out and about again?

I remembered this morning that it was Monday....on Mondays in the small city, the Social Security administration sets up a satelite office from the hours of nine a.m. until 1 p.m. Since the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will not issue a driver's permit without the actual card in hand, despite the fact that Mali holds a valid U.S. passport that was obtained using a social security card, we drove to the small city and took a number, "55" to be exact, and waited our turn. We saw a young woman get very frustrated because she cannot get a driver's license without a s.s. card, and cannot get a s.s. card without without I.D. She started to vent at the poor woman behind the makeshift desk.....it IS frustrating to cut through red tape....

After we sucessfully filled out the application for a new card, we went to Wegmans and bought wraps (they sell tomato basil wraps that are out of this world, in their own store brand (I heated some up in olive oil with mozzarella on top for dinner, so good and light)), tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, bread, burger, milk, pasta, dressing, ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and a few pairs of new goggles for the pool. Then I went into the dollar store and got some oatmeal bread and cinnamon raisin bread and some ginger ale for Camille....then to BigLots quick for some snacks and juice. Then to McD's, there was a coupon for a free smoothie in the Sunday paper, and I brought Sonja along to get it. Then home....we were greeted by a very stinky Rosie, who appeared and smelled like she rolled in...well, poop. Benjamin said he found out the hard way, after he pet her....so we worked together and washed her up under the hose....I held her collar, while Ben scrubbed and rinsed. We did it a few times until she smelled like her old self again. Then in the house to put things away and finally: out to the pool! Emily Anne, the nice big sister, had taken Kathryn, Jonathan, and Charlotte Claire to visit Gramma, the playground, and out for ice cream, plus for some play in the Erie Canal. They came home and joined us in the water, it was so pleasant. Then.....hurry in to make dinner quick because Paul and I had to go to a grill meeting...

Now we are home and Camille is sitting with me, still quite warm. All she wants is to sit with me, which brings me back to old times....ha, I feel bad for her, but I do not mind! She is my little sweetie pie. I wish I could just bottle up these days of fun and sunshine, I do not think I could enjoy them more if I tried....

Charlotte Claire is all snuggled up with her blankies in the inflatable firetruck-shaped ball pit that she and Jonathan dragged out here and set up this morning.

She is a funny child. She brought her bedding out of her crib during the night and slept in the hallway. She doesn't wake me up, she just re-locates.

Miss Camille is fussing now because she does not want to go pee, and I suspect she hasn't gone in a while...I tried to bribe her with gum, but she does not feel well, and is just beside herself....