I woke up at 4:05 AM, but was grateful to have slept through the night after that regrettable feeding frenzy known as "last night's date". I spent the early morning blogging, checking Craigslist, adding links to local businesses on the business blog sidebar, and researching fun things like raising chickens. I don't know if the landlord would mind us raising a few chickens if we used a mobile coop - they wouldn't be inside the house (his policy is "no pets" unless they're contained in a cage), and we'd move the coop around so it wouldn't ruin the grass.
It was an early morning for some of us. Hubby and Bella had Bella's soccer game, Harrison's technology club had a field trip, and I had to work early. Harrison was gone all day and then went to Thomas' house for the evening. I didn't see him all day!
At work, I first learned how to set up the fudge shop booth at our local farmers market. I am so going to have fun with this, if today was any indication. It was a lovely morning, sunny and not very warm. Our booth was flanked on one side by a farmer from Marquam, Oregon, selling eggs and produce; on the other, a woman selling beautiful pottery pieces. I enjoyed chatting with both of them. Boss Lady asked me to go back to the shop and make more fudge, and before I left, the farmer next door said, "Not before she makes her first sale," and bought a piece of fudge from me. Sweet.
Back at the shop, I poured four pans of fudge - dark chocolate, rocky road, chewy praline and dark chocolate mint swirl (with which I struggled more than usual - grr); poured the rest of the chocolate fudge from the kettle - quickly becoming my least favorite task; and waited on customers. I love being there alone, doing my thing.
Carter was invited to ride bikes with his school and soccer friend Ethan, who lives in our neighborhood, so he spent the morning doing that while Roz and Brennan chilled at home. Brennan was feeling better today.
When I came home, I had Carter and Rozzie dress for their soccer games, made peanut butter sandwiches, and grabbed some gift wrap supplies - Carter had a birthday party later and we hadn't gift-shopped yet. Dropped Carter at the field with Coach James and his boys and took off with Rosalind. We bought a Lego set and our traditional ice cream cone "punch" toy for the birthday boy, and I wrapped them in the minivan back at the soccer field.
Then we watched Carter play in his game; he did wonderfully as usual, even scoring a goal while playing defense. Their team won by quite a margin. Roz played with my phone, while I chatted with Ethan's mom, Barbara. She is very nice, I enjoyed talking to her. Close to the end of the game, Bella and Samantha drove by to pick up Rosalind for her game, and Hubby took his co-coach place next to Coach James.
After the game, Carter left with Tyson and his dad for the birthday party. Hubby and I sat in the minivan and chatted for a few minutes about Bella's game (they tied 1-1) and considered how weird it felt to have our five children scattered around the area and neither of us in too big a hurry to be anywhere. Hubby had Roz's game to go to, but I was done for the day and the children were all taken care of. So strange!
After spending the morning reading about baby chicks on Craigslist, I had a hankering to see some, so I went home and picked up Brennan and made him find the feed and garden store with me. We had fun. The chicks were so sweet. We can't get any yet, but I heard they would be available till June... We ended up buying more seeds, some biodegradable pots and peat pellets. Afterward, Brennan was shopped out, but I wanted to go to Bi-Mart, so I dropped him at home and went back for a new shovel and leaf rake, and carrot and parsnip seeds. We're going to be busy gardeners this year, is my hope.
Once home, Brennan and I enjoyed looking at all our new seeds and antipating our garden. I did a bit of weeding; planted my narcissus bulbs, finally; raked the leaves in the front yard that were killing the grass; and pruned the stinkin' roses (they injured me).
Hubby, Bella and Roz arrived while I was outside working. Rozzie was the goalie for her game, Hubby reported proudly. He decided to help me and get a couple things done that I was hoping he would do. I have a great honey-do formula: I get busy working on a big project, he sees me and decides to join me, and ends up doing far more than I had planned. He's a sweet man; I'm very blessed. He loaded all my raked leaves into the yard debris bin, pruned the horrible thorny shrubs, stood our dead lamp post back up and stacked bricks around the base, swept the patio and took down the dead trampoline. Hooray!
Brennan and I made ravioli for dinner, and I rested and played around with my phone until I fell asleep, early. What a great, busy, beautiful day. It was one well-spent.