Car Ride

Inspirational song: Everyday People (Sly & the Family Stone)

Family car trips all had a very common theme when we were much younger. Once we had driven about five miles in any direction, our older daughter would be passed out against the corner between the seat and rear window, often with her head tilted back and mouth open. The rest of us found it endearing, even reassuring in its familiarity. As her teen years advanced, we wondered whether this would translate into her not being a safe driver, if the motion of the car was such a powerful sedative for her. Thankfully, when she was actively driving cars, she proved entirely capable of staying awake.

We needed to make a Costco run for dog and cat food this afternoon, so we invited Valerie along with us. She was at the park with her family when we arrived to pick her up, and she was rather reluctant to leave the playground even to go shopping with grandma and papa. She had to be chased after a couple times. Eventually she got in the car, and her mommy gave her juice and a small bag of Cheetos. Within seconds she was covered in orange smear, and within minutes she was sound asleep. As we exited the highway for the turn to the shopping center, the motion of the car rolled her just enough to tip her head back and drop her mouth open. It was a perfect Auntie pose, a direct flashback to car rides of the past. Naturally we took a photo and sent it to the family, just for giggles.

I hear that the bridesmaids and other wedding guests have posted photos, so I feel safe putting in the one full length one I took of the bride and groom outside the church. I didn't take many shots at all, other than of Valerie, so as not to get in the way of the professional photographers. Just this one was enough for here.

Mazel Tov

Inspirational song: I Knew the Bride (When She Used to Rock and Roll) (Nick Lowe)

That was one heck of a party I just left. It's still going on, but I'm wiped out and sitting in the car, waiting for my husband and daughter to finish dancing the Cha-Cha Slide with a whole bunch of people in dinosaur masks. We went to our niece's wedding at Trinity church in downtown Denver, with a reception at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The whole thing, from start to finish, went off without a single glitch, or it seems that way to this observer. The wedding party were all smiles, the bridesmaid dresses were a flattering forest green (no awful meringues in the lot), and the bride was absolutely radiant. We all recognized as soon as we met her now-husband that he totally is her human. From the speeches we heard during the reception, we know she is his human too.

I don't even know how to condense the day at this point. There was a lot of sensory input. I'm just glad not to be standing, not to be in loud DJ music, and not wearing my shoes that scraped up my heels anymore. But I got to see my in-laws, several of whom I have barely seen in almost 3 years. The buffet food was good, although it had mostly run out when the "kids table" got there. Age had its privileges today.

Valerie danced with her age-peers, several of whom were cousins to her. My daughter and her cousin compared tattoos and plans for future ones. Same daughter also gave me a new (to me) phrase: sunglasses atop the head are a "California tiara." 

I will spend the rest of the ride home sorting photos to see what gets shared. This is assuming I stay awake that long. I will save the one good one I have of the bride and groom until after they've had time to choose what goes online first.

Intermission

Inspirational song: Songbird (Fleetwood Mac)

As expected, yesterday's activity turned into today's lethargy. I got the recovery day I needed. I tidied the kitchen, watered my plants up front, and made dinner for the family. Didn't do a whole lot beyond that. I mean, I'm impressed I got a shower and clean clothes on, so don't be surprised when I say I had a major nap this afternoon.

I keep hearing nutritionists and climate scientists talking about how we humans should eat more beans and such, and cut back on animal products. This has made me crave pinto beans and cornbread like crazy, but it wasn't until tonight that I finally made it. The recipe I used for cornbread was pretty basic, off the cornmeal container. I just swapped out Cup 4 Cup flour, and added a touch of xantham gum. But since our oven has been dying for months (raises temp so slowly that it never reaches full power), I had to improvise. I used a cast iron skillet to soften a mirepoix for the beans, and while the skillet was still hot, I dumped in cornbread batter. The oven was a balmy 220 degrees when I put the bread in, and I just let it go until it smelled done, almost an hour later. Can't say as slow-roasted cornbread is the usual method, but it came out pretty nice anyway. Who needs an oven that heats all the way up? (Me. I do. I will want to bake pies and stuff this fall.)

Three Strikes

Inspirational song: Mississippi Queen (Mountain)

Doubly glad I went on record to say there would be less text, more photos. It was a long day, and I'm exhausted. We went to brunch at Lucile's with both our girls and the grandbabies. We took the train to downtown Denver (from the closest station, which is freaking Thornton, but that is a rant for another day), and met part of the family at the Wynkoop brewery. That led to a tour of the basement (the Mr always stumbles into surprising situations like this), where we learned there is an actual coal mine shaft under the building, part of which appeared to be sealed with like a sheet of plywood over a thousand foot hole. Coal carts ran on train tracks up to the hotels, all underground, and remnants of that system were visible. After adult beverages at Wynkoop, we went to Coors Field, and watched the Rockies get absolutely hammered by the Dodgers. We left at the bottom of the 7th. It was downright embarrassing.

All in the Family

Inspirational song: No Matter What (Badfinger)

We're gettin' the band back together....again. My daughter arrived from L.A. late this afternoon, and we have had a pleasant evening of meeting new baby, watching Moana with older baby, a family favorite recipe for dinner, and now just hanging out quietly and watching a big thunderstorm cell roll through. We have plans for the week, and some contingency plans just in case weather doesn't cooperate. The next several blog posts will be heavy on photos and light on text. Starting today.

