At precisely 2:07 a.m., I will be 43 years old. Wacky.
Pete took the day off, so we’ll all be enjoying a four-day weekend together. In keeping with my determination to experience all things Madisonian, we’ll be having dinner at the Nitty Gritty. I’ve been talking about going to Rhythm and Booms Saturday, but I’m not sure my enthusiasm is shared by the rest of the family.
Oh, happy Canada Day.
Every year when the sugar snap peas ripen at Vermont Valley Farm, CSA members are invited to help pick them. Each family gets to keep up to five pounds; half of what they pick goes to the week’s delivery.
I love sugar snap peas, so Pete and I headed out to the farm yesterday for the annual picking. Although the weather was humid, it wasn’t quite as hot as we’d had during the week. Sweat poured down my face, and my shoes were caked in mud, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
Later, we went to help a friend move out of the apartment where he’d lived for seven years. Now, that was work. Pete and I have stayed put for the past 12 years, and I found myself wondering how overwhelmed I’d be if I suddenly had to pack up everything we owned. I’m compulsive enough that I’d probably start organizing and labelling everything weeks in advance, though. I asked our friend how long he’d been packing. “Well, I got up at 6 this morning,” he replied. Huh.
After Moon’s initial experience with contact lenses last Friday, she hasn’t even attempted to get them back onto her eyeballs again. In fact, she has pretty much decided they’re not for her. Later today, we’ll be going back to Eye Contact to give them the news (and look at new glasses frames).
In the meantime, we succeeded in distracting Foxxi from her empty tummy this morning, and she’s spending the day at the vet’s office getting her teeth cleaned. It’s eerily quiet around here now. All week the temperature has been in the 90s, so we’re not planning on outdoor activity today. Nope, we’re going to the movies.
Friday isn’t just my day off anymore. It’s the kids’ day off, too. Moon has been cooking dinner for us every night, and Peter is responsible for setting the table and making sure the living room is picked up before Pete and I get home from work. They each get daily chores as well. Yes, we are paying them, but it’s less (far less) than what we used to pay for summer day care.
Sweet deal, eh?
In other news, my oldest nephew turned 23 yesterday. I’ll say it again: 23. I still remember the day he was born… his mom had a c-section, and I was in the waiting room with my dad. Brother #1 had been pretty shaken up by the way things had gone. He called us as soon as he found out the surgery was going to take place, and we came right over to offer support.
Of course, I had no clue what potentially comforting words I could say. But I do remember how incredible it was to see my nephew for the first time. He was my initiation into the wonderful world of newborns.
Update: Moon made a last-ditch effort to put on her contacts right before we left for her appointment, and she succeeded. So it looks like she’ll be ditching the glasses after all. We also didn’t make it to the movies, but Foxxi sailed through her teeth cleaning like a trouper.
During the Farmer’s Market on Saturday (the kids got up and went with us – it was awesome), I discovered that I do indeed enjoy iced coffee with a splash of sugar-free vanilla.
I could go for some right now, in fact.
Anyway, the whole experience made me wonder about cold brewing systems. Not that the cup I enjoyed was made that way, I’ve just been reading stuff. I went ahead and added one to my birthday list.
Update: I’m too impatient. I just picked one up at Gloria Jean’s during my lunch break.
The first Friday fun day of the summer was…. exhausting. But on the up side, we saw “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which had a great storyline and wonderful chemistry between the two leads. I have a total girlcrush on Angelina Jolie. Sooo cool.
Before the movie, I:
Yep, I finished my One Skein Wonder, and I love it, even though I’m not as cute as Stefanie. I’m also totally enamoured with Lorna’s Laces yarn. Once upon a time, I didn’t think I could wear wool because I was under the belief that all wool was scratchy and uncomfortable.
I never realized wool could be so soft and cushy. The Bazic Wool I used for the trim is pretty comfy, too. (You can see other pictures here and here.)
Now I can wear a tank top to work without breaking any rules.
… and as soon as Nephew #4 saw Pete, he shrieked “yayyyyyyyyyy!” and jumped into his arms. It was a bit hot for outdoor activity, but there were games of catch to be played, and walks to the woods to be taken. I didn’t do any of that stuff, of course. I would have melted. But I did proceed to the ribbing of my One Skein Wonder, and we played a nice game (indoors, yes!) of Apples to Apples.
Anyway, as I gaze upon the chicken-and-apple stained face of my youngest nephew, I wonder whether it would make sense to just go ahead and use his actual name. Even I get confused by the numbering system sometimes. I mean, Jodi talks about her nieces and nephews without fear of non-anonymity. And some of their names are as unusual as the ones in our family.
What do you think? The boy in the picture, he shares his name with a city in New Jersey.
Moon’s 8th grade class trip to Six Flags Great America was apparently great fun, but the heat and sun took a toll. (That’s what happens when you inherit the genes from the Irish/German side of the family, along with the red hair and milk-white skin.)
While she was enjoying roller coasters and a cushy charter bus ride, Pete and I went to Peter’s school to watch him get his 5th grade completion certificate. I kept thinking about how we’ve been involved with the elementary school for nine years in a row, and now it’s over.
Next fall, I’ll have a high schooler and a middle schooler. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around that.
Peter to friend, while waiting in line for cake and punch: “This year, we’re like gods. Next year, we’re at the bottom of the food chain.”
Sure, it’s been 90 degrees the past two days, but I dutifully did my exercise outside anyway. In fact, when a choir buddy emailed me yesterday to ask if I wanted to get coffee, I suggested that we go out walking instead. We went at least three miles, yammering all the way.
Today it was supposed to rain, so I didn’t want to take my bike to work. I walked instead, and the rain never came. So I effortlessly fit 50 minutes of walking into my busy day. Of course, I nearly melted.
Here’s evidence that I was not in bed Saturday morning. Need I say how inspiring the whole experience was? Or how happy I was to be a part of it?
I also have two newly-finished items to wear around my neck: the scarf you see at right, and my second Clapotis in a lovely summerweight bamboo. If you’re so inclined, you can see several photos of each while you’re clicking around at Flickr.
Now I’m working on Glampyre‘s clever One-Skein Wonder pattern, using the lusciously soft Lorna’s Laces shepherd worsted that I bought from Jane. (How ’bout those internets, eh?)
