11 October 1997 (perfect; just perfect; mileage = 11.8; Mountain View) --
X - Everyone got up absurdly late again. I packed up my stuff while Yusong
made breakfast. I ate waffles and eggs and then went back to packing. I was
about done (I started laundry) and I hung my clothes outside. I helped Seth
clear a site for 1 ??? and assemble the crib for their new upcoming family
member. I shudder to imagine how Peter will react to the shift in attention
focus. Then Seth and Yusong went out to try and buy some used chairs. I was
left with the ominous responsibility of watching Lord Peter. His Highness
commanded me to make a castle of blocks. He kept telling me I was doing it
wrong, but he refused to show me what he had in mind. My (relative to his
parents) blunt mention of this contradiction started quite a little
tantrum. If he was my kid, I'd have sent him to his room to chill out
BEFORE he started attacking me with the triangle blocks. Instead, I had to
just defend myself. If my kid attacked a much bigger, potentially dangerous
creature (such as me), I would deliver some swift and solid negative
reinforcement. He finally realized that I wasn't going to bend over
backwards to get him to be quiet. So he gave up and we sat there for quite
a while. I did build a castle for him, my own design. Seth and Yusong came
back with McD's for Peter. They forgot to bring cash and went out again and
brought Taco Bell back for lunch for us. After that, I got my laundry in
and got ready to go out. I wanted to mail my package, but the UPS place was
closed! At 4:00! Also Mailboxes Etc. was closed! I rode all over looking
for a grocery store. In all the time I've been here, I've not seen one near
here. This intense suburbia layout kind of stinks. I did my shopping in a
very crowded Safeway. I thought I heard Peter screaming several aisles over
and sure enough, they were there, too. I came back to the house and dropped
off the food (all but the Ben & Jerry's). I rode to a money machine, got
some cash and then ate my ice cream in front of city hall. Then I did a
quick voice mail and returned to home base. I finished organizing and we
ate dinner of chicken and corn. Then during a cartoon called "Angry
Beavers," I took a shower. It was the second time we had that show on
today. I finalized my gear arrangement and now I am VERY ready to go.
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