65 pounds of tomatoes

They are out of the boxes and into the jars and I am too tired to take any pictures of them, trust me.  This is the most tomatoes I've put by in at least 10 years.  And the skins and juice and random bits are in the crock pot cooking down to become. . .wait for it. . .ketchup.  Liam has zero interest in tomatoes or tomato sauce, but he is crazy about the idea of making our own ketchup.  

Faces of the 5-year old

When we were in Washington DC a few weeks ago, I caught three of Liam's most common faces when he was looking at the moon rock at the air and space museum . In order I call them: (1) the tough yelling face, I think he was saying "moon rock!" in this one; (2) the sweet petting face, he also uses this one when he wants me to think he's being nice to the cat; and (3) the "Oh dear, what did she just say?" face.  Missing is the one where he is sticking out his tongue and making a rude noise.  Also missing, stubborn face, sleepy face, and silly face.  So far five is a very expressive age.

He is doing so well at school this week.  We've had virtually no crying at drop off time and today he told me that he might like to go to school on Fridays too.  So proud of his effort on this!

First day

Putting on shoes before the first day of school.  Liam started at his new school today.  His past school, which we loved to distraction, has closed.  The teachers were ready to move on and do something else.  His new school is also a home-based, Waldorf-inspired, preschool / kindergarten; about six blocks from the house and less than a mile from his past school.  I dropped him off this morning and then had to hurry east of the mountains for a work thing.  Will's mother picked him up and reported that he:

• Held not one but TWO baby chickens  (he told me: Mommy! They say "peep, peep, peep, peep.")
• Drew a picture of a rainbow in a blue sky AND got to bring it home (at last year's school all the art stayed at school until parent conferences), the rainbow is beautiful
• Did part of a puzzle
• Played a game but he can't remember what it was called
• Watched a puppet show about a buzzing bee -- this year's teacher does lots of puppet shows and felts her own puppets; so fun

When I picked him up after dinner (East of the mountains is somewhat far from here, it was a long day.) he told me that he had eaten black beans and rice for lunch -- his favorite lunch.  There are four other kids from his old school who moved on to this school, including the two children with whom he was the closest last year.  So, we lucked out there and I am very, very grateful to have found him this wonderful place and to have so many factors that eased the transition.

Still, he was very anxious about starting school, and scared, and has been saying that he won't go and can't do it and similar for at least two weeks now.  I deflect these fears as best I can by inviting him to remember other things he was concerned about but that went just fine; by explaining that EVERYONE is a little nervous and excited before the first day of school, even the teachers, it is normal; and, when all else fails by saying that one of the jobs of the mommy is to know for sure when the child is ready for something even if the child doesn't know it yet. 

He wouldn't hold still for an outside picture but he would jump.  A note: he is growing his hair on purpose; he wants a ponytail.

Windsor, Ontario

Traveling for work this week.  So far Windsor looks like the inside of every crummy hotel I have ever stayed in.  See, e.g., this post.  Outside, I crossed a 4-lane road populated almost entirely by semi-tractors to pick up the copies for the meeting this morning.  (I volunteered for this duty; at least it was a walk.) 

If you were talking with me on skype this afternoon -- before the hotel internet started blinking in and out -- this is what you saw.  Minus the phone of course; and occasionally minus the smile.

Back this weekend; more then.

Where we were and home again

 

We are home from ten-ish days visiting Auntie Chris in Washington DC.  By far Liam's longest plane trip ever and he did great.  Also great with the time change going west to east and here's hoping that the east to west version will sort itself out too. 

This was mostly a trip to visit family. Auntie Chris, of course; but Will's sister and her family also live in the area, so we were able to (how wonderful) spend two lovely afternoons at the pool with them.

Aside from all that, there is a lot to do in the DC area and we tried to fit at least some of it into this trip. A few highlights.

Baltimore Aquarium, where Liam saw dolphins for the first time.  Note, they don't do a dolphin "show" any more at the aquarium; instead they let people view a "training session," one every hour.  Thank God in the training session we were able to view they were working on standard captive dolphin moves like jump in the air and spin around.  Hate to be at the training session where they are working on things like pull over to the side of the pool and show us your flipper so we can do a blood test or whatever.

Air and space, both flavors.  At air and space at Dullas airport Liam saw an actual space shuttle (In person it is somehow both bigger and smaller than I expected it to be.) and about a million aircraft and all manner of aircraft engines. It is a very huge, very air conditioned space and was not very crowded when we were there on a Friday afternoon which made everyone feel a little relaxed about letting Liam run up and down the long ramps.  Lots of exercise on the first full day in town = good for staving off jet lag.  At air and space on the mall Liam saw the actual Wright brother's plane and touched the moon rock.  Also saw a movie in the planetarium about which the docent assured me "It is perfect for a 5 year old -- it gives a real sense of wonder about space." and about which Liam said, 5 minutes in when the first star blew up, "Mommy!  I am not ready for this movie. This is the scariest movie I have ever seen and you should not have taken me here."  Great.

National zoo, of course, which we got to early.  The grounds open at 6AM and the animals start to be outside in their enclosures by 8 or earlier; we got there at 9ish and it was cool and perfect.  Otters, lions, orangutangs, and fishing cats were particularly active.  The otters were amazing and numerous, running and swimming all around and going down their water slide. We did not see the baby cheetahs, but we did see the panda, so all good.  Liam climbed on every animal statue in the zoo, which must be what they're there for.

Butterfly room at the natural history museum, where to my dismay butterflies landed on me and on Auntie Chris, but not on Liam.  Damn butterflies.  He was pretty disappointed but recovered with ice cream.

It was great fun, and we are so glad to be back.  The air at our house even on days that pass for hot here is salty and cooled by the sea.  As much as I loved, and often still miss, living in DC whenever I get here I know I'm home.

We are not at home this week. . .

Where we are it's sunny and warm and full of interesting and new things to see and do.  Any guesses?

Canning peaches

Once a month work takes me over the mountains to Wenatchee for a meeting.  It's a 3 or 4 hour drive, but through mostly beautiful country and when you finally drop down in the valley you are surrounded, just surrounded on all sides, with fruit trees.  Apples and pears and cherries, of course, for which the area is famous.  But also peaches, nectarines, and apricots this time of year. 

I still sometimes think about Liam's first peach; what a miracle it was to him.

Every year I buy more peaches than we can eat and every year we put up peaches.   Despite all this practice I'm not that great at it. They tend to float and they can get a little mushy at the top.  Maybe next year I'll try hot packing them.  But, no matter what they look like they always are a welcome bit of summer sun in January and February when it seems like, in the words of Jim Weiss, "the sun has forgotten the way to our neighborhood."

  

This year Liam helped.  He peeled most all the peaches and helped to pack them into the jars.  He washed the lids and the rings.  And he helped put the finished jars away.  A little bit of summer, on the shelf.