here we are

it's been a couple (few?) weeks since I joined up with Monica over at ink & chai for her weekly "keeping it real" posts, and so.....

pebbles in my shoes

~possible exposure to pertussis (for Claire and I) during the last week of work has had me going back and forth over what to do about it, and what not to do.  it seems to be going around and while I know our bodies could handle it, I'm not keen on getting a potentially lengthy illness at the start of summer. (for now, honey/lemon/cayenne/garlic/ginger syrup, kombucha and an herbal immune blend for me, same syrup along with probiotics and elderberry for her)  the local health department folks contacted the parents of all of the kids in my after school program suggesting they all take a 5 day course of zithromycin "just in case", to keep it from spreading in the event any of them were exposed.  if we did that, if we all preemptively took antibiotics whenever we were "possibly exposed" to something..... wouldn't that be always?  I assume every time I leave the house there's a darn good chance I'm coming into contact with someone who has come into contact with someone who has had some sort of yuck.

~she's a testy one these days, this girl of mine...... pushing, pushing, pushing.  definitely feisty.
(must be the pertussis)

~ants.  every spring there are several weeks in which the little creepies find their way into our kitchen.  borax seems to help a bit.  so does squishing them with my finger.  I'd rather them not be there though.

~I think those sweet potato slips in my fridge are destined for the compost... there's just no more room.  I suppose a neighbor's yard would be better than the compost, actually.  will have to look into that.

easy like sunday morning

~the house remains somewhat clean following the pre-visit cleaning before Nana and Pipop came last week (no white glove assessment from them or anything, but you know, it's nice to clean when folks are coming)

~schoooooool's out! for summer!  (and therefore, so am I.... no school = no after school art classes) I'm starting to make a little list in my head.... things to do this summer and such.  so far, it's heavy on ice cream, gardening and taking out the new (old) canoe.  and listening to live music out and about, continuing our ritual of breakfast at the market (read: pastries) on saturdays, a little visiting and being visited, some hiking and camping, and so on and so forth.

~in the wee (wee, wee) hours of monday morning, I will head out for a 4 hour drive to pick my grandmother up from the train station in Cary, NC and will then bring her back home to stay with us for all of next week. (!)  I am thrilled.  I bought a little goat milk 'guest' soap for her at the market to put on her little stack of towels that will be in her (Claire's) room.  I'm thinking fresh flowers, some chocolates...... little things I can do to make her stay even sweeter.  I plan to keep it simple while she's here- trips to the library with Claire, walks around town, some bakery comparing, sitting on the benches at the playgrounds and talking about any and everything, walks around the lake..... our raspberries should be ripening while she's here and they are her favorite.  I plan to make some sort of chocolate torte with raspberries on top for her... (happily taking suggestions there)

~so enjoying eating a little more out of our garden bit by bit.  now added to the various greens and strawberries are peas and garlic and soon, raspberries.  the tomatillos, squashes, cucumbers, and tomatoes and flowering, the peppers, potatoes, onions, beets, parsnips and brussels sprouts are looking good, and I'm ready to put beans in the ground once the peas come out.  melons, pumpkins and winter squashes will take up the last few available patches of garden space and from there on out we just have to eat and occasionally weed and water.  a lovely arrangement, indeed.