Wednesday the 2nd I was up way too late to watch the Cubs win the World Series (extra innings and a rain delay?). We needed to figure out a winter camp for Nina and she wanted to do ice skating, so on Friday she had a lesson to see if she liked it (she did). Saturday I had to go to my mom’s house to meet a furniture donation truck, and I took Nina as she wanted to play on teh Wakefield Forest playground. She was hungry and we stopped for lunch at Jason’s Deli and got soup for Jill, who took Illa to the vet (he’s getting very anxious at night).
Sunday Nina and I went to a playground in Vienna in the afternoon, then saw Callaghan’s early show at Jammin’ Java. Monday school was closed Nina tried the other option for winter camp, Jumping Jack Sports, and liked that even more than ice skating, asked if she could have her next birthday party there (although in the morning she didn’t want to go, told me to drive slow on the Toll Road).
Tuesday the 8th we were over at a neighbor’s for pie and drinks and election returns (I made homemade tonic so we could have gin and tonics, but left when the kids got tired (and there wasn’t much worth celebrating). Friday I was off for Veteran’s Day, went to my mom’s house to meet a junk removal truck, hit CD Cellar and stop at Taco Bamba on the way back for a tasty lunch before working on cleaning the basement. That night Jill’s sister Melissa and her daughter Maddy came to visit.
Saturday everyone but Nina and I went to visit Marymount while Nina had her swim lesson. Sunday we all had dinner at Nando’s, then Jill saw Serenity at the nearby Alamo with her knitting group.
Tuesday the 15th saw Wolf Trap’s summer schedule released (Little Mermaid 6/29-7/2, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone 7/7-7/8, and Neil Gaiman 7/9? Going to be a busy week), followed a short trip to the Barns. I’ve only been to a handful of concerts where they play an album all the way through, but Steve Vai’s Passion and Warfare was worth it. Man, it was loud – my ears rang a little, even with earplugs. My friend Eric would have especially enjoyed him playing “Liberty” alongside video from 1991’s Guitar Legends in Seville.
Thursday Jill and I went to Nina’s school for her classes’ Thanksgiving luncheon. The kindergarteners baked chewy bread, and guess who lost her first tooth in that bread?
Saturday the 19th we drove up to Philadelphia. Nina loved the Smith Memorial Playground and did not want to leave, but we were there to have “Friendsgiving” (early Thanksgiving) with our Shantytowne friends. An excellent spread, we wished we could have stayed longer but we needed to make it back home that night.
Wednesday Jill got maids to clean and need to cook, so Nina went to Jumping Jack Sports again. She was shy again at first (only 1 other girl there), but enjoyed herself. Thanksgiving itself on Thursday the 24th wasn’t too bad, we hosted a family from church with two kids (since we no longer have close family with my mom moving to Rochester), as well as having another family with two kids for dessert (Nina was exhausted). Friday Jill worked and I took Nina to Reston Town Center for the Annual Reston Holiday Parade. We found several friends, sat with one and had a playdate afterwards, another exhausting day for everyone.
Sunday the 27th we went to my dad’s for a delayed Thanksgiving. It was good, but Jill went from feeling a little queasy to a a lot by the time we got home, and was in no condition to go see Dave Matthews host a concert for Standing Rock that night. Out friend Linda came, and I was glad not to miss unforgettable performances Dave and Tim Reynolds had with Graham Nash (“Teach Your Children”) and Neko Case (“The Maker”, if you can believe that).
