Five Things: At the Shop on a Saturday Afternoon

It’s the Saturday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend and I am at the shop all day. It’s cool and a bit rainy outside and I just enjoy being here. It’s been a steady stream of customers but not at all overwhelming. I joked today on Instagram that working all day means all Lucinda Williams all the time. And there’s no one else here to change my music up. When my employees are here, I will walk out the door for five minutes, come back and my music has been mysteriously changed. I tend to listen to the same things over and and over which I am sure is a little annoying.

The girls had the stomach flu last weekend and into this week. They have had one little cold each during the school year so I feel like we were due. Poor Cate was *really* sick and Jane thew up only twice but was so inordinately proud of herself (“I threw up! I don’t have to go to school! I am so sick now!”). We had a girls sleepover on the floor next to the bathroom one night. It was epic. I don’t love having sick kids but I did love having them to myself (and staying in our pajamas) for a couple of days. Jane didn’t have school yesterday and spent the day with me at the shop. We took the bus downtown and she’s so fun to hang out with. Telfer sent me the picture of Cate above. Just reading in the car. Looking like a teenager (!).

Speaking of pajamas, this was my drop-off outfit on Friday. I walked Cate up to school with my glasses on, old see-through sweatpants, unbrushed teeth, and coffee cup in hand. In September, I would have been dressed and looking put together but by the end of May, all bets are off. Who cares? The other parents certainly don’t. They all look like I do – like they rolled out of bed and got their kid to school on time. Boom!

  I realize Mother’s Day is not current, but this is the little sheet Jane filled out in her Pre-K class as a gift. Note that I am only 27 years old. And that I am as pretty as a diamond. Best Mother’s Day present ever.

So many things going on at the shop. We have started hosting more events and we had our first book club meeting last week. We read The Sellout by Paul Beatty. In true English-major-fashion (can you still say that 15 years out of college? Thoughts?) I didn’t read any bit of the book until a couple days before the meeting. Then I had a panic attack because I knew it would be a bunch of white people sitting around drinking wine and talking about a very racially sensitive satirical novel. However, our discussion was intelligent and thoughtful and represented many points of views; I was so thrilled with the way it went. We have the next two months lined up (if you are local). We will be reading The Eagle Tree by Ned Hayes (local author – he will actually be at the meeting) in June and Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs by Sally Mann in July.

I have read so many good books this year it’s truly ridiculous. I still have two Louise Penny books to read before the new Inspector Gamache book is published in August. I finally started LaRose by Louise Erdrich last night and it immediately bowled me over. I am still reading Becoming Wise by Krista Tippett. Tonight Telfer is hanging out with a friend and I am anticipating a stretch of lovely reading time.

We do have a family day planned on Monday. I am so looking forward to it.  We are hoping the weather is warm enough to get the boat in the water for the summer. I have learned that boating is never seamless so cross your fingers for us! A happy long weekend to all.