odds and ends

[Blogger was acting up yesterday, so this post is a day late.]
Last night while my husband was having his face melted at the Sam Roberts Band concert in Lawrence, I spent the evening describing shoes for our website that we're hoping to launch next week. Antiqued leather with bronze stud detailing...padded footbed...rubber outsole with textured grip...don't even try to resist buying this shoe...you know, typical stuff. After working on it all day yesterday while I was at the store (and John had the day off...do we see a pattern here?), and then another couple of hours at home, my eyes grew so tired from looking at the computer screen I finally just nodded off (OK, OK...in fairness to John, he's spent many more hours working on this website than I have so he deserved a night out with the boys).

Although we have been working our tails off to get this website up and running, we decided we could afford to take the weekend off to travel to Oklahoma City to visit some friends of ours before they moved to Budapest for the summer. It's the first time since the store opened back in November that we've left it in the hands of someone else and it felt great. We almost didn't remember what it felt like to have two days off in a row together. Anyway, we had a great visit with our friends. I mean, what could be better than cooking hot dogs over a fire pit in 90 degree weather? Margot had a great time playing with their kids -- especially Jed. We think she has a crush on him (he's the one in the middle).

One thing I love about road trips is all the concentrated time John and I have to talk. Oh wait, I remember, John doesn't talk when he's in "his zone." This used to irritate me. What else are road trips good for if not for talking, talking and more talking? Such a great opportunity to find out new things about each other, or dream up new dreams, or share old memories. Not with my husband. I'm lucky if I can get him to answer a question with more than a nod and a grunt. So, I've learned that road trips give me a chance to start a new novel, flip through magazines, or start a new knitting project (all of which I thoroughly enjoy so it's easy to deal with the lack of conversation). During the five hour drive down and back I read a book about toilet training (no Jane Austen novel, but I've been feeling like I need to get some knowledge in this area), flipped through the latest domino mag and started a new knitting project. It's a long scarf with a cool triangular pattern that I saw the last time I was at Urban Arts + Crafts. Here's what I've done so far:

Not a lot, but it's a start. I'm still very new to knitting, so trying a new pattern means I usually have to teach myself new skill (this book has been very helpful in teaching myself to knit; clear instructions and a funny read). This time I had to learn a new way of increasing and decreasing. I'm planning on giving this to one of my relatives for Christmas. Yes it's only June and Christmas is more than 6 months away, but I know if I don't start now my annual dream of making handmade gifts will remain just that. I figured I'd give myself more than the 3 1/2 weeks in December and actually give myself a fighting chance.

the first day of summer

Even though the calendar doesn't say the first day of summer has arrived, it has for us. Yesterday, Margot and I went to the pool for the first time this summer. I was wondering how she would react since a couple of weeks ago when Collette and Eliot brought over their kiddie pool, Margot wanted nothing to do with it. She just watched them splash around from the safety of our deck.

After I had gotten over the trauma of baring my pregnant body enveloped in a swimsuit to the world for the first time (I never went swimming when I was pregnant with Margot), we made our way to the pool. I asked Margot if she wanted to go into the water with Mommy to which she replied, "No, no, no , no," while flapping her arms wildly (this has been a typical response of Margot's lately as I think she has officially entered the "I-want-to-do-it-by-myself" stage). So, I just waded into the pool myself. It's one of those zero-depth entry pools (I don't know the official term), which ended up being perfect for Margot.

She spent the first 15 minutes dancing around the deck, watching young boys throw a water football back and forth.

Eventually she decided that it looked like Mommy was having fun splashing her feet in the water, so she tried it herself.

She would walk in, splash around, and walk back out. Walk farther in, splash around, watch the big kids swimming around, walk back out. She repeated this routine over and over for the next 30 minutes until she had waded in until the water was all the way up to her chin! (I didn't get a photo of that though)

I was so proud of her. Or maybe relieved is a better description. I mean it's not like I would have not been proud if she had decided she wanted nothing to do with the pool, but I probably would've been a little disappointed. I was also proud of myself. Typically I don't have the kind of patience it takes to watch an almost 2-year-old wade in and out of a pool for 30 minutes. Somehow though when it's your child, you enjoy standing in 4 inches of water with the hot sun blaring down on you, watching your child explore new territory.