A Perfect Day

Today was a perfect day. We are finally getting some fall weather here and it is glorious. Today’s high couldn’t have been more than 60 with not a cloud in the sky.



Bobby ran errands for a few hours today while Elise and I stayed back at the trailer for school. Before we started that portion of our day, though, we took a bike ride around the lake. We startled a few male mallards out from under a dock, but otherwise left the wildlife unharmed. We found a large downhill on the far side of the lake that thrilled Elise. She screamed and yelled the whole way down as only the young can. Part of our ride was spent discussing friendships and how tricky they can be. She has had a few challenges in the past with kids who pulled the, “You can only be my friend if you aren’t friends with ______.” She doesn’t roll that way and she is very good at standing up for herself, but that doesn’t make it easy. So we talked about how important it is to not dwell on the negative aspects of people’s behavior. That even if it’s someone we know we’ll never be friends with, to respect them and be polite to them. I told her that’s the harder part. She said, “Yeah, it is.” As we were riding around talking about this, I prayed I’d never forget this moment. It was so awesome to have this conversation.

School followed our bike ride. We made it through writing postcards to the grandparents, handwriting and history before we needed a break. I made lunch and we ate outside at the picnic table in the bright sunlight. After lunch, we plowed on through math, reading and spelling. Bobby got home during math and I had to assure him that we had been having a wonderful day up until this time because Elise had just crashed. I guess it was too much school at once. But we got so much done! I was really thrilled with our school day.

After school, we all went for the bike ride around the lake. This time we succeeded in repeatedly annoying a great blue heron. He was in the shallows at one end of the lake when we first surprised him. He flew away to the other end and when we made it around to that side, he flew away again. The third time he squawked at us to let us know he was none too pleased. With apologies to the heron, we stopped after two times around. Bobby wanted to see how long it would take him to ride around the lake as fast as he could, so Elise timed him. I guess he’s missing his Atlantis more than I thought he would! He made it around in just over 4 minutes and he has just now regained his breath (4 hours later).



Elise and I drove up to the campground office to get some firewood for a late afternoon fire. I actually let Elise steer part of the way up and back. She had a great time and commented, “I’m pretty good at this, huh?!” Nothing like empty campgrounds to help train a young driver.


The fire at the edge of the cliff.

Our fire was great. We sat around and watched the sunset and people walking around the lake. When it got dark, we sang some songs: “Soon and Very Soon”, “Titanic”, “There Were Three Jolly Fishermen”, “Found a Peanut”, “I Live Uppy in a Teeny Weeny Housy” – all the classics! By this time, the air was very chilly and the furnace had already kicked on inside the trailer. So we moved the party indoors. We finished the evening with soup and salad at the dinette listening to Bill Harley’s Town Around the Bend. For all you parents out there, here is an unsolicited plug for an amazing storyteller. We have been listening to Bill for over 4 years now. He is a very wise man and incredibly talented. His CDs are filled with stories (some 20 minutes long, some 5) and songs. There hasn’t been a single instance that I have felt uncomfortable with the content and there have been plenty of times that I have laughed and cried. Get one of his CDs for your child (or yourself) this Christmas. You won’t be disappointed.

Now we are at the dinette and Elise is cozily ensconced in her bed, dreaming of crazy daddys that ride their bike too fast and the friendly dragon who lives in the woods. Bobby is reading, I am blogging and we are both enjoying a delicious drink we just invented with hot chocolate and Bailey’s Irish Cream. Like I said, a perfect day. Here’s wishing you one soon.