Everyday Blessings
Big news first… It’s raining! It’s been cloudy and cool all day and now, IT’S RAINING!!
Oh, and Sara Ellen came upstairs (I’m in my room and Tim’s in the office), and said she was going to cuddle with me. We took off her sweater, she crawled under the covers and maybe 10 minutes later, she’s asleep. Is it because she’s still recovering from her cold?
Today started off like any other uneventful weekend. Except that it’s Sunday so we should have gone to church but we’re trying not to infect anyone else there or anywhere else. We actually got to sleep in until 9:30 this morning! Not sure why. Sara Ellen went to sleep last night around 9, woke me up coughing or crying around 3:30 am, and went back to sleep around 4 I’d guess. She came in around 9:30 am and reported her need for a diaper change and replied that she did indeed just wake up. The morning was uneventful. Sara Ellen brushed her hair for the most part, we sat together looking at alphabetical flash cards. After lunch we actually watched “Jumanji” all together (unusual).
Ever since reading an activity listing in Bay Area parent, I’ve been wanting to check out Almaden Quicksilver Park. I felt it would be “safe” because it’s out in the open and has no play equipment on which to transfer germs. 
Packed up water (Tim and Sara Ellen are not fond of the added lemon) and snacks, put jeans and new sneakers on Sara Ellen and headed 30 minutes away to the county park. It was cloudy and cool in the open space, very nice for the beginning walk. Then the true trail began…. I need to remember, or just realize that if a trail is in the hills, it’s going to get steep and rocky, that’s how it is here. Apparently it also gets buggy, maybe it’s just the season. Last weekend we were surprised by the steep climb but had a goal in mind and managed. Today’s goal was to explore the area, on a gentle hike. Yes, I could just be a wimp, but those walks are not my idea of fun so I turned us around and headed back to the car. Does anyone know of more level trails around here? We were headed next to Safeway but made a few stops to furniture stores.
Sara Ellen is in need of a bookcase and soon a bigger bed. I’ve visited Sleep Train nearby and I think I’ve found the frame I like, white headboard with matching flower carvings. We stopped by Toys R Us first, but they don’t sell bookcases for nurseries, which are the rooms for which they sell furniture. We stopped by two mattress places, one had a big selection of frames for kids, and the other seemed to have no frames at all. World Market was a less classy Pier 1 One. We saw a potential white bookcase (48″ wide, 36″ tall) at Woodpecker’s but weren’t sold on the craftsmanship. They build custom if needed and also advertise the lack of particle board. We find it tricky shopping at furniture stores, Tim compared it to car dealerships. With individual shops, it’s hard to tell the quality of the products, value in cost, and honesty of salesmen. I know that IKEA is not the highest quality but I feel I know what I’m getting there, decent quality, good service for help in purchase and return. That said, we’re not thrilled with their bed and bookcase choices. There is actually a city-wide garage sale this month and we might check that out. I think residents register and are listed in a map.
While we were walking around, the toy store especially, we were relaxed and enjoying each other’ s company. We spend a lot of time separated. Obviously Tim is at work much of the time, and often when we are all home, we are doing separate things. Doing these very ordinary things, watching a movie, schlepping up a hill and shopping, may have been the nicest time we’ve spent together recently, even compared to our getaway. Walking next to each other, holding hands, it reminds me of what brought us together.
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