Deep Eddy, Space Commander and Garbage Bandits

I have 3 blogs in one today. Each special in it's own way, and it wouldn't be right to not report on one of them.

#1)DEEP EDDY POOL: There are only so many ways to beat the Austin Heat, and we have heard around town that the Deep Eddy Pool is one of the best ways cool down. It is a pool fed by natural spring water, and the temperature stays around 68 degrees all year long. A little chilly at first, but refreshing. After about an hour long hum-ha session with Jeff, we settled on taking the kids to the much anticipated "Deep Eddy". It was the best decision! What a wonderful place to relax with your family, and it is super kid friendly with a giant shallow wading area - perfect for Oliver and Emma. The pictures are from our outing there today.

#2)SPACE COMMANDER: Oliver's imagination has developed by leaps and bounds over the last month. It is such a wonderful thing to witness. He is growing into such a "big boy" before my very eyes. (He is always the first to remind me that he is a "big boy" should I happen to forget!)Lately, his favorite make believe game is "Space Commander". He shouts out that he is "space commander Oliver" and Emma is his "space cadet." He has collected all sorts of odds and ends that he pretends are his space controllers, and "stethoscopes" (he actually means telescope, but gets it a bit wrong.) His space ship is a big Ikea cardboard box in the living room, which he travels to space in regularly. As he is blasting off he proclaims with total exuberance "I'm going to Mars! Where no one has gone before!" I love this boy. I love his zest, his excitement, his intensity, and his pure belief that he can do or be whatever he darn well wants.

#3)GARBAGE BANDITS: Ok, we've covered fun and we've covered heartfelt. I'm not sure what to call this next little ditty, but I'm pretty sure I've saved the best for last. There are no photos to accompany the story, so just go ahead and use your imagination. Or not. It's honestly borderline humiliating. In our neighborhood the garbage collectors come very early Monday morning. I'm not sure how, but last Sunday night we forgot to put the garbage can on the curb. Jeff rushed out right when he woke up, but they had already come and gone. This sucks. It sucks even more than just ordinary suck because here in Austin you have to fit all your garbage in one can. In Cambridge you can just line up garbage bags the whole way down the street if you want - they'll take it all away.
The problem gets worse because our can was full last Sunday night. AHHH! What to do, what to do? "Well, let's just put the garbage bags in the garage and figure it out next week" Jeff and I decided. Next week is here my friends, and it wasn't pretty. The garbage can did not magically eat all the bags from last week. As Jeff and I stood in the garage wondering what we should do, that stupid can sat there mocking us, laughing an evil kind of laugh. "I'll get in there and jump a bit to try and compact the bags so we can fit more in" I suggested. At this point I am thinking anything is better than the alternative. There I was in our hot garage standing in the can trying my best to squish the bags down a bit. We got about an inch out of it, and Jeff muscled in another bag or two. "We're just gonna have to do it" Jeff said. I just died inside, because I knew he was right. We pressed the button on the wall, and up went the noisy garage door. I was just hoping that our neighbors were all sleeping. Jeff pointed out that it was after 11pm, and was more than likely no one would see us. We crept over to the neighbors can and shoved in a couple of bags. They wouldn't all fit. Crap. What now? Jeff then tried to stuff more in our own can. No go. Back to our garage to re-evaluate. I stated that we "will just have to wait and hope it all fits next week." Jeff's response??? "You realize that is admitting total defeat?" DEFEAT?? We are garbage bandits!! Is there anything worse in the whole world? Ok, probably. I just didn't want to be the couple who goes creeping around before garbage day stuffing our trash bags in the neighbors can!!! Wait. Too late.
Anyway, Jeff went back out to the same neighbors can and shoved all but one bag in her can. I hope she doesn't have any more trash to go out.