We got to the house around 4 in the afternoon. The drive was challenging since we had to slow down to avoid running over tourists taking pictures in the middle of the street, looking up at the valley walls rather than the oncoming traffic.
The Smokey-the-Bear sign welcoming us to the park read “fire danger extremely high” and we could see smoke behind him from active fires on the hills. We burst out laughing at the scene. The air smelled like the air during a Fourth of July party when all the barbecue grills are going and there is wood smoke everywhere. Luna got out of the car and ran around smelling everything and wondering whether this was real or if she had died and gone to a heaven–with the smells of so many animals to chase. She scraped her nose within the first 3 hours chasing squirrels under logs and into holes in the ground.
The house we are in is a temporary accommodation until “our” house is ready. I went to see the progress in the house under construction and based on what I saw, we are going to be here for a long time.
The house is small and funky and the front windows are covered with something that looks disgusting. Just when I was getting ready to sit down and google what it could be a neighbor came over and said she had already talked to the park service about the bats that are everywhere…. later that night I found out we have a rambunctious family of bats living in the eaves of the front porch roof. There is definitely some sort of domestic violence there judging by all the noise, however I don’t have the skills to intervene.
Benjamin found a tire swing and a pack of kids, whom the adults around referred to as “feral children.” I guess that’s a step beyond “free range”? They said to me, “yeah, your boy will like it and don’t worry if he runs out here by himself, there are many other feral kids.” I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.
Martin and Eva ran to the “spider caves” with Ella whom they met a few months ago, while visiting the park on spring break. Once they got back from the spider caves, as the sun went down, we all headed inside for pizza and much-needed showers.
What are “spider caves”? Why are our kids going into them? Why did I let them?… dinner was full of questions and vague answers. This is not Bethesda, that’s for sure.
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