May 18, 2003 - 8:10 p.m.

A Practically Perfect Weekend

I've been pretty busy this weekend, but entirely with enjoyable things, so I am feeling happy and relaxed, which isn't always the case on a Sunday evening.

Yesterday I spent the morning going to yard sales. When I was a kid, my family spent many Saturday mornings "galavanting", and the challenge of finding usable bargains among the rubbish people are trying to get rid of has never lost its charm. It's amazing the range of prices one can encounter at these sales. Some people seem to think their twenty year-old, chipped, ceramic, skunk statue is worth ten bucks, while others practically give their junk away. For instance, at a church sale, I got Trivial Pursuit for 50 cents! I also got a Foreman grill for $6, antique chandelier crystals for less than a buck a piece, some pretty batik fabric, and several books. It was pretty fun, I must say. There's something satisfying about paying much less for things than you would in a store and keeping perfectly good stuff from ending up in the trash.

Anyway, after that I went to see Identity, which was quite scary and very fascinating. Then I visited my new culinary mecca, Trader Joe's, where I scored all sorts of yummy but healthy food to aid me in beating Sam in our fitness challenge. :) That place just rules!

Last night I babysat, which was also fun. The kids, despite being tired, were very well behaved. We played board games and cards, and I let them stay up a little late, which gave me a few extra nanny points. R and S used their rare night out to go see Down With Men, which they said was not any good. Bah. I've been needing a Ewan MacGregor fix, but I guess I'll have to get it from the local Blockbuster rather than the big screen...

Today was the kind of perfect spring day that has been horribly rare in our area. Nonetheless I got up the gumption to go to the gym and got in a really good workout. It felt good to really push myself. I just hope I'm not too sore tomorrow. I need to get in as many workouts as possible in the next three weeks before the two youngest kids are out of school. I spend most of the year feeling slightly guilty about what I am paid compared to the hours I actually work, but in the summer, I really earn my pay. No more mornings at the gym or naptime watching Surprise By Design for me!

Since it was such a gorgeous day, I headed into Boston to check on my feathered friends at the Public Garden. Armed with stale breadsticks and hot dog buns I fed the ducks, geese, sparrows, and even a few pigeons. I only saw too broods of ducklings and no goslings. I'll have to go back in a couple weeks when there should be more. Mallard ducklings are so adorable, and they were peeping away charmingly this afternoon. Once the stash of carbs ran out, I found a sunny spot on the grass and read for a bit. With trees and tulips in bloom and amusing tourists and city dwellers to gawk at, it was the perfect afternoon to spend in the park.

I am almost ready to face another week of sibling squabbles, spilled chocolate milk, runny noses, and tongues sticking out... almost. Oh, did I mention B pushed his sister off her scooter today? While she was riding it down the slope of the driveway? Lets hope his mean streak ends along with the weekend.

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flutter back - fly ahead