The Golden Blog

Life in 94 degree days.

Today I took Savannah to our Golden Bough school show in Pleasant Hill, a 40 min drive from home. We had a fan who looked after Savi in the audience during the two 45 min shows, and she was pretty darn good, as she colored in her pony coloring book and ate her snacks.

Afterwards we drove back to Oakley and met John at his classroom as he had ordered pizza for a couple of his students who were staying in to catch up on grades. We had fun hanging out with his students and getting their 'take' on Mr. Sierra. They agreed that he was strict but layed back and cool. 

On our way to pizza with John, I dropped off my fiddle at home and made myself the iced coffee I was so looking forward to at that time. I had made it the night before and cooled it in the fridge so it was well-thought out for this moment.  I put Savi back in the car and headed over to school and three  blocks down the road the coffee fell off the roof of the car and splattered everywhere on the side of the car and street. Crap. Savi and I laughed. I turned around and opened the car door to pick up the wet tumbler. I waited another 2 hours before getting home to make more...and an hour more to get it cooled in the fridge.

Savi fell asleep on the way home from John's school, and we both ended up having a super nap. I woke her up and put her bathing suit on and swept her back in to the car to go over to the pool for the afternoon. Oh boy do I love hanging out at the pool. Savi wears a lifevest and feels so confident in the kids pool. I feel so confident watching her and working on my tan. John joined us a while later and took Savi into the 'deep end'. Savi's friend from school was there too, so big fun was all around. 

Last night we picked up a big and beautiful (but dirty) propane bbq in nearby Antioch (off of freecycle.org). It is in great shape, and it's amazing they were just giving it away. Tonight, after washing the car in the driveway (refer back to coffee incident), I sprayed the bbq parts down with this biodegradable citrus spray, and it did a super job of getting off the buildup. Can't wait to fire that baby up soon!

Now it is 9:30. Savi is watching Bolt, John is passed out on the couch, and I am about to go upstairs and do a little music rehersal. I have a festival starting on Friday in Sacramento and need to get my chops up. 

Garden update: Plants doing well: 3 tomatoes, rhubarb, crookneck squash, cucumber, watermellon, herbs. Tons more veggies in the not-sprouted stage in cups. 

Pictures of April so far

Morning sunlight on Savi and the birthday list on the wall.

Savi cozy's up to dad while working out a puzzle in her booster seat.

Some darling dad made his daughter and excellent pancake!

Savi jumped and jumped at 'pump it up' to celebrate a 5-yr old friends birthday. 

On the way to deliver Savi to sunday school.

After church moment in Walnut Creek.

My pretty petunias.

Grapes, strawberries and tomatoes, oh my!

Rhubarb and bodyguard flowers

Marigolds protect the plants I don't want little critters to eat.

Check out my awesome knee pads!

Savi and I left the house at 9:15 yesterday morning, and didn't get home till 10:15 last night. We attended our weekly playgroup in Oakland for the first part of the day, and intended to drop by my friend Amy's home near to my friend Celeste in Oakland, but she was not home. So, as Savi fell asleep, I drove us over to the Lakeshore Cafe near Lake Merritt for a salad. As it turns out, I did not have stroller or ergo, so I padded a Trader Joes shopping cart with a blanket and set off with Savi in it. There was just one problem, and I discovered it as soon as I tried to exit the parking lot. It locks up! I felt like such a tard.  I picked up sleeping girl and blanket and carried her over to the cafe, laughing to myself.

We swung back by Amy's house after that(still not home), and since I had over an hour to fill before my fiddle lesson down the street from her house, we parked ourselves nearby at Celeste's and had a lovely chat in the kitchen while Savi and Maddie played. They were born down the hall from each other at Kaiser Walnut Creek.

My fiddle teacher Kaila has a 9-yr old girl, Lucy. She loved playing with Savannah during my lesson, and I loved being in a lesson again! Kaila is teaching me some new material for our International school shows with Golden Bough. The great thing is that she owes me a bunch of lessons due to the fact that I did tons of accounting work for her in the late 90's, and then didn't cash in till now. I plan to see her every other Thursday after mom's group. I think it will work out perfectly.

After my lesson with Kaila, we drove up the street to Amy's house and had a lovely family visit. They even had extra pj's and a toothbrush for Savi, and so all I had to do was transfer her to her bed when we got home (a 45 minute drive from Amy's). I was about to take her upstairs to bed when I remembered I still had her sheets in the dryer....stall.....other sheets put on bed and mission accomplished.

Today we woke up at 8:30 and made oatmeal and fresh berries. Savi also ate one of her decorated hard-boiled eggs she made with her friend Sarah on Wednesday evening. While I have been doing banking and correspondence, and reading about what Obama is doing in Europe, Savi has been watching her shows. Next up: the sports club. It will be a pretty easy day around here for sure. Later today Savi agreed to help me water the sees we have planted, and the flowers pots too.

Some of the kids Savi's age are getting scared of the dark. I found a glowing stuffed animal called Glo-E.  Savi is pretty good about the nightlight she uses so far.