Stranded

Last Friday morning was a whirlwind of efficiency. We were up by 6 am [as is sadly becoming the norm] had the kids dressed, fed and ready to get in the car by 8 am so we could drop H-Mama's car off at the shop for an oil change first thing. With a two-hour daily commute, we do that frequently. I had a 10 am acupuncture appointment to help ease the nasty cold and back spasm out of my system, so I dropped H-Mama and both babies off at our friend's house for playgroup [H-Mama's first, I believe, and she loved it] and ARRIVED EARLY at my blissfully quiet, relaxing and child-free hour on the treatment table. I got to hear about my acupuncturist's recent trip to Dharamsala which made my wanderlust flare up a bit even through my zen like state of needled relaxation. Then I fetched the rest of the family from playgroup and we headed home. H-Mama took off for work in my car and I spent the day with the kids and the carpenter. Early afternoon, we headed outside to pile in the stroller to walk walk walk our way to a nice nap which was to end up at the alpaca farm that is three miles away, but - lo and behold - no stroller. H-Mama was running so late she forgot to take it out of the car. How do you get two tired babes to sleep with a carpenter drilling and sawing intermittently in the kitchen? Not very well. Pequita hollered and cried for 45 minutes before I gave up and saved her. Monito slept like a log as long as I held him, so his nap was over when I went to fetch Pequita from the hell that is her crib. We decided to stay outside for a change of pace and get a little yard work done, so we went next door to the neighbor's house to borrow their big wheelbarrow. Pequita and Monito prefer this mode of transport when they can get it; when we stop by the mailbox on the way past for some reading material, all the better. Everyone in cars who pass us wave and chuckle when the see the little heads peeping over the rim of the barrow, and the kids love that.

Even with the Pequita trying to feed conkers* to Monito - the perfect choking size and shape - I managed to get some flower beds raked and ready for blooming. About time, too, as the plants below were almost entirely obscured by mounds of leaves and winter yard debris. They should have been cleared off weeks ago. I snapped some pictures early this morning when Monito and I took the dogs out at 6:30 am, replete with picturesque dew.

Lily of the valley encircling the base of our massive Norway spruce; our favorite neighbor's house visible in the background.
Hosta that I planted in a ring around the base of our big maple tree in the front yard.

Toad lilies that grow around the base of the maple tree and all through our front lawn. If you live anywhere near us, please speak up if you want a bunch of any of these plants. They all need to be thinned.

It doesn't take much for me to feel like I've accomplished something. Twenty minutes of raking and hauling away of pine cones, twigs and tree debris and both the front yard and I are glowing. I'm sure the neighbors appreciate the efforts to eliminate the unkempt look.

*I was a champion conker player in Switzerland. We went to a private school filled with Brits, and it was kill or be killed. You don't know pain until you've been whacked with a whizzing chestnut on a string. It is all in the selection of the nut - you have to listen for the right tone when thumped, like selecting a melon.