A Fall Weekend

 Oh, how I have fallen behind with this blog. Life is moving so fast, even during the pandemic - because of the pandemic? - but I need these small moments, frozen.

On Friday night I worked a bit later than usual and came home and scrounged up dinner from the fridge. Movie night was already in full swing - Matilda.  Clementine is performing a ensemble song from the musical version in youth theater this semester. We opened a box of fall-winter Hanna Andersson clothes I had ordered, all in a new size.  Ever since I discovered HA, I buy many garments that go together at once. It is bittersweet to start buying a larger size. Josie loves the skater dresses (one of my all-time favorite memories of her is putting one on and exclaiming, "Oooo! A pocket for rocks!") and Clemmie wanted a cardigan and pleated midi skirt.

Saturday morning: CrossFit at 7 am then home to water the garden and newly planted berry bushes. We are very invested in the success of the berry bushes! I fed my sourdough starter. We went as a family to drop the girls at dance class and perused the farmer's market, buying eggs, labna, and skirt steak. 

Home for quesadillas (Luke bought a huge pack of refrigerated tortillas at Costco... we've been eating a lot of quesadillas). Clementine was owed a trip to Party City (parity is everything) which she took in eagerly, aisle by aisle. She selected a plastic sword for herself and a Fingerling for Josie.  She and I picked up a couple of perennials I had ordered at a nearby nursery - Caryopteris. I bought one two weeks ago solely because it was covered in bumblebees at the nursery and is now covered in bees in our yard.  

Clemmie and her sword:

We had a little bit of downtime before Boo at the Zoo -- one of the events they loved last year (last year... feels like so long ago).

Josie wanted to wear the pj top that we tie dyed last weekend, her new Belle skirt/pants, wings, unicorn headband, and bring her Fingerling and paintbrush. When I asked what she was, she answered "I'm a talented unicorn!"

When I saw this snap on my phone I couldn't believe it!

Clemmie wears costumes at home all the time but was so enamored of her new top and skirt she added a beret - a braid - a basket - and an attitude as "a French girl".

Last year we went on the first night and it was sparsely attended. This year was packed! Luke brought his camera for photos. I whined about the girls' wanting to ride the carousel - the line was very long - but then I thought about how soon they won't ask to ride the carousel again. I waited contently.

Earlier in the day Josie had mentioned how much she likes "the song that begins with a J" from Coco and we listened to it on the way home.

The day had been very full and sunset is early now - despite our fatigue it was only 7:30 when we got home. Frozen pizza and Spirit and Barbie shows on Netflix. The girls finally fell asleep. Luke asked me about classic movies - I've hardly seen any... "like The Manchurian Candidate" I offered as an example. He watched that movie while I did some CME reading and wandered off to read the novel I'm enjoying but can't quite find the time to finish, Fieldwork.

Sunday morning. Outdoor CycleBar ride followed by the grande flat white at the Starbucks next door that I look forward to every week. 

Back at home, I made pumpkin pancakes and baked a loaf of sourdough.  Luke watered the front yard plantings (they didn't fill in as anticipated this year and we are worried many won't return) and I watered the garden and cleaned the chicken coop. We planted the caryopteris and a couple of black-eyed susans. Come on, pollinators! 

I brought one loaf of bread to our neighbors and baked another. (I had a lot of freshened starter. I've gotten in to the habit of refreshing the starter two or three times over the weekend and keeping it in the fridge during the week).

Inexplicably the girls were hungry again: quesadillas to the rescue. Luke took Clemmie to her rehearsal and Josie and I made school lunches, folded laundry, and read Highlights.  Because the pumpkin pancakes called for only a little pumpkin puree and I wanted to use the rest of the can, I made pumpkin muffins from BraveTart.

Tomorrow is their first full day of in-person school since mid-March.  😳