weekend away?

A few months ago I had a terrific idea. Well, a theoretically terrific idea: I asked my daughters -- how about if us three grown girls go away somewhere together, so that we're not always trying to catch up with everything while kids are in our midst?

Theoretically a gem of an idea! If only they didn't work and have family to think about and commitments spilling left and right. When we got down to actually imagining how this might work, everything became very muddled and complicated. A getaway would add stress rather than taking away some of it.

But then we came up with something else: what if my older girl and I came down to Chicago for the weekend and we would do some family stuff with the Chicago young family, and, too, some "just me and my daughters" stuff throughout. 

We agreed on the date (this weekend), the Chicago girl came up with our meal plan, I found some massages that would almost make us feel as we'd gone to some spa in Arizona, the dads would hold down the fort with the kids -- we were set!

Then came the weather forecast.

Winter storm to hit Chicago today, at exactly the time we are to drive down. Is that bad luck or what???

Last night I made the decision to postpone our departure by a day. It's one thing to drive myself into a storm, it's another to take my daughter along with me. Ah well: we lose a day. We will adjust: we'll go early tomorrow and squeeze everything into a 24 hour period! Still, as I write this, I am hugely aware of the fact that we should be in Chicago. Right now. Darn it.

Up here in the Madison, Wisconsin area, we're not getting any of that storm. It's basically cool, brown and cloudy and it will be thus for the next bunch of days. Nothing to write home about, but not too bad either, considering it's only early March. And every day now, I am on the prowl for signs of emergent life on farmette lands. Here's today's find: crocus tips!

To cheer myself up this morning, I pick up some baked goods at Madison Sourdough.

For breakfast. With Ed.

And then we roll through a very normal weekday at the farmette, except that I do include a swing over to the playground, so I can practice some hanging. No, I'm not suddenly more powerful than a locomotive, but I'm sure my upper body has roused itself from the stupor of older age and is getting ready for action. Maybe.

And speaking of hanging -- Ed hired someone to bring down some tree limbs that are hanging over our neighbor's house. They came today to do the job.

That's fine, but I am so sorry that tree trimming did not include removing limbs hanging over my Big Bed. With each year, the flowers there are less abundant since they are no longer picking up their requisite 6 hours of sunlight. Ed knows this, but getting him to agree to clear the overhang is another matter. Even threats that I will abandon flower growing altogether (said emnphatically!) don't work. He hates cutting down trees or branches. Somewhere in his head is the notion that trees have feelings. Or some plant life aspirations. Or something.

And in the afternoon Snowdrop is here...

On the ride home, we talk about friends. Ones who wont allow you to express hurt. Snowdrop is rapidly getting to the age where you need your smarts more than your physical strength to help her navigate life's hurdles. She is also at an age where she welcomes helpful advice. So I give her some. One thing you might try is phrasing things in terms of yourself and not the other person. She sighs. Gaga, I know that! And it doesn't work! She just retorts that if I don't like what she does then I can find another friend to play with.

Wow. I'm out of suggestions and I'm dealing with an eight year old! I suddenly remember that moment in my daughter's lives when they presented me with unsolvable problems and I thought -- why did I ever think it would be easier once they slept through the night and knew how to cut their own food?

(Pajama day at school)

And in the evening, I pack my bag for tomorrow's overnight trip. And I'll tell you what else will be packed to the hilt: my day tomorrow! Expect a very abbreviated post!

with love...