December 13th

My oh my, this was some day! Dictated by flip flops and pierogi! Well, perhaps I'm making it sound more exotic than it really was. Let's roll it back to another sleepless night (more fidgeting and retreating with travel plans lead to turning and tossing) and early wake up. For me. Ed slept in. He doesn't live by the clock like I do.

Early animal feed. How pretty Unie looks in the early light, now that she has regained most of her feathers!

And breakfast. A little fast paced -- Ed wants to get to his computers and machines and plasma cutters.

And then boom! Quite suddenly, everything surrounding (next month's) travel was resolved. That out of the way, I was ready to go on my big adventure of the day -- the opening of the new grocery store. 

Fine, you may think this is literally the most boring thing a person could do. Something out of the fifties, where the missus gets tickled by nicely starched napkins and sparkling flatware. But grocery buying for me is so much more! It's the love of fresh foods and well grown produce that I've had since my younger years. It's the fondness for a store that moved to town nearly30 years ago, a store that I faithfully shopped in, despite its cramped quarters, its ratty interior and its too-small parking lot. It's the pandemic that took me away from in person shopping. It's the closure of that ratty store this past Sunday. All that!

The new one opened today. (It took them years to find and build the space. And it is large!)

My daughter and I met up to take a look. She needed a few items. I had a larger list to check off (in my head!).

The space is fantastic! Big, high ceiling, beautiful, with perhaps five times the shelf space of the previous one. I worried that it would feel like a tediously dull supermarket, but the aisles were all interesting, all full of good surprises! And there were samples to lure you in.

(pierogi!)

And some small farmers letting you try their foods (the chicken guy with his pastured French hens! outstanding meat!) And the produce section! Just incredible. 

Today, the prices were great because, of course, opening day prices (on some items) are always great. I loved browsing again. Picking out the best looking fruits. Talking to their always friendly always helpful staff (in plentiful supply today, guiding, pointing...). And I loved seeing no fewer than four of my favorite (older!) checkout people! They'd been with the store for years and they were still here, on opening day. (My first thought was -- oh! I am so glad you survived the pandemic! those heroic essential workers!)

Of course, there's that recognized downside to in-person shopping. It took me nearly 2.5 hours to get there, shop, get back, unload. Perhaps it's because I went through the whole store three times to master the layout. In any case it was worth it! It's good to recover some of the pre-pandemic habits (even though I did wear a mask), in this very lovely, very privileged setting.

In the afternoon, I checked in with my dentist once again. Third time's the charm and the replacement tooth finally fit! Miracle on December 13th!

A pause to pick up a coffee from a cafe (I had secretly hidden chocolate covered gingerbread cookies in my pocket from home) and then a quick drive to the kids' school.

We come to the farmhouse...

And some of us run in at full speed...

Others settle in quickly to pursue a "life's passion" (at least for now, at age 5).

It's cold and dark by the time we leave for their drop off, but truly I do not mind. The ground is firm and crunchy, the stars are incredibly brilliant. 

And I cook chili. In my old yellow pot. Uncovered. On my one new induction burner.

With love...