(no subject)
It was nice to be without a car, though tomorrow will be a bit tricky.
Saturday morning mr. flea had a hankering for donuts, and was bemoaning our carless state, so I suggested he ride his bike, as Dunkies couldn't be more than 2 miles. He did it! Took him about 20 minutes each way, and he arrived home at 7:45 with a quart of milk in each side pocket of the backpack and a dozen in a bag in the center compartment.
Building on this success we walked to the farmer's market, with Casper riding her bike the entire way (and back) with only one crying incident (when she and mr. flea had a miscommunication about crossing the street walking the bike). And she learned the concept of "burning rubber" which she finds very satisfying. I called P. to say we were carless and would miss the birthday party, and she offered to come get us. We had a lovely time at the little pool, which had a whole section that was 2-3 feet, so Casper could frolic freely. She has learned a fair bit of swimming at the Y in just one week even, and tells us she can out her face in the water now (though she told us she could only do it AT the Y!) Dillo was slow to warm as usual but very much liked a watering can he appropriated. After dinner and cupcakes Casper embarrassed me a bit by gleefully opening our gift to the birthday boy herself and brandishing it at him (a book) and further had to be restrained from opening all the other presents as well. I think the cupcakes had started to kick in by then.
This morning we set off to walk (Dillo in stroller and Casper on her bike again) to an early brunch at Whole Foods (foiled by various other brunch places that don't open until 10 or even 11!) but as we crossed campus we fell in behind a large group of teenagers who, it turned out, were also heading to WF, so we carried on to Elmo's. We had a bit of a wait, as might be expected, but were lucky as it turned out, since while we were eating their dishwasher died and flooded the kitchen, and they had to close. For the first time we ordered Dillo a meal of his own (chocolate chip pancake, natch) and he ate about half of it. Then groceries at the WF and home. mr. flea biked back over to return a video later, and worked for a couple of hours at Lilly. I hope he takes to this biking thing!
We have a ride to the Y (Lakewood) tomorrow for Casper, but I think mr. flea will have to go get her on the bus in the afternoon if the car isn't fixed by then (which I doubt it will be). Hmm, and it now occurs to me I will probably be dropping Dillo off by bus in the AM, which is both awkward and liable to make me late. Ah well.
For father's day I got mr. flea Flight of the Conchords DVDs and a Nerf Blaster. I am good at presents, if I do say so myself.
I dug up a mess of daffodil bulbs from the yard to take with us, and researched storing iris rhizomes, so I can do those next. (I am leaving plenty of both - not denuding the yard!) Aside from herbs and lilies, not much is going on in the garden. The rabbits found the peas and apparently SLEPT on them as well as nibbling off the shoots but leaving peas in their pods in neat little piles, uneaten. Weirdoes. Then we had the 100 degree week and that was it for peas. I did have a calla lily bloom last week; maybe 100 degree heat is what they need.
So far in my Freecycle adventures I am dealing with a flaky woman who wants my stroller but can't seem to come get it (alas, she is the only person who seems to want it), and a sensible person who is coming tomorrow to take a cat cosy. Of course, I hauled the cat cosy out of the basement and not only did the cat immediately begin sleeping in it (she had disdained it, hence the basement) but Casper also wanted to take it in her room to store toys in. I told them both it was promised to another and have put it on the porch. Next up I hope someone will want two enormous boxes full of styrofoam packing peanuts.
Saturday morning mr. flea had a hankering for donuts, and was bemoaning our carless state, so I suggested he ride his bike, as Dunkies couldn't be more than 2 miles. He did it! Took him about 20 minutes each way, and he arrived home at 7:45 with a quart of milk in each side pocket of the backpack and a dozen in a bag in the center compartment.
Building on this success we walked to the farmer's market, with Casper riding her bike the entire way (and back) with only one crying incident (when she and mr. flea had a miscommunication about crossing the street walking the bike). And she learned the concept of "burning rubber" which she finds very satisfying. I called P. to say we were carless and would miss the birthday party, and she offered to come get us. We had a lovely time at the little pool, which had a whole section that was 2-3 feet, so Casper could frolic freely. She has learned a fair bit of swimming at the Y in just one week even, and tells us she can out her face in the water now (though she told us she could only do it AT the Y!) Dillo was slow to warm as usual but very much liked a watering can he appropriated. After dinner and cupcakes Casper embarrassed me a bit by gleefully opening our gift to the birthday boy herself and brandishing it at him (a book) and further had to be restrained from opening all the other presents as well. I think the cupcakes had started to kick in by then.
This morning we set off to walk (Dillo in stroller and Casper on her bike again) to an early brunch at Whole Foods (foiled by various other brunch places that don't open until 10 or even 11!) but as we crossed campus we fell in behind a large group of teenagers who, it turned out, were also heading to WF, so we carried on to Elmo's. We had a bit of a wait, as might be expected, but were lucky as it turned out, since while we were eating their dishwasher died and flooded the kitchen, and they had to close. For the first time we ordered Dillo a meal of his own (chocolate chip pancake, natch) and he ate about half of it. Then groceries at the WF and home. mr. flea biked back over to return a video later, and worked for a couple of hours at Lilly. I hope he takes to this biking thing!
We have a ride to the Y (Lakewood) tomorrow for Casper, but I think mr. flea will have to go get her on the bus in the afternoon if the car isn't fixed by then (which I doubt it will be). Hmm, and it now occurs to me I will probably be dropping Dillo off by bus in the AM, which is both awkward and liable to make me late. Ah well.
For father's day I got mr. flea Flight of the Conchords DVDs and a Nerf Blaster. I am good at presents, if I do say so myself.
I dug up a mess of daffodil bulbs from the yard to take with us, and researched storing iris rhizomes, so I can do those next. (I am leaving plenty of both - not denuding the yard!) Aside from herbs and lilies, not much is going on in the garden. The rabbits found the peas and apparently SLEPT on them as well as nibbling off the shoots but leaving peas in their pods in neat little piles, uneaten. Weirdoes. Then we had the 100 degree week and that was it for peas. I did have a calla lily bloom last week; maybe 100 degree heat is what they need.
So far in my Freecycle adventures I am dealing with a flaky woman who wants my stroller but can't seem to come get it (alas, she is the only person who seems to want it), and a sensible person who is coming tomorrow to take a cat cosy. Of course, I hauled the cat cosy out of the basement and not only did the cat immediately begin sleeping in it (she had disdained it, hence the basement) but Casper also wanted to take it in her room to store toys in. I told them both it was promised to another and have put it on the porch. Next up I hope someone will want two enormous boxes full of styrofoam packing peanuts.