game.

The game was just the most interesting and unforgettable experience. Something that is so very, well, quintessential American! We were watching the Washington Nationals v the Milwaulkee Brewers. In a week they play a series of three games. They had both won a game each. So the game was going to be interesting. Unfortunately the Nats lost, but they have made the playoffs so perhaps they are saving their best players for then. I don’t know really, that’s just a guess.

But I am explaining the game to Dylan and it turns out I know more than I think I do! I can actually explain most of the rules, even a little strategy talk. “Oh they are going to strike out here and load up the bases…” I surprise my Husband, I surprise myself! The funny thing is, how do I know so much about the game? Not from highschool softball, baseball or T-ball. I think that I probably spent more time trying to get out of PE than actually participating. The reason I know about baseball is because when I was really young, we had a baseball video game on some prehistoric console that was a distant second to Atari. Yep. I was a video baseball queen! My Husband just shakes his head when I tell him this. But at least I can legitimately wear the shirt and not feel like too much of a fraud.

Yes, I bought the Nats shirt. Decisons, decisions. The season is changing so do I get a shirt with long sleeves, short sleeves, no sleeves. What brand? What material? What slogan? What Colour? Choices are endless! In the end I decide on a lovely 3/4 sleeve red tee made of the quick dry material, majestic brand with a simple scrawling “w” on it. The boys choose hats which are so completely their taste. Dylans is the fitted cap, that little bit showy and different, while Hamish chooses what ever is cool and bright.

The stadium has seats that go up quite high. We find our seats and Fletch then goes to retrieve lunch. He has to do it in two runs because he can’t carry 4 hotdogs and all the drinks and chips in one lot and there are huge lines. He unfortunately misses the first innings and all the anthem singing and pregame ritual. I did offer to do the second run. Perhaps he thought he was going to make it back in time. People don’t seem to stay in the seats for very long which is advantageous for us as it means we can get a good view of the game. People will watch a few innings, then flit off and come back for a bit and then flit off again. I wonder where they flit to, perhaps to line up for food? I suspect they go around to other parts of the park where they can get a closeup view. I guess that’s one of the things with a game that takes hours and hours to play – concentration wains. I know I would forget to watch the game, the roar of the crowd would wake me up from all the atmosphere watching and I’d find myself trying to figure out what I’d miss “who’s ball, what base…”

Bryce Harper is the pinup boy for the Nats. Everyone loves him, he is their star hitter and everyone wears the shirt with his name on it. And when I think of American Sport I always think of the mascots. The Nats have 4 mascots called the Presidents and they have a race at every game during a particular innings and everyone cheers them on. There is all that organ music: “duu-duu-duu-duu, du-du-du-du, d-d-d-da-du-duhhhh – [then everyone shouts] CHARGE! And the roar of the crowd is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It is a bit like when a jet flys over and theres that big blasting roar that follows. The first time we heard it, it was the day before our game. We walked over to the park and the Saturday game was underway. The noise just rose out of the stadium and across the other side of the street where we were standing and Dylan actually asked what the noise was. We explained it was the crowd cheering. Did he get bored? No, he was yelling and cheering, he got a program and in it was a score card. He wrote down the batting scores for the Nats batters for almost every innings. It is the most beautiful momento a little boy could ever want as a keepsake. It has warn off the print on the front cover from the sunscreen and being dropped in a puddle of spilt drink. It has his scribble and sprawling score check. there’s little doodles and colourings on the side parts. As expected, Hamish fell asleep about half way through and had a good nap on Fletch’s lap.

We get home late and go to the local Pizza diner for a quick bite. It’s just around the corner from our house and I have to grin at how we are adapting to the pace of American family life.

Today brings no words, just thoughts of baseball fun and how totally hooked I’ve become.

Oh the places you’ve been.

On Fridays at Dylans school they have a themed shirt day. Today is “oh the places you’ve been”. I get excited and say, “why don’t you wear your Australia shirt”. He gives me a look that says mum are you serious and says diplomatically, “it has to be a place you visited, not somewhere you lived.” I am sure i’ll see that look many more times in the future too. He wears his beloved Pluto shirt from Disney World and he trots off to school happy as a lark.

So far we’ve seen a few sights, in particular around Washington. But local daily life for the most part takes over and by the time the weekend rolls in we stay close by. Dylan has started weekend soccer here. Their team has lost the first two games by some atrocious scores but they run around like boisterous little puppies, limbs flailing everywhere, falling all over themselves with red faced determination. The Coach asks the kids to pick out a team name. Dylans shouts out “wolves!”. Coach likes this and so they are known as the u7 wolf pack (their sporting club is the Green Hornets if you were wondering from my old post). Hamish is like the little mascot that runs along the sideline. He desperately wants to join in and has coodination which is actually better than some of the older kids and he sits over with the team benched on the sideline in his own little camping chair.

