First, everyone seems to be well and happy, and summer is finally here. Finally! I can't say it bothers me though for it to be this late. I miss having warmer weather in April and May, but when June and July get here, and we have cool mornings and evenings with daytime temps in the high 70s and low 80s, I realize this is just what I like. The sky is so blue and the sun is so bright, but I'm sitting here now in my un-air-conditioned apartment without even a fan and feeling very comfortable.
I do love it here. I never DIDN'T like it, but now that I've settled in for 2-1/2 years, I feel like this is where I was always meant to be. I always wish Mike was here to share things with me, but I'm getting okay with just enjoying my own life.
I'll just try to cover this last week or so and see if I get inspired to do more. I guess I should start with what Graysen called the "Best Day of My Life." It wasn't, of course, but for her to think that makes everything I do seem worthwhile. It was a day of surprises, none of which I thought I could pull off! I'm still not that good with driving out of town and finding things and doing new stuff - but - I did.
At breakfast, I told the girls it was going to be a surprise day. They asked all kinds of questions, but I never gave in. They got dressed and ready and looked so sweet. I'm not sure who fixed their hair, Emily or me, but they were very sweet-looking. We packed lunches while they ate breakfast and then about 9:30 headed to Fall City.
The King County Library System has a bunch of libraries, and it's the greatest. We usually wait to see what's going on in our little Snoqualmie Library, but it is tiny, and frankly not much does go on here. I had seen the Fall City and the North Bend Libraries before, so when I was checking out kids' activities, I just wrote all three lists of events on my calendar.
That particular Thursday, there was a puppet show. I had no idea what to expect and whether the girls would enjoy it or not, but we went in and waited and watched a good many kids and their parents show up. I think there may have been around 25 or so. When it was time, we were allowed into this big room where there was a puppet theater set up - shadow puppets. Katherine was a little reluctant to go sit with everyone else, and Graysen had a little shyness too, not knowing anyone.
When Katherine would look over her shoulder to reassure herself that I was still there, Graysen would take her chin and turn her head back around to look at the stage.
I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was just as enthralled with the show as they were. When a lady came into the room playing a violin, they both glanced at me with raised eyebrows, but after that, they never turned around. She was the best. The story was what sounded like an old folk tale with very intricate shadow puppets. I don't even know if the kids followed the story, but they did recognize the various animals that appeared and cavorted around.
When the show was over, all the children were given the opportunity to make their own puppets. I didn't have much hope for this since there were so many there, and I've had experience with little ones making crafts. But it was very successful. They chose owls. They let me cut them out for quickness, but they punched hearts in them and taped them to a stick, and they were off!
Once the puppets were finished, the kids were allowed to go backstage and put on their own plays. The puppeteer would ask questions and have the animals say what they told them. One bear was named Bob, and a fox ate a rabbit and Graysen suggested the fox had to be punished. They got to change the lighting and sound effects. It was such a neat experience.
Graysen's owl is in this scene - and sometimes Katherine's.
The orchestra
Before we left, we got a chance to make owls with movable wings, which the girls have enjoyed so much at home. Naturally, they wanted to have loooong and involved puppet shows, and they've commissioned me to build them a theater from a box. I've checked out some books on shadow puppets and think we can make a nice theater and some simple puppets. The trouble is finding an audience since Ryan and Emily were held much longer than they wished on the last show and probably have lots of other things to do!
So, that was so much funner than anyone thought it would be! Now that we've experienced the Fall City experience, we will go back. Thursday, in fact, for another musical thing.
We had packed a picnic lunch, but even though I asked around, no one could tell us where there was a place to picnic except on the banks of the river, and we didn't bring blankets or anything. So we found a shady parking lot at the school and had a very lovely lunch. They didn't even get unstrapped from their car seats until they were finished eating, and I just went from side to side serving and wiping up. They were so sweet, and you'd think this was the best picnic ever!
