Now I'm Sweating

It is hot now. Suddenly the cold spring turned into 90 degree summer days. The girls are in their tiny pool telling me that I'm not allowed to look at them or listen to them. (They don't want me to hear them playing "princess." Which, I can hear (because I'm roughly two feel away) involves playing "Cinderella" while "swimming" in the ocean and arguing about who has to be the prince.)

Train Time

 

Last weekend some friends visited us from out of town. They suggested we all visit the train museum in Old Sacramento. I had heard that the train museum was worth a visit, but it took out-of-towners to get us there. It really is a neat; lots of history brought to life--really brought to life, for some of the decommissioned trains really rock as you walk through them and they have mannequins "playing" the part of the long-gone train employees.  (including a looped recording of them "talking.")

Our kids were a bit young to really enjoy it. The real, full-sized trains were big and a bit frightening for them. The historically-dressed, talking mannequins were eerie. The parents among us tried to impress upon our children that this place was cool. But our oohs and ahhs did not convince them. We still had to carry them most of the time we were touring the place.

They did enjoy the train sets (shown in the bottom two photos) set up for them to play with at the end of the tour. There is something simply magical about miniature trains and miniatures tracks. I'm trying to put my finger on it...I know it's related to dollhouses and miniature golf. I'll get back to you when I figure it out.

Bubbles When It's Sad Outside

It's been a sad month on my street. Two different people have passed away due to poor health. One lived next door, the other across the street. I didn't know either of them well, but happened to see the ambulances come for both.

Today my daughter and I were blowing bubbles. She was chasing them around the yard with a goal to pop as many as possible. I was attempting to shoot a good photograph of the bubbles while blowing them. This was trickier than I thought it would be.

I am always surprised at how wondrous bubbles can be. They are so simple. And yet, if I stop and watch one float away, I can't help but wish time would stop so I could somehow capture their luminosity.

Still, I have to work at being in the moment. I have to make myself choose a bubble to follow and watch it go. My tendency is to keep blowing more bubbles instead of taking a moment to enjoy the ones I've already made.

Today as I was blowing bubbles with the little one, I was distracted by the memory of seeing the men being wheeled into their ambulances and my thoughts were with the people left behind. My daughter does not know yet of death. And she obviously doesn't have my same attachment to bubbles, seeing as how she was trying to pop them all. I knew I should be there really with her instead of in my head, wondering about people I didn't really know. It's hard not to be affected by reminders of this short life. On the other hand, a two year old laughing at bubbles...well, it's hard not smile at that.