August Vacation Wrap-up

We made it back from vacation, and what a time it was! I could start a "Nevada County Vacation Checklist" of things we attempt to do each year just to see if we are successful. It would include such things as "Meet up with a friend from high school you haven't seen in 10 years or more", "Recognize a person at the fair that you knew in high school", "Take a picture of daughter with a Job's Daughter's Corn Dog", "Spend hours basking in the sun on a rock in the Yuba River" (didn't get to do that one this time), "Shop at used book stores", and "Taste and purchase local wine". My daughter got to ride plenty of rides this year thanks to the tons of discount ride tickets we bought in advance (they're good every year - good thing!). And thanks to my mom babysitting, we got to spend some "adult" time in the beer garden with pals from high school. Now we are in the middle of daughter's teacher's 2-week vacation, during which I must find alternate care for her for the 9 hours I am at work. This year my neighbors and friends truly amazed me with their willingness to have daughter over for day-long play dates. These people really go above and beyond! We are coping decently with husband away in Salem. I decided it's just not worth the money to watch someone else mow my lawn when I am perfectly capable of doing it myself. So there I was last Sunday morning pushing the Black and Decker electric mower around the yard. Yeah! Tonight in the tub, daughter drew a picture of herself and a witch, dressed all in purple. I asked if the witch's underwear were also purple, and she said she didn't draw them and that's because the witch was wearing no underwear because she sold them all to her friends.