Free Time

Now that the girls have been in school for over a month, I have made the realization that i do need to make the most out of my little bit of free time that i have everyday.  It isn't much, but if i don't harness it, I really can't complain that "I have no time to do what i want to do!" 

Between all my volunteering gigs (school library, Friends of Winterfield Park, Parent Council, Civic Week) and housework, most of my free time is getting gobbled up.  But on Fridays I try to go on a nice long walk with Gratchy, clear my head and relax.  This week, i am going to dust off my running shoes and wear them and see how that goes. if you don't hear from me, you know how it went!

School year

Ruby and Esme have begun school!  It actually began August 16th for Ruby and the 22nd for Esme, but i have been so completely busy that i am having a hard time keeping track of the days.  My life seems like it is a continual walk back and forth from school, and although it is fairly close, it still makes it hard to get anything done!  here is my school schedule for this school year:

8:45 Ruby starts school, return home with Esme
12:45 Esme starts nursery
2:50 Ruby done with School
3:10 Esme done with School

Essentially i am walking to school 3 times and walking home 3 times.  Up until today, Esme has refused to go on her own little legs, so she has been hitching a ride on the back of my bike.  Both girls are exhausted at the end of the day, but Esme still tries to take a nap, so she is besides herself by the time we get home from school.

I keep getting asked "what are you going to do with your 2 hours of free time?" and so far, the answer is "absolutely nothing!"

Book Club August

This month I hosted, so I got to choose the next book for our book club.  A few members had NEVER read Science Fiction before, so I had to go with something good. Of course it being only 1 book, i could not pick any of my favorite series of Fantasy, and I also didn't want to go too out there for the Scifi newbies.  This was my choice.  Funny thing is, it happens in Portland in the 1990s (it was written in the early 70s) and thankfully the Portland I lived in during the 90s was nothing like it was in this book.  Only half way through it, but very good and very thought provoking.

low expectations

a few weeks ago, i made it a point to say to david "see, i have barely complained about the weather this summer!" he looked at me and said "yeah, i was noticing that. why?" and i explained to him my Theory of Low Expecations. I finally realized after living here for 6 years, that if i went into the summer NOT expecting a summer at all, then when the weather was good it was sorta like a remarkable and surprising bonus.  And it seemed to have worked for the most part, even in this summer that has not been a summer.  It has been such a particularly bad summer, that even david has bemoaned the lack of it, and on nice days (meaning no rain, and no need for a jacket) David makes it a point of saying "this counts as a summer day!"

This is Ruby's last summer before school begins. a 6 week countdown to the beginning of that childhood that is determined by the ringing of bells, and learning of lifeskills, and the eating in cafeterias, and the running out of the school at the end of the day seeking a freedom that is elusive when one is kept behind walls most of the day.  She is now 5, and to me it seems like such a young age to have to be constrained by school, but at the same time she is ready to learn, ready to spread her wings. I was hoping for a fantastic last summer for her, but money is tight and 6 weeks go by oh-so-fast. Between swim lessons, playdates, errands, daddy's work schedule and days that are total washouts, we have managed some day trips. Sometimes Ruby would like to stick around the house on beautiful days so she can work on her art, but I then give the speech about "when the weather is really bad you are going to wish for a day like this, and wonder WHY we stayed indoors....." and rally them for an adventure.

Last week, we had a glorious day with storm clouds closing in, so i packed the girls up and headed them off to Seacliff Beach.  It is a beach that we had never been to, and I knew it had some cool suff- like an old castle, and the smallest harbour in Scotland- to show the girls.  But in typical Scottish fashion, by the time we got there, the storm was coming in fast and all we managed was a few pictures (and tons of moaning about the wind) before we got back in the car. Upon our return home we found Dunbar still warm and sunny! we shouldn't have left home.... take THAT for raising your expectations!

Happy Birthday Ruby!

Happy Birthday to our Ruby-Roo! Love you so much big girl! 

Happy Birthday Esme!

Happy 3rd birthday Babes!  We love you so very much, our little munchkin!



bookclub

i have wanted to be in a bookclub for a long time.  i love books, i love friends, i love chatting, so it seemed like a perfect fit.  one day over at my friend polly's house we decided that we would start up a bookclub and invite a few of our friends to join it.  we didn't want too many people, or too many rules, we wanted it to be laid back and fun. it is.
we have had 2 meetings so far.  our first was a small gathering to get it off the ground, decide how it would be loosely run, and who would be in it for certain.  Oh, and come up with a name.  We decided to call it "Book & Bitch", because we will all get to talk about books, and also other things that are on our minds.  fantastic!
We are now all reading our second book, and looking forward to our next get together at Mel's house.... happy reading!