Time

Yesterday, we spent a lot of time with Cap.  Unusual for a "regular" day.  ("Regular" meaning not a planned day of outing/doing something very specific together...like visiting with family or hosting family.)

He came with us to the Apple store (Lula was absolutely fine up there on the Genius Bar.  She acted as if she had been fine the whole time.  Pierre was very gracious about it.  I am relieved because she continued to behave once we were home.  I think my charger wigged out and reset when I tried it on Cap's laptop right before we left for the Genius appointment.  The battery appears fine, despite the super drain of power it experienced earlier this week.)

It's always nice to have another pair of eyes when one is out of the house, and in a crowded store, with the kids.  But, it was the moral support I'd wanted in place.  In case I had to deal with someone nowhere near as pleasant as Pierre was.

I was pleasantly surprised when Cap agreed to come with Gem and me to drop Sag off at Robotics and then on to Terra for a cuppa and the library for browsing.  This kind of "non-work" ("work" here meaning the work of the home) spontaneous time together is very rare.

Our time at Terra was distracted by fuss behind the counter related to some mechanical diagnostic going on.  But, my Irish Breakfast tea was soothing.  Gem ordering a smoothie was exciting but not to be repeated (he didn't care for it.  He did enjoy the sour gummy worms.)  Cap enjoyed a mug of hot cider and a serviceable GF biscotti.

The library was particularly fruitful.  Warriors manga, a Big Nate book, a selection of Diana Wynne Jones books (a new favored fantasy author Sag is delving into), some kid classics in Spanish (I was right: Sag was tickled)...a knitting book for me and Season 2 of Meerkat Manor for Gem and me.

After we picked up Sag, we swung around to the supermarket.  Cap was tired and decided to nap rather than make dinner.  Sag and I wandered the aisles.  He chose a croissant from the nearly empty display case while I waited for Gem's sushi to be rolled.  Sag decided to try a GF frozen pizza we hadn't tried before (Glutino Duo Cheese...'twas good, but tiny...shot them an e-mail expressing my disappointment that the pizza turned out to be smaller than the lifelike photo on the box.)

As I walked through the night rain from the car to the front door, I felt alive and happy.  A wave of nostalgia buffeted me.  Not of a specific event/experience of Cap and me walking together in the damp gloaming...but of time before, time spent together, just being and doing.

It's going to be a quiet day here.  Gem was not feeling well again last night, but seems better this morning.  I'm off to the farmer's market as soon as I get off Lula.  We were going to see about test driving some cars while Sag is at a friend's this morning, but that will wait...unless Gem is game.

I am hoping to get to some homeschooling planning/thinking, to flip through the knitting book, to catch up with The Whiskers, to roast some broccoli with bacon, and to pick my next book to read.

Peace and love y'all.