Tidal tuesday

In and out, forward and back, today I feel like I am going with the flow. It's an old, primal, comforting rhythm, but there's a dash of excitement thrown in due to the act of letting go, shutting off the mind control.

My younger has lost a tooth. One of the big ones, as you can see. It's only been a few weeks since I last posted photos and he already looks older.

The other night, it was the hush of midnight, I opened a box. Inside was my first ever purchase of a whole bag of yarn. Ten skeins of Noro Silk Garden that I bought (way) on sale. It is such an investment, I may never do that again. But it was sweet to dance with the yarn, celebrating fiber and art in the glow of extreme promise.


We bought a Dyson. It's a wonderful vacuum cleaner made in England. Many users love them, some proclaim it's all hype. I did some research and initially bought a Kenmore (way) on sale, but it didn't cut it.

Kelly lent us their Dyson and I was sold. Cap wasn't completely sold, but enough that he agreed to the switch. Kudos to Sears for taking the Kenmore back without charging us a restocking fee. And kudos to Bed, Bath and Beyond and their 20% off coupon. In the end we paid $80 more, but it already feels worth it (with no sales or coupons the Dyson is $50 more than the Kenmore).

I love my machine. It makes one want to vacuum often. It's relatively quiet, easy to handle, and man, does that thing have suction.

Here's to a cleaner home and less compromised immune systems this fall!


Cap had the kids this morning. I went to Target with Danielle and then she drove me over to the garage where I picked up our patched up car. Target, Target. I really have a love/hate relationship with that store. I love some of the designs and graphics, but hate that nearly everything is made in China. I tried on a trench coat that I liked a lot, but at $40 full price, it wasn't worth it.

I tried on some other jackets, but felt like a Project Runway judge as I found flaws here and there, auf'ing them right and left. What made it in the cart and home were some thermal shirts and sweat pants for the boys, a toy light saber for Sag (barely worth the $8, even for him, though in the end he decided to keep it---there's a $120 one he'll be praying he gets for his birthday :-), and some melamine plates and bowls that I could not resist. Monsters with the biggest smiles on their faces on the plates, the word "yum" in the bowls.

Oh, and a box of legos. I had a $5 promotional gift card from our last visit so applied that to the legos. The boys are loving themselves some legos these days.

I got the car back. I love our car. The master switch was replaced so now we can open the driver's side front window again. For over six months we haven't opened that window. Because if you did, you never knew if you'd be able to get it back up again. The left front wheel bearing was replaced, too, so now it doesn't make that weird, trying-too-hard, clunking sound when you turn.

I'm hopeful that we will be able to move forward with our computer purchase despite the bill from the garage today. Hoping is free :-)

I took the kids out to lunch after we dropped off Cap at school. Going with the flow. I had skipped breakfast and was hungry, we didn't have much in the house, it was a rare treat. It is the time of year when, if the kids and I are out and about during the day on a week day, that folks get curious about why they aren't in school. People around here are polite and pretty easy-going, so it's cool.

Gem wanted to walk over to the book store after lunch and I couldn't resist. This book store is so nice. I step into the store and the scent of the place is like nectar to me. It temporarily stuns me and I inhale and gulp as I rock back on my feet. Every time.

The kids browsed and browsed but came away empty-handed which is almost unheard of. I, on the other hand, tapped into the flow and picked up a collection of stories for children by one of my faves, Neil Gaiman, Howl's Moving Castle (the movie was so entertaining), Encyclopedia Brown (with Gem in mind), and The Magician's Boy (with Sag in mind).

The books are so pretty. The covers are so smooth. I love new books. (Of course, I love library books and used books, too, but there's something wonderful about splurging for some new books---you know, it's that back-to-school fall-is-here feeling that is seeping all over and in me).


Off to practice "You Are My Sunshine", "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" and a Finnish children's Christmas song about piggies. We are singing for/with some Finnish relatives we'll be meeting for the first time this weekend up in Plympton.