Effort, a Metzendorf in the wild, food pantries?

 

So here we are, still waiting. I'm so happy to have found this big flannel of my grandpa's in the closet today.  It smells vaguely of mothballs and I love it.

37 weeks today? My doctor and I made the decision to schedule an induction this time around on account of her schedule (I adore her and did NOT want to have to worry about having the other OB, which I can't stand) and the fact that with the other two littles I ended up needing pitocin anyway. So, we are going to have another baby in just two weeks! We have bought diapers, thought of a group Halloween costumes and are almost decided on a name. (For Halloween the older two are going as Chris and Martin from the PBS nature show Wild Kratz.  The baby will dressed as a tiny fox.)  For pictures anyway. With Covid I'm not even positive we will be trick or treating. 

It's been a big effort to do much of anything. Any free time usually finds me shirking responsibility by napping or eating and I can't blame this totally on pregnancy.  The seasons are changing here, it's colder, getting dark earlier and we have started to have some Fall rains. Frankly it is damn depressing.  

I'm slowly reading my new book, working on the star quilt and still enjoying postcrossing. 

The neighbor and I took the kids to a corn maze this weekend. It was bunches of fun. We shot tiny pumpkins at a car, did the maze, played on hay bales and drank lemonade.  It was a really fun day. 

The oldest and I slept out on Saturday.  It was not too cold but he burrowed to the bottom of his sleeping bag and I had to rescue him. Bee slept with us. I'd really like to try again this weekend provided it's not too cold out. We both love it.

The little one and I went yard sales last Friday.  I got this awesome blanket for the camper ($2) and a big hotwheels track set. Our neighbor was out the same day and bought at a sale for me a brand new Vera Bradley yoga mat with the carrying case as a little gift.  I got it out and was suprised to find that it's the nicest mat I've owned. Yoga is helping my pregnancy stiffness although it doesn't get done as often as it should. Some sun salutations and downward dogs work wonders for aches and pains. I'm very lucky to have this lady living nearby. She's very easy to talk with and her son is just wonderful.  He and ours are very good friends. Although he is a couple of years older they do go to the same school.

Catholic school for the oldest is going about as expected.  My mother would be pleased, he is now saying grace at dinner and trying to correct my sailor's vocabulary.  Both of which were previously unheard of here. The feast of St. Michael was earlier this week and all of the kindergarteners had little cupcakes with blackberries on top.  He was a little confused about the how's and why's of the whole thing until I explained that basically it was a day to celebrate something that happened a very long time ago, when a very good hero defeated the biggest villain of all by tossing him into a blackberry bush. That's about the best I could come up with.  The oldest is very scientifically minded and we are not very good at explaining the abstract. For example, he knows about the differences between boys and girls but I had a little talk with him the other day about how the baby comes out (he thought it involved my belly button or the baby bursting out of my side, how Buddha was born ) and told him if he hears anything at school that didn't quite sound right to ask his dad or I and we would explain it further.  He was quiet for a second and then asked "Did Jesus really die on a piece of wood?".  I think I avoided a hard answer on that one.  Reproduction and anatomy are one thing but I'll let a professional explain crucifixion to a kindergartener. Ugh.

Looking through my photos I completely forgot that I had my first ever sighting of a Metzendorf in the wild last week. These things are so stinking rare and it's a shame. This one was right in town and I did follow it for awhile to get a picture. 

For comparison here is our camper.

People: THAT IS NOT MY TRUMP SIGN.

And... in contrast to the political dumpster fire taking place in this Country, a littlereassurance that most people are decent and kind:

Has anyone else noticed these? There is one here in Greenville. 

And another in Jamestown.  I'm used to seeing (and love) the Little Free Libraries that have popped up all over but these are tiny food pantries.  What a fantastic idea. I need to go to Aldi this week and will pick up some things to donate like baby supplies, toiletries and feminine products. Things that WIC and food assistance don't provide.

And that's the effort for tonight.  Time for bed, the dishes and mess can wait.