Another Internet-free vacation week

Last Sunday, we left for a week of vacation, starting with 5 days helping our good friends CPQ and MrCPQ get settled into their new home.  Now, based on the “Internet-free” portion of the title of this post, you may be wondering if our friends moved to Outer Mongolia.  Let’s just say that I’m sure that Outer Mongolia’s Internet Service Provider technical and customer service departments are a step up from AT&T (more on that later).

K's OCD kicks in as she cleans my truck during the trip down.

Once at the CPQ house, we were presented with the makings for a typical CPQ household lunch (actually just the pre-organized pantry contents)

Mr. CPQ works on one of three ceiling fans we installed

Yes, the CPQs really like Tim Hortons coffee

And yes, MrCPQ still thinks that vinyl is on the verge of making a comeback. Maybe he can load those records into his Microsoft Zune and combine outdated technologies.

Part of my assignment was helping MrCPQ with essential technological upgrades. Here he is purchasing a lovely new TV. Which, after much discussion on the merits of HDMI inputs, contrast ratios and the like, we later returned. And then later re-purchased. More on that later.

Fireworks on the new front porch to celebrate the 4th of July. From the grimaces and ear/eye covering, you can tell that the fireworks were actually bright enough to allow me to take this picture.

J and A enjoy their first sparklers.

So, what did J and A think of the fireworks?

The next day, the entire gang (minus MrCPQ) took a trip in CPQ's new van. You can tell the 5'11" Tommy is thrilled with being crammed in the middle.

We really need to have A's eyes checked. And yes, these glasses now reside in our home.

In her blog, CPQ has mentioned some of the creatures her cat Cosmo has lovingly presented to her.  In their new house, they decided not to install a cat door in order to have a little more control over what Cosmo brings in.  For example, I’m sure this cicada (and its oh-so-pleasant screaming) would have been a nice surprise in the house if Cosmo had his way:

As mentioned, TV and Internet access was an issue during the week.  When the AT&T guy showed up on Tuesday to “finalize” the installation, he said it would only take him “20-40 minutes.”

I believe the TV situation was resolved 5 days later, but the Internet is still in limbo.

JJ and Tommy look none too pleased with the lack of internet access.

A (and the rest of us) made up for the lack of TV and Internet by eating continuously. She especially liked it when her tongue matched the Fruit Roll-up.

Thanks to Amazon.com, Travis had a new video to help him weather the no-Internet storm. And is that the beginnings of a mustache on him? Yes, yes it is.

For one brief, shining, yet ultimately cruel moment, the Internet blinked into existence, causing everybody to run to the electronic device of their choice. But the moment was gone as quickly as it had arrived.

A was so delirious with the lack of Netflix that she tried to eat the corn shaped balloon we had purchased at Kroger. Did I mention that CPQ's new house is a tenth of a mile from a Kroger? It's like having the world's largest pantry only a 2 minute walk away.

It's not a trip to the CPQs without a Chinese buffet.

Same TV, different outfit. As previously mentioned, we reversed course and re-purchased the lovely new TV. The employees in BJs must have thought we were part of a TV/money-laundering scheme.

Before we left, we had to take our requisite “See how tall Tommy is in relation to K” picture.

Here they are in March of this year.

And here they are last week, a mere 4 months later. Did I mention the boys turned 12 only a week ago?

Once again, the 5 days went by too quickly.  On Friday, we left the CPQs and headed for my brother’s lake house.

But that will have to wait for another post.

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