TMJ Pain

Well, our Moose Jaw trip went way better than anticipated! While it was not exactly “good times” we got through it unscathed.

Daniel was great on the plane and loved looking out the window during that long period one waits for take off. “Trucks” (a new favourite word of D. Jr.s’) were everywhere (trucks = anything on wheels) which is just about as exciting as it gets.

Airport security was ridiculous as usual, but due to packing next to nothing for carry-on we were fine. Once again the unopened can of formula received way more attention than any of our electronics. The Edmonton security guy happily told me that the formula “passed the test” and quite effusively praised me for D. Jr.’s empty sippy cup. The Regina security guy berated us for our too large Ziploc bag of cosmetics (we had 4 small items in it, but apparently the bag itself was too big). He actually gave us a smaller Ziploc for next time. I find it amazing that a) Edmonton security had no problem at all with the same bag b) airport security somehow hinges on Ziploc bags (that hand lotion might really be an explosive, thank the Lord it’s in a Ziploc).

While I did not get to do anything remotely fun (no shopping at all!) in Sask. I did at least get to enjoy the huge moose again. MJ was VERY cold and the weather sucked overall. That combined with sleep issues meant that we were either attempting sleep or visiting old folks.

Our only setback was when in the middle of our first night there D. Jr. hurled all over me and the hotel room carpet. We had NOTHING to clean it with. We ended up using dish soap, the ice bucket and face cloths . . . I will never be able to use a hotel ice bucket again! I am sure that we are not the first people to employ the ice bucket for “other uses.” Thank God we were able to do laundry at the grandma-in-law’s or we would have had to pack pukey clothes and bedding – uck!!!!

Our hotel room was extremely noisy as we bordered on the elevator shaft. I hardly slept for two days, but that’s what I expected would happen.

As for the old people themselves, they are all doing amazingly well “considering.” D. Jr. was a hit everywhere and only wrought minor havoc in the old folks home. The old folks loved watching him and interacting with him. It was very interesting to watch. Kids just don’t have the same hang-ups that adults do and kids treat everyone the same. I have to admit that old people kind of freak me out especially when there is dementia involved, hearing and language impairments and major physical problems. I do my best to disguise this, but it is hard. As grandpa-in-law suffers from most of the above, as did most of the people in the care facility, the visit was a bit of a stretch for me personally.

However, D. Jr. just went up to every person, tried to get every person to play ball with him and babbled at everyone. One lady in a wheel chair really enjoyed playing ball with D. Jr. I am inspired now to try offering one of my early literacy Library programs at a seniors’ facility . . . I’m just wondering how that “works” with all the germ issues, etc.

Despite our flight home being significantly delayed after we passed security (and there is NOTHING to do in the Regina airport), D. Jr. was once again great on the flight, etc. The only caveat to this is when he flung an empty plastic cup at a poor sleeping guy two rows back. We felt pretty bad at having turned into “those parents,” but D. Jr. is just so fast now that we didn’t see it coming (or going!). We were lucky that the passenger took it all in good humour and were also lucky that D. Jr. was not deemed a terrorist threat at that moment! We were happy to come home (to equally shitty weather) and vowed that if we do the MJ trip again it will definitely be in summer!