Cabin Weekend

The leaves were changing, the weather was temperate -- what a beautiful weekend to spend in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio.

Except for the rain. Nonstop rain.

Nevertheless, our family along with about a dozen others each reserved a cabin this past weekend at Burr Oak State Park, about 90 minutes southeast of Columbus. It was raining when we arrived Friday evening, when we awoke on Saturday and when we went to bed that night. Nevertheless, we had a blast.

A friend organized the outing, and I knew most of the families there. We got together for breakfast, an indoor pool party Saturday afternoon at the lodge and a potluck supper. Paul and Edith took a hike through the rain with friends, and both kids did plenty of splashing in puddles. The group even managed a fire in the drizzling rain on our last evening there.

Of course, the sun arrived as we were preparing to leave for home on Sunday, so the four of us managed a quick walk to the lake (where I took my only photos for the weekend) before we headed home. Where, of course, it was raining.

Walking to School

I have discovered that I have a 50 degree range in temperatures in which I will walk Edith to school.

We live about a half mile away from Edith's school, and we walk more often than drive. In the last days of summer, however, I realized that the trek was too miserable if the mercury reached the mid-80s. And last week, when the morning temperatures turned frigid, I found out that 32 degrees is my bare minimum. So that means we walk if the temperature is roughly between 32 and 82 degrees.

Paul takes her to school a morning or two per week. Occasionally I'll time errands so that I have the car out just in time to drive home from school. And once or twice we've been late enough that we didn't have time to walk. (We've never been late for school or pick-up -- just too late to walk.) And rain always means the car!

But I enjoy the walk. I get two miles of exercise each day, and it's a great time to talk to the kids. Nowadays we watch for Halloween decorations and pumpkins. And Atticus is turning into quite the walker and rarely complains about the trip.

I'm not looking forward to the snow and the dead of winter, when I'm sure we'll be enjoying the comforts of the car's heating system much more. But I'm glad we've gotten into this routine -- especially since this is the first year of up to eight years that our family could have a kid at this school.

Atticus Loves Slime

Atticus officially loooooooves slime.

I had never made it before -- I tend to shy away from anything that makes a big mess, and slime was even less appealing since many recipes call for borax. I didn't want to deal with it.

But at a recent meeting of a club I'm in, slime-making was on the agenda for the kiddos. Perfect! Atticus could make it, and I wouldn't even have to clean up.

It actually wasn't as bad as I anticipated. The recipe was simple enough -- mix about a 1/2 cup of glue with roughly 1/3 cup of water. Add some food coloring and baking soda. Then add a tablespoon or two of the secret ingredient -- contact solution. No borax needed!

Atticus was enthralled, especially when he grabbed some googly eyes from another craft table and stuck them in his slime. The slime itself was gooey but not sticky, and the only mess was on his skin. His hands could have been confused for a Smurf's, but it washed off easily enough.

Later in the week, the slime kept him occupied (and silent) for an hour or so while I got some work done. And anyone with a three-year-old knows that an hour of silence is worth nearly any clean up.

The Neverending Summer

Yesterday was October 8, and I got out the kiddie pool and sprinkler. Edith dug out a dress to wear to school. The temperature reached 88 degrees, if not higher.

Is this fall for real?

The leaves have started to fall, and the kids had their bathing suits on. Neighborhood porches are lined with pumpkins and Halloween decorations while they played in the sprinkler.

I like the heat better than the cold, and I'm far from complaining about the weather. It just feels weird to wear shorts while we're counting down the days until our fall cabin weekend with friends. I keep forgetting that it's October and not July.

But while the thermometer will reach into the 80s through tomorrow, autumn is knocking on our door. The overnight lows are in the 30s and 40s for the following week, and I'm trying not to think about the snow that will be here before we know it. I'll take the pool above icicles any day.

A Day at the Zoo

We visit the zoo about once a year, and Saturday was that day. I'm set for another year, at least.

I don't know what it is about the zoo, but it wears me out. I like the outdoors, I like museums, I like walking. But after a day at the zoo, I am exhausted.

The kids were too, which is why they fell asleep in the car after about five hours of looking at animals. I didn't ask what their favorite part was, but I wouldn't be surprised if Edith's was grooming the goats -- ironic since they aren't even really zoo animals.

The kids were happy, and I'm happy that they're happy. And they certainly slept well that night.

The tired face.