 

Mischief

Inspirational song: You're No Good (Linda Ronstadt)

It is a basic fundamental need I have, to go out and try to get in trouble with my daughter every few weeks. More often when we can swing it. Because she was a bit busy last week, having a new baby and all, it has been a while since we went out to wander. Today we let Val stay home, since her naptime rolled around right after I got out of Rotary, and we went out with just Dmitri. It took me a solid ten minutes of wrestling with the smaller baby seat to get it reinstalled and adjusted down to tiny baby height, but I persevered and eventually won. He is still so small that he swims in it, but at least the shoulder straps are snug.

We started by running by a King Soopers, where I dashed in to buy lottery tickets, because for real, over 800 million? We had to try. I'm purposefully not looking whether it was won or rolled over before I go to bed. The best part of those tickets are the dreams you get before throwing the paper in the trash. After that, we went to Target and wandered slowly around about 2/3 of the store. I was hoping for decor items that I never really found, and she needed a couple newborn sized outfits that would work for the tiny man to wear to a wedding. Dmitri was pretty good overall, but he overheated in the stretchy wrap that was holding him against mommy's chest. I got to carry him after that, and he went from bright red all over to normal skin temperature and color rapidly he peeked at me and cooed a time or two, and then right as we approached the clothing section, he pooped forcefully. He was whisked away for a change (thank goodness I was allowed to hand the stinky baby off for that part), and then he decides he was done with shopping and wanted to go have a snack in the car. 

Tomorrow my older daughter comes into town, for a whole week! Surely we can find time around wedding festivities (my niece) and a trip to the cabin, to do a little mischief of our own. It has been far too long. If she lived closed, she would be subjected to the naughtiness much more often.

Heart React

Inspirational song: I Wanna Hold Your Hand (The Beatles)

While I enjoyed my very quiet, calm day at home, I appear to have missed out on some serious cuteness with the babies. Valerie has decided she loves holding her little brother's hand, and I can't get over how sweet that is. We got a video of Dmitri looking wonderfully alert, eyes open, moving his head back and forth. And before I could click a heart react on a picture of Val focused intently on drawing on her MagnaDoodle, a second one showed that she was not using the magnetic stylus, but actual crayons. I cackled out loud a little and made a snarky remark about cosmic justice, but I also suggested a little dish soap and magic eraser would probably get it off pretty easily. Not like my vintage couch that had pink and purple highlighter pens completely emptied on them back in the 90s.

Tomorrow and Wednesday will be transitional days, and then I should have a whole new set of guests and family interactions, and all new stories to focus on. Until then, here are a few of the pictures we got today.

 

Decor Inspiration

Inspirational song: You Decorated My Life (Kenny Rogers)

Oh, no. Oh, no no no no... I'm doing I again. I'm watching fall decorating videos and getting ideas. It started as just "clean with me" videos, and then it morphed into these. Now I'm sitting here, watching this adorable young woman with strawberry blonde braids decorate her living room in a Harry Potter theme ("Molly Weasley decorating the burrow for fall"). I already have a new plan for what to do with this stupid faux niche in my living room, and now I'm thinking bigger things. I also know it was suggested to me that I spend a couple of hours in Boulder to keep busy during the Mr's appointment next week, and I may be shopping for fall decor. Wish me willpower.

We had a houseful this morning. The new family of four came over, and our neighbors and foster daughter came to meet Dmitri. Our neighbors had never held a baby, and they were super nervous to take him on. But their child is due around Thanksgiving, so we gave them a nudge and said to practice. They were so cute holding him, marveling at how small and light he was, and how he totally slept peacefully through their whole visit. 

No one left here empty-handed. To the neighbors, we returned a drinking glass that had ended up here weeks ago, and gave them some of the hand-blown brandy snifters that Mr S-P had wound up with while helping a friend sort through her father's estate. I gave another set of the same snifters to foster daughter, as well as returning a stack of tubs containing D&D figurines and other paraphernalia that has clogged up my dining room for months. And for our kids, I gave them half cases of size one diapers and 2T pull-ups, and sent the beloved Elmo potty home with them for Val's practice. I have hope of seeing my entire dining room again soon! If that doesn't improve my mood over yesterday's funk, nothing will.

Blue

Inspirational song: Am I Blue (Hoagy Carmichael)

You know what? I'm a little down. I don't mean there is anything wrong physically. I ought to be tired for all I did around here on a hot day, but I feel generally fine, if somewhat ready for it to be bedtime. I mean I'm feeling a bit mopey. I have no idea why. It probably doesn't require deep investigation. It's just a mood. But I'm learning as I'm aging, that it isn't a requirement to be chipper and positive all the time. It's okay to be in my feelings, and today I'm a little lonely and wishing for a hug. While I was home alone, Athena noticed this about me, and came up along the back of the couch, to slink onto my collarbone, and snuggle for all she was worth. Now my pajamas are covered in black fuzz, and I appreciate that there was someone here to offer the hug I wanted.

I don't have much to write about. It was quiet here, other than the series of cleaning inspiration videos I watched as I worked in 5-10 minute bursts to make great strides getting back in order here. The Mr was in the mountains, and the houseguests were out doing their own thing. The animals even stayed out of sight, after they ganged up on me to get up and feed them. The only pictures I took today were of the crew who took turns glaring at me while I tried to sleep in.