Staycation

 
 
 
 
Thursday through Sunday it was Arkansas hot--no less than 100 degrees in Portland. With no air conditioning and poor insulation a special kind of despair settled in about 48 hours into it as Anneke and I hid out in the darkened house.

So because it was too darned hot for anything else, and because I was already burned out before the heat wave, Dave declared this past weekend a Staycation. Actually, Anneke and I got a head start when our friend Heather and baby Sofia came over Friday afternoon bearing swimwear and a thermos of strawberry daquiris--yum yum!

Saturday Dave made chocolate waffles, then later on we filled our sport bottles with G&Ts and strolled the baby to the Hawthorne St. Fair and then the grocery store for bbq supplies. Anneke took extra long naps in the heat, affording mommy and daddy some pool time. After a delicious bbq we strolled over to a nearby park for an outdoor screening of the classic western Shane. All of our neighbors were there, and I must say I love our neighborhood, and how we could look around and imagine being friends with everyone there. As we left we walked past a brick building that absolutely radiated heat from the day. That night all three of us crowded onto our crappy futon in the basement for a fitful sleep--but much more comfortable than upstairs.

In the midst of this Anneke had her first taste of rice cereal after a few meals where she swatted longingly at our french fries and chocolate waffles!

By Sunday evening very few of our weekend chores were done, but I felt so refreshed and connected to my family. I need to remember this when I start to get that stay-at-home-mom tunnel vision; there's more to life than a clean house. Dave, do not quote me on that. Unless you're making chocolate waffles.