True to Life

If you've ever traveled with babies and small children, you know that the pace is different from grown-up only travel. This is fine with me because I know the deal and it gave me lots of quality time with Cherie. But it is still makes for some "valium moments" (to quote Bill), that you just have to laugh about later.

We spent a good deal of our Palm Springs trip either feeding a child, waiting for one to wake up, or trying to get one to sleep. As a result, we saw a good deal of the hotel room. Fortunately, we had a nice place to stay.

On the way out of Palm Springs, we decided to take a walk through Indian Canyons. After finally getting babies fed, sunscreen on, sneakers on Sydney, etc., we didn't have much time left to take a walk. We started to descend into the canyon and poor Sydney saw an ant. She is afraid of bugs and started screaming.

Cherie had to carry both kids back up the hill. The tour group ahead of us probably couldn't hear their Park Ranger guide as Sydney's screams reverberated through the canyon. I'm sure any wildlife in the area immediately took cover. I know this is payback for a certain lunch outing to Trader Vic's many years ago when Cherie and I were close to Sydney's age (3). Cherie screamed and cried because she was afraid of all the birds and I screamed and cried because the wind was blowing and I was afraid of that. I don't know if we ever did make it to the restaurant.

I did walk a little ways down to a shady grove of big fat palm trees. It was cool and beautiful under there. Next time, I will bring Will and Eva to see it. And Sydney will probably not mind ants by then...