[phillamb168]

Sleep - play with son - drink beer...  repeat

Yeah. I found out last night that there actually is some stuff that I need to take care of Saturday evening so I don't have the whole day free, and honestly I don't even know why I had my heart set on doing 'nothing.' I guess I'm just feeling a little overwhelmed with responsibility and work and whatnot and just wanted a break. But, I'm going to Brussels to hang out with Theoman and go on the Toer de Gueze in a couple weeks, so there's that.

My problem is like Pinski said, I have an Engineer's mindset, everything has to be planned out. My wife and I talked about this last night and she made a good point, it's silly for me to think I need to have a whole day for it to be 'relaxing' and I should just try to enjoy the time I have free.

[phillamb168]

Phil,
I just googled your location.  I went through there in February on my way to CDG from my nephew's house.  He lives in Saclas south of Etampes.    That's a nice area.
If I actually had a day off I would just putter around in the garden with lots of beer in easy reach of my shade-tree lawn chair.

Etampes is a fun city, and SUPER old. I'm reading Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks (from ~540 AD) and he mentions Etampes. The Tour Guinette is from the 12th century and the church we sometimes attend mass at is from the 11th century (which is pretty amazing when you think about it).

Any of you guys ever nearby, give me a holler, I always have beer ready.

[punatic]

My son was born when I was 44 years old.  Several of my coworkers at the power plant at the time had grown up children.  I asked them for their perspective on raising children since my son was my first.  I asked, "if you had it to do over again, what would you change?".

Their answers were the same, "Work less and spend more time with my children.  They grow up so fast.  I missed so much of that."

I took that advice to heart and try to spend as much time with my wife and son as possible.  My friends were right.  My son will be twelve in September.  Seems like a couple a weeks ago I was changing his diaper.  They grow up so fast!  Don't miss it.

[akr71]

^^^^ Here, here!  (and a big +1)

I just turned 40 and my youngest is 2.5.  When my daughter (almost 8  ) was his age, her nap time was my nap time on the weekends (usually with he snuggled in Daddy's lap).  My wife is a nurse so frequently works weekends and nights and its just me and the kids Saturday afternoon.  Many Saturdays I'd like nothing better than repeat that with my son and sometimes I do, but my daughter looks forward to that time as 'daddy-daughter time.'  I know I don't have that many more years left where she actually wants to spend her Saturday afternoon with her dad, so I take advantage of it every chance I can (even if we just end up watching Mythbusters, Animal Planet or Glutton for Punishment).

[corkybstewart]

Phil,
I just googled your location.  I went through there in February on my way to CDG from my nephew's house.  He lives in Saclas south of Etampes.    That's a nice area.
If I actually had a day off I would just putter around in the garden with lots of beer in easy reach of my shade-tree lawn chair.

Etampes is a fun city, and SUPER old. I'm reading Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks (from ~540 AD) and he mentions Etampes. The Tour Guinette is from the 12th century and the church we sometimes attend mass at is from the 11th century (which is pretty amazing when you think about it).

Any of you guys ever nearby, give me a holler, I always have beer ready.

My nephew lives on a cul du sac at the base of a hill.  After his house was built 20 years ago Roman ruins were discovered in the lot adjacent to his house so no further building can be done on his street.  It's fascinating to look out our bedroom window and see the half excavated Roman town walls coming out of the dirt.  We spent an afternoon there ;last summer walking through the hills looking at other excavations.  I noticed that the ancient Romans who lived in France ate a lot of candy bars and drank lots of beer in green bottles, you can still find those artifacts in the ruins today.

[phillamb168]

Phil,
I just googled your location.  I went through there in February on my way to CDG from my nephew's house.  He lives in Saclas south of Etampes.    That's a nice area.
If I actually had a day off I would just putter around in the garden with lots of beer in easy reach of my shade-tree lawn chair.

Etampes is a fun city, and SUPER old. I'm reading Gregory of Tours' History of the Franks (from ~540 AD) and he mentions Etampes. The Tour Guinette is from the 12th century and the church we sometimes attend mass at is from the 11th century (which is pretty amazing when you think about it).

Any of you guys ever nearby, give me a holler, I always have beer ready.

My nephew lives on a cul du sac at the base of a hill.  After his house was built 20 years ago Roman ruins were discovered in the lot adjacent to his house so no further building can be done on his street.  It's fascinating to look out our bedroom window and see the half excavated Roman town walls coming out of the dirt.  We spent an afternoon there ;last summer walking through the hills looking at other excavations.  I noticed that the ancient Romans who lived in France ate a lot of candy bars and drank lots of beer in green bottles, you can still find those artifacts in the ruins today.

Yes, 1664 is actually 1664 BC.

[phillamb168]

My son was born when I was 44 years old.  Several of my coworkers at the power plant at the time had grown up children.  I asked them for their perspective on raising children since my son was my first.  I asked, "if you had it to do over again, what would you change?".

Their answers were the same, "Work less and spend more time with my children.  They grow up so fast.  I missed so much of that."

I took that advice to heart and try to spend as much time with my wife and son as possible.  My friends were right.  My son will be twelve in September.  Seems like a couple a weeks ago I was changing his diaper.  They grow up so fast!  Don't miss it.

Both you and akr71 have good points. Little guy has yet to watch a baseball game with me, and as they're onDemand I can play one after our lunches. That's how I'll spend my afternoon. Thanks guys.