And this weekend after his game we are going to a baseball game and staying overnight. You see we are not in Washington city itself. We are close enough to it that on weekends it’s about a 45 minute drive. I guess by Canberra standards thats about the same amount of time you’d spend driving through three town centres. Not that big a deal to travel. But we are going to have a little fun and not be tied down to travelling home for naps and meals. We’ve gone to lots of the Smithsonian Museums and this weekend i’d like to go back and see the pool of reflection with the water in it! The Library of Congress too. I still haven’t decided on a baseball shirt! But I imagine I’ll pick up a Nats shirt when we get to the stadium. For under a hundred dollars we get family tickets with a hotdog lunch. All good family fun in weather that is finally comfortable enough to sit in.

I’ve been thinking about adventure and exploration and pushing boundaries. We have ambitions of big places we want to get to, but everyday life here is full of challenges and adventures. Sometimes travel is the last thing I want to think about because I’ve got to use my brain power just to work out how to use online banking, a petrol bowser or get a haircut (i didn’t realise you tip them and in the end the receptionist just said shall i add the tip onto your credit card total? She was nice about it).

Other Aussies here think nothing of jumping in their car and driving for ten hours to get to a place. We don’t have that luxury with young kids, actually I hate driving trips too and am probably worse than the kids. So I guess our immersion into small life opens our eyes to the culture and people around us. We go to local festivals and experience new holidays including some Jewish celebrations and thanksgiving. Halloween which is a whole other post i’ve not started to write!

I have been trying to get Hamish into a kindy/ preschool here. He misses having kids around his own age. He begs me to pick up Dylan at 11.30am, so I fill out the mountain of forms and find out his vaccinations are different to how they administer them here. So before he can start I have to conquer the medical system. Easy right? Well you’ve heard about the healthcare system here. It’s taken me three weeks to find a pediatric doctor who accepts our medical insurance and accepts new patients, that is not miles away to drive to. We go on Monday so i’ll see how that goes.

Last, my small “what” moment for today (believe me theres at least one everyday). I am out of fruit and veg. I go to Safeway and theres actually people in there! I usually shop on Monday and its a ghost town. An anouncement comes over the speaker that if you get your flu shot there at the built-in pharmacy they’ll give you free football tickets. The speaker booms out that they don’t sting for too long so be brave and come grab one. Is that encouraging? Hmmm….

Today brings no words, just a little inspiration to push out of whats comfortable and have an adventure.

Little woodland creatures.

In my kitchen I have an arch window which I love to look out. It reminds me of the TV program Playschool. Which window shall we look out today? At the moment when I look out, it’s all green. It is going to change soon as Autumn is coming and the humidity has left the air now. I take the boys out and we don’t get eaten by mozzies. It’s lovely.

When I look outside the arch window I see beautiful big leafy trees, green well manicure grass, and animals. Little woodland creatures like something straight out of Bambi. These are some animals I’ve seen out my arch window already.

Squirrels. One was sitting up on the fence eating a mushroom the other day. The boys climbed up on the kitchen bench to watch with me. Then I had to warn them that they cannot just eat mushrooms out of the garden which then leads onto how it’s safe to eat them from Safeway, blah blah, blah. Why couldn’t the squirrel just have been eating a damn nut! Funniest thing I saw was a squirrel attacking someone at Disney World. I know, its not nice to laugh at someone elses misfortune but I guess thats why they say not to feed the animals.

Chipmunks. They are tiny.

Cardinals. Bright red birds with these little spikes on top. Just beautiful.

Hummingbirds. It is just like in the cartoons where they hover, collect the bugs and hover off. Their tiny wings going a million miles an hour.

Last night we heard an owl hooting. I haven’t seen it so you’ll have to just imagine something here…

A lone scrawny rabbit came hopping in one day. By the time I ran upstairs to point it out to the boys it had gone and I think they all thought I was mad. But it wasn’t a figment of my imagination. The next door neighbour said there are rabbits around.

Now this next thing I’ve not seen. A neighbour stopped her car to tell me there was a coyote in the neighbourhood. I don’t know what one looks like, I don’t know how big they get, are they just like a Fox size? I hope so. I have these visions of the boys playing in the backyard and the coyote eyeing them off all excited like this:

Today brings no words, unless I see a coyote and then I may have to use some to scare it off.