It was a memorable memorial day weekend. A fairly relaxing few days with gorgeous weather. But not without its usual, and unusual, ups and downs.
unforeseen event the first:
On Saturday the little man and I had just come back from the playground. He was settling in for some fingerpainting fun while I popped upstairs…to compulsively check my email. As I drew closer to my computer I experienced a sharp pain. In my foot. I looked down to discover…I’d been stung by a bee. For the first time in my nearly thirty years. What it was doing on the floor of the computer room, I don’t know. But I do now know that I’m not allergic. Unlike other members of my family…including the little man. I’m just glad it was me, and not the monkey. Phew. The moral of the story? Email can kill, but fingerpainting saves lives. Or something.
unforeseen event the second:
Dan Simmons made me cry. That’s not to say that I don’t expect science fiction to evoke emotion…but it’s rarely been done so strongly or so well. I’d been meaning to read the Hyperion books (yes, Simmons is a big Keats fan) for some time. When I delved into them over the weekend I was hooked. Book one is structured similarly to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, recounting the travails of seven travellers. Simmons gives each a unique and thoroughly believable voice, so much so that it nearly feels like seven separate books…but then he weaves their tales together to form a cohesive whole.
unforeseen event the third:
Memorial Day sort of snuck up on me this year. I usually invite a large crew of folks over for a bbq, but this year I didn’t have the time or energy. So we had just a couple of guests, but enough food to feed many more. As were feasting on our crazy vegan bbq banquet I noticed the little man had two things near his plate at the table. A bag of potato chips, and a bag of fresh baby spinach. Instead of going straight for the chips he surprised me by pulling the spinach closer. Reaching in to the bag and eating the leaves like they were chips. unforeseen event the fourth:
After our bbq guests departed last night and the fireworks had finished (we have an excellent view from the computer room, photos to follow) I found myself torn. Between reading…and playing more SSX Tricky. Reading won out, this time…but for how much longer? I’m not too worried. I’ve always been an avid reader. But I do remember a certain summer…when I found myself hopelessly addicted to the original Legend of Zelda, for classic Nintendo. Often foregoing sleep, showers and food in an effort to finish the game. It doesn’t seem likely that I’ll ever fall so far again, but I’ll have to stay on the alert.