So now that I have Vanna back, of course we need to take advantage of it and not sit at home, right? Right. Plus, the air conditioning repair guys arrived at 0900 to take out our old, crappish air handler and replace it with a sleek new version (I really have no idea if it was sleek or not - I didn't see it - but that sounded like a good word), so I wanted to get the kids right out of the house and out of their way.
Our first stop was to the library down the street. Chloë has been begging me to take her, so we could do their summer reading program. No sooner did we jump out of the van than some carpenter-types hollered over to us that the libe was closed until sometime in September. Well, shoot.
So we ran over to the adjoining playground (Tabblo above) to let the kids burn off some steam. I mostly sat on a bench in the shade and took pictures; it was too dang hot to do much else. They didn't seem to mind and pushed each other on the swings for once. It was a good time. When they started complaining of the heat, we left.
Next, we drove to Central Library on the Boulevard. I've been past it dozens - if not hundreds - of times but have never actually gone in. Woo, it's nice. And big! I spoke to the kids repeatedly about proper library behavior, but somehow they still managed at times to be loud and to run. Argh. No one else seemed to mind but me, though.
Inside, I renewed my card and then, to his utmost joy, got one for Jack. "I'm old enough to have a card now?!" he squeaked. Of course, he doesn't own a wallet, so the card currently lives in Chloë's purse... We went upstairs to the children's section, and they had a blast picking out all sorts of books they wanted to read. I capped them at three apiece, reminding them that we would be back next week. I hope to make this a regular Monday thing, or so.
Then I got my own books. I picked A Thousand Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. I'm thinking KR will be first, since it was written first, but I have yet to crack open either. After some knitting (I haven't been knitting in days, since I didn't want to sweat all over the lovely yarn), that is.
(I italicized those book titles instead of underlining, by the way, because otherwise TypePoop was underlining the entire paragraph, and I couldn't fix it.)
Then we headed to a certain ghetto mall in Norfolk to do a certain pretzel store mystery shop. The kids were again running and yelling, and making me look like the most ineffective mother ever. I tried not to mind, but I did. Anyway, we got to the pretzel place, and there was a no-credit-cards sign on the counter. Guess what? All I had were my CCs. So that shop didn't happen and we wasted that time and gas. Dismay all around.
I'd gotten my monthly text message from Redbox with the free Monday code, so I promised the kids if they behaved at the post office, then we could rent a couple movies. I had two thick envelopes to mail to overseas Navy bases with expired coupons, and they did behave.
When we were finished and about to go to the Redbox, Steph called or I called her, I forget - and we decided the kids and I would drive out to see her and her nieces in Chesapeake instead. I put it to a vote, and they unanimously chose to go see "Auntie Stevie." One of them, I forget whom, asked, "Can you come with us, too?" No, kid, I was going to hand over the keys and wave you off...
We stopped home so I could get my knitting, and the AC guys were standing in our driveway with their shirts off, drinking Gatorade. Apparently it was 1,000º in our attic, poor guys. I'd thought they were almost finished when we'd left three hours earlier, but not quite. Anyway, I got my stuff, and we headed to East You-Know-Where.
This cutie is Steph's 2yo niece, Carolynn (sorry if I spelled that wrong, S). She was napping when we arrived but woke up shortly after for some lunch. She's so adorable and playful; I just ♥ her!
The kids all got along well and played for a couple hours while Steph and I chatted and discussed about a certain knitted abomination she'd received. I still say she should accidentally knock over a candle onto it...
When my kids kept begging Steph for some food, I knew it was time to head home to feed them! No sooner did I put the kid music on for them than Sophie and Jack knocked out. Chloë spent the long ride reading her library books to herself. I stopped at Redbox before home and rented them three movies, and I was chagrined to find Rob still not home from work at 1800. That's a long day for him, and I missed him.
The AC was blowing hard when we came in - but the guys didn't shut the kitchen windows, so it was a huge waste!! Argh. I got those closed, made the kids some quick (yes, Trader Joe's) mac & cheese for dinner, and settled in myself with some yummy TJ hummus. Rob finally arrived, and quickly konked out. As I type, he's dead to the world on the floor behind me...
Oh, and I got a call today about doing some daycare for three kids starting later this month: a 3yo, 5yo and 9yo. They happen to live right across the street, so the mom came over to hash out hours, prices and other terms with me. She's really nice; Chloë and I sold her cookies earlier this year, so she knew me as "the Girl Scout mom." I lowballed myself on the weekly fee, but it's really not that many hours, and every little bit will help. She's a single mother, so I quoted her a price lower than I normally would have. I start on the 24th!
And that's our Monday. Hope your week is off to a good start!
Fin.
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