Friday, November 16, 2018

Friday

We start the second half of November with gray skies, somewhat warmer temperatures, a closed Snowdrop school (conferences!), and a rushed morning.

Ed is off to his techie meetings and I am off to shop for the weekend and to pre-shop for Thanksgiving. So breakfast is rather hurried.


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For me, food purchasing is a real dance now. I have a full family Thanksgiving-ish brunch this Sunday, so foods are needed for that. Too, there are the regular weekly items and finally, I want to stock up on some basics for the Thursday Thanksgiving meals (that's right, there are many meals on that day!). It'll make for a lighter shopping trip next week. I'd made my lists. I start in on them.

And immediately after, I go to pick up Snowdrop -- not at school, but at her house, where a sitter has been with her during the morning hours. I wave hello and good-bye to Sparrow and bring the girl back to the farmhouse. I ask her what she'd like to do today. She tells me she is really missing quiet time: "books, couch and quiet -- I would like that best." (Could it be that her little brother was less than quiet this morning?)

This, of course, sounds pretty heavenly to me and we settle in on the couch. I read all twelve chapters of a new book and nearly finish a second one, all in the course of the afternoon.


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In between, she draws. "Let's pretend we're at a scientists' school" she tells me. I'm agreeable.


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She moves to her "office space," creating scraps of art that then form the heart of her stories.


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Watching her work here is... well, inspiring.


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A story is launched and I listen, but only a little. I can tell when her stories are public and when they're more private. This one is more for her own benefit.


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It is a longer set of hours than we usually have together, but I have fewer photos to show for it. Something about the quiet nature of the day made me move more slowly with the camera. I suppose I'm getting ready for the crazy busy days ahead. Today was the calm before the grand storm of family and food.