snapshots from our weekend

...in words

Rory began his fight against the squirrels who climb up the skinny metal pole to our bird feeder. He began by smearing cooking oil up and down the pole which was short-term successful. But not as successful as his later discovery: vaseline. It was a great weekend of "get over here! they look like little firemen sliding back down their fire pole!" Rory won the battle. And so did the birds.

While clearing the table, Pandora played Cats in the Cradle. Suddenly I heard the words. This was weird, because I could belt that chorus with the best of them on any road trip. But I'd never listened to the verses. And when I did, I got so sad. Like I had to sit down and have a good cry. Rory couldn't believe I had never heard the lyrics before. But I heard them this time and had a very pregnant moment.

Rory took Ivar and I to our first army surplus show. It was a sight. I believe we were the "preppiest family" in the bunch. No one else brought a stroller and a baby and a pregnant wife. But it was pretty awesome. All sorts of artifacts from different wars, good storytellers selling their goods...and lots of awkward conversationalists too. We celebrated our first gun show by going out for shamrock shakes. It was a good family day.

We made Chicken noodle soup from chicken stock we had made ourselves. How amazing is that?!! It was so delicious. Barefoot Contessa is always talking about how easy it is to make your own chicken broth, so Rory gave it a whirl last weekend and made the soup this weekend. Totally worth it, totally not that hard, and so good.

We unplug our tv the first seven days of every month. As a result, I read lots of books from the first to the seventh. On Saturday I finished Little House in the Big Woods. I got it for my niece Mara for Christmas, and then she let me borrow it back. That was nice of her. Now I'm reading Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry and can't go to bed at night! I am so sucked into this story!

I began taking a bath every night. It's heaven. I bring my book and enjoy some quiet time a the end of the day. I always debate if I should fill the tub, and then once I get in I wonder why I wouldn't do this every free moment of my life?!!