79 and counting

Back in Verboort, everything is pretty much exactly the same. The ticket color was a shocking red this year, a fairly dramatic development, but the school bus driver is still knitting while ferrying drinkers to & from the beer garden at the gun club, the young lads serving coffee are still a bit tricky to track down, the macaroni salad is still oddly devoid of macaroni. In short, everything was perfect. The youngster stayed home with the vegan grandparents, who skipped the sausage dinner, so it was really kind of a date. 

sleep

I started taking these when W first started taking real naps, in his own bed. I took them so that when it wasn't going well, I could look back and see that there had been success, and sleep, and peace. But he actually became a good napper pretty quickly once we got started. Now I think I just take them because I can't get enough of looking at him.

objects and attention

I know the difference between a wubbanub, a pacimal and a bunny by the bay. I don't know why that seems like a telling detail in my life exactly, but it does. Maybe because it's part of the vast hidden world of parenthood that I never knew existed before. Maybe because now that I have another whole person to consume for, I'm feeling crazy consumerist, especially since he doesn't ask for anything, except food and sleep and smiles, yet I'm always on the lookout for things.

home sweet

Pink champagne, greens from the garden, a husband adept at roasting chickens and baking cakes, the 1977 scrabble deluxe edition and a worthy opponent, what else? W's first thanksgiving, I'm not sure he noticed but I sure did. I'm not all that interested in holidays, but relaxing at home with my family and a lot of good food seems like a good one.

In the november garden

I went out to grab some of my last carrots a few days ago, and there was an actual pepper on my poor, spindly, late planted, old seed started pepper plant! What persistence! It wasn't there a week ago, I'm almost certain. Other than that, things are slow in the garden. The lettuce and mizuna I planted from starts in august are still providing us with salad. The chard and kale are going strong, what champions! And their favorite pests, leaf miner, caterpillars, are still kicking too. Most of the seeds I planted in August are failed or failing, I haven't had a lot of success with the staggered late fall crops yet. I'm mulching with fallen leaves this year, worth a try, there is no leaf shortage these days!

pace of fall, my own cheerleader

The soup did get made, some of the leaves got raked, more fell, 10 minutes of yoga were sneaked in when the dad came home, one birthday card was mailed, a walk was taken, fun was had. The baby is fed & hydrated, well rested & clean. And happy, as far as I can tell. I am at least fed & hydrated. I am happy. Things do happen, just slowly, and mostly attached at the hip, and stomach, chest and shoulder. I never accomplish quite as much as I'd like, but also not as little as I fear.

77th annual

Here is that picture of the lemon meringue pie I promised a year ago. I would put up a photo of the dinner too, but it looks exactly, exactly the same as last year. I guess you don't go around doing things one way for 76 years and then changing them. Verboort was a little rainier and muddier than last year. W. slept through everything, I had a lovely time and J., always the good sport, seemed willing enough to indulge my fascination with church suppers and bazaars, especially since there is a lot of meat involved.

weekday ups & downs

Feeding the baby, watching his happy drowsy eyes, thinking he might go to sleep for a while, I start to fantasize about what I'm going to do when I can extricate myself, some yoga, make soup, rake leaves, write some letters. Probably not going to happen, most likely in the 15 minutes he is actually sleeping on his own i'll drink my cold cup of coffee and feel a little paralyzed because I won't be sure that anything on my list is really important enough to spend my precious, quiet, hands free minutes on. Then, feeling panicky because I'm not getting anything at all done or relaxing properly, I'll start doing something inane, like sorting the paper bags, or organizing under the sink. Oh well, we'll get the hang of it, and the paper bags are much more organized now.

2 months later...

Finally getting the pedicure I tried to get the day before W was born. I was planning on coming back the next day, the very first of many plans that won't go according to plan in my new life as a parent. My magazine is kind of old now, but just as relaxing. Beautiful, sunny Halloween afternoon, today is W's 2 month birthday! Pop is home with him, he (pop, of course) goes back to work tomorrow, and we're on to the next learning experience.

under the apple tree

Unbelievable day! We are napping outside & trimming the raspberry brambles.

dispatch from the couch

first post from the phone, from the couch, from underneath the sleeping child. We could be on to something here. We are learning as we go.