When I first got up I saw August cuddle up against Carly and wrap his leg over her. Colin was up early again. I worked in the corner, but he eventually wanted me to read Elephant and Piggie and I went back in the bedroom when he was getting upset. August and Carly started stirring at 7:40 and were up a few minutes later. August had cereal and a cinnamon roll. When I came out he and Colin were both playing the rabbit game.
It was a rainy morning. I read part of Shivers, then part of an Elephant and Piggie. I then went and took a shower. When I came out August and Vivian were playing Wizard School back in her room. There was lots of GroForest, as all three of them have it on their iPads. I made lunch for him. Nuggets and broccoli and almonds. Carly made a number line and was doing negative math with August and Vivian. They were then being cats and dogs with Cherie. Colin was a dog, Vivian and August were cats. We got ready to go to the pool.
I walked down, listening to the Neil Young book Special Deluxe. I had thought they were about ready to head down, but I probably had about 20 minutes before they showed up. At the pool I went in the pool with them first. The other adults went to the hot tub. There was a girl about August’s age named Mikaela. After a while I got out and did some work.
When they headed back I walked back via the west path. I actually walked all the way down to the beach, then walked back along the beach. Right after I left the pool I realized that my left sandal was broken in the back. More like a flip flop now. That made going down the path and climbing through the downed trees along the shore a little more challenging.
I got back at 3:20. Cherie had read the entire Elephant and Piggie book to the kids. He was being grumpy about Colin again, and said that Colin isn’t his friend. I got August cereal, with soy milk. He had it fall off again, spilling all over the floor and him. He got upset and threw the salt container. I took him in with Carly and I cleaned it up.
I started to sneeze as I shopped for shoes on REI. I hoped I was just allergic, but I had a feeling pretty soon that I was coming down with a cold. We had dinner, then Chuck made a milkshake for everyone. He talked to Cherie and she told him that she loves all of the grand children equally. August (I think) pretended to be shocked: “I’m sweeter than him. I’m the best…Huh? They’re all even‽”
We took the kids out for a walk to the tennis courts. He started with Oma before me. I caught up, and he found the same stick from yesterday along the side of the road that he and Thatcher had used as a laser thing. At the tennis courts there was no ball, so we looked in the bushes. No luck. He and Cherie and Colin were throwing pine cones back and forth over the net. August found a metal pipe and showed off his sword moves.
August was in a good mood and being silly: “Let’s talk about silly stuff, like let’s destroy the International Space Station. Let’s rob the bank.” “Airports are the best. I love lines…the airport smell…there’s a certain smell to airports….and I hate being on the ground. The ground is an idiot.”
But then it started to rain. Just a few drops at first. August started to panic rather quickly. He insisted I make everyone head back, but they were heading down to the dock and watching the mama and baby otter. August wasn’t happy sheltering under a tree, then wasn’t happy with the actual picnic shelter, refusing to stand under it, and getting wetter and wetter instead. When he started running away from me I picked him up and carried him back to the house, screaming part of the way.
We made it back to the house just before it started to get really heavy. He hit me as I set him down, and I sent him into the bedroom with Carly. I went in with them after a while. I went out for a bit later, but mainly the cold was coming on, and I went to bed.
Being kitty cats:
Being kitty cats 2:
Pool time:
On the tennis court:
Sword skills:
Pine cone tennis:
