Sunday: Laundry day with a twist

Saturday was our weekly Pathfinder game, hosted back at our friend's house so they could make special birthday wings for her brother. We had lots of wings, and homemade drinking vinegar (neither of which my taste buds particularly enjoy, but they were a big hit, and I did not go hungry). I think the favorite drinking vinegars were blueberry, strawberry, and honey. They mix the flavored vinegar with carbonated water and ice cubes to make a yummy drink. We finished the night with goblin battle and cheesecake.

The other weekend day must therefore be devoted to a not-so-fun chore: laundry. We use a weekend day, and then Jamie's mom visits on Tuesday for laundry and TV night. The black car transmission has decided to be finicky, and Jamie promised to help a friend fix his thermostat in his vehicle. I offered to take the laundry to Tig's house myself to do it. Jamie said "can you do that?" and "sure".

So, I got my bike and trailer, hooked them all up, made sure I had sunscreen on, and loaded the trailer.

Jackjack had to go with me, since he has officially been diagnosed as a senile old-timer dog. He will wander the house often. I think he forgets what he is looking for- usually the water bowl. We have to take him outside on a regular and frequent basis, because while he is still continent, he forgets that he has to let us know to take him outside when he has the first urge, and then later it is too late and he will just go the next time he really has to, no matter where he is. So it's better that he stays with me- his mommy and someone he really knows.

Unfortunately, I found out that the purple backpack I have is not ideal for a Jackpack. It has a zipper with a single pull, instead of two slides that meet in the middle. This means that below jack's neck is uncomfortably open, allowing him to stick a leg out, and also that the zipper behind his neck just gradually becomes looser. I couldn't take him like that! I was slightly disappointed, because I remember him really enjoying the first try at a Jackpack. But, he was placed in the trailer too on top of the clothes basket.

It still counts as a ride!

We set out to conquer the four miles to my friend's house. Four miles should take 20 minutes, give or take a few. Well, I think I made it in 40 minutes. Laundry weighs a lot! Jackjack is around 20 pounds by himself, and it seemed to me that the basket weighed about a million. The bike path has a very slight tilt to it- uphill going towards Tig, downhill back home. Also, it seemed like the wind was against me, but it felt really good to cool me, and oddly I didn't notice the breeze as a drag, because the sheer weight of the trailer remained more constant. I spun along readily enough in my very easiest gear, which made me breathe hard, but it most definitely saved my legs. Five minutes after I finally arrived to greet everyone, I felt ready to ride again.

I started the machines, and we decided to go to the park with Marty, Tig's daughter. After a small fiasco involving sunscreen and Marty rubbing it in her eye, we were ready to go. She was very tired, and extremely unhappy. The trip was easy, but I had a soundtrack of small silences with crying in between. We arrived and unpacked our small picnic, which made her feel much better. After a while she forgot to be mad about her eye and tired.

Lunch!

We walked over to the playground.

Marty liked to watch the swings, but she was afraid of the first one we put her on. They have a few of the bucket-style baby swings. So, we tried swinging together.

She liked this much better.

Marty took a break to try some slides, but then she came back to the swings.

She doesn't need a stinkin' baby swing!

She did eventually fall off, but she kept one hand on the chain and sort of swung off, landing in the gravel just like this. She then started digging in the dirt as if that was exactly what she had meant to do all along. Tig had a mini heart-attack, I think.

Then it was back to the little forts with slides, some dirt-digging and people watching. She came back to the swings and decided that a baby swing was better than no swing at all.

She might be a little tired.

Who needs sleep?! 

I had to include this slightly blurry picture. I think it is a great shot.

Whee!!!

We headed home after meeting one of Tig's coworkers and sharing baby sunscreen with her. On the way, I heard a scraping noise, and we stopped because I thought a brake was dragging. Instead, the noise was a hissing, as the air escaped from a puncture in Tig's rear tire. We walked easily the rest of the way. Marty had fallen asleep almost immediately after we started pedaling, and I easily transferred her to a beanbag inside when we got back home.

I folded the first load of clothes as the second one finished tumbling in the dryer, then shoved those on top. I found out the basket will fit in sideways, allowing Jack to ride in front of it. He whined a lot during the trip. I can't tell if that means he didn't like it, because Marty whines in the trailer too!

Overall, I think it was a wonderful weekend.