They ran around in the shady area under the tree and picked up leaves and looked for bugs since we had some time to waste until the BIG surprise.
It turns out there is a bouncy house, Kidz Bounce, about 5 minutes away, so we headed that way, and they were overwhelmed that Mimi had found one.
Graysen immediately found two friends from Rooster Valley, and they had a ball playing together. Most things were too hard for Kate to get into or too many big kids around, but she did have herself a really good time, sometimes just running like crazy or riding little tricycles and riding toys. Getting some of that energy out!
I must have been standing right by the motor or pump or whatever keeps the things inflated.
We went again this past Thursday, but I don't think they had as good a time. Well, maybe Graysen did, but Katherine tried a climb a ladder that was too big for her and had to be rescued. She did not take that well at ALL. One bonus was that a birthday party was going on, and they had a bubble-blowing visitor to come out and entertain them. I may need one of those.
So, that day was successful, and it's taken an hour to write about it with all the YouTube downloading and finding pictures. But I did have some time at the end of the day. I had a huge pickup on the Hold Shelves at the library. Last Sunday afternoon, I had requested a dozen or so books from the Seattle Times Book section, and they all seemed to come in at once.
I started The Vineyard just because it was on top, and it's pretty good. Not the kind of thing I usually like, and it's slow reading, but I am enjoying it.
Graysen ran into another friend in the library last week, and she got some good ideas of some chapter books, which we checked out. She isn't crazy about not seeing pictures on every page and didn't especially like the Ivy and Bean one, but she found the Ramona one hilarious. I like that she's getting old enough to appreciate humor and plays on words.
We had a funny happen this week when we were driving by an elementary school. Katherine doesn't find any humor in it, but Graysen and I do.
K: Is that your school?
G: No.
K: Well, whose school is it?
G: I don't know. Somebody's school.
K: Some bunny's school? I want to go to the Bunny School.
We're still laughing about that when we think of it.
Since it's finally gotten warm enough to sit on the balcony in the evenings, I've enjoyed reading out there and drinking iced tea instead of coffee. Stella joins me sometimes to keep an eye on the hummingbirds and pretend to be frightened by dogs walking on the street beneath us.
Have to have my quilt out there still though! That old cooler is there because I had to bring up some potting soil from the garage. Gardening is a little harder up here than it is in a yard.
I guess it's been a long time since I've made iced tea, because this was not at all what I remembered Lipton's tea boxes looking like. Fancy! I just remember a bunch of teabags thrown loose in a box.
Emily and Ryan have a beautiful garden in their two plots, but i don't have any pictures. Kale, brussels sprouts, strawberries, carrots, herbs, huge dahlias, gladiola, and ranunculus.
Some ranunculus she picked and put in the kitchen window.
Emily and Graysen tried the pool the other afternoon. I think Emily thought it was going to be warmer than it was, but Graysen didn't seem to mind the cold water.
Emily's expression says it all.
Just a few more pictures of the week. It's been a good one except for the $800 car repair I had. I shouldn't complain though. It's given me a little more time on it and has never been much of a problem
Neighborhood jeep ride in the sunshine.
I found some used Polly Pocket dolls and clothes on Ebay, and it's been the best thing for Graysen. She plays and plays and plays with them.
Found this scene on my nightstand after they left yesterday afternoon.
Kate found this old Fisher-Price record player in the giveaway box in the garage. You just never know what they're going to enjoy playing with.
She still holds my hand when we walk and spontaneously hugs and kisses me, but then she stands in my parking lot and dreams of the day when she can drive a Jeep just like the one parked next to my car.
I do feel special when I leave after keeping them all day. One kiss and hug is enough for Graysen, but Katherine has started being a drama queen and will wail and hold onto my legs when I leave - "Mimi! I never want you to go home."
I adore them, but I sure do enjoy my weekends!! Elise is making a pot of coffee, and my book and balcony are waiting.
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