Happy Solstice!

Tomorrow, Seamus comes home from his trip to Glacier with Grandma and Grandpa, so today is the last day to spend alone with Fin. We celebrated with a lie-in and reading inspirational books. Iron Man 3 for him and Amy Butler's Midwest Modern for me. (I know that needed explanation.) Now I have to upgrade my attitude toward Amy Butler* to "grudgingly respectful." I'm not even sure why I find her hard to like. We shouldn't not like people just because they are wildly successful and ubiquitous, right? Today is a good day for an attitude adjustment.

I had to google "solstice" in order to be able to explain it to my kid.
Tried on swimsuits and immediately wished I had not.
I did a pile of laundry, bought groceries, and sorted through the mountain of paper my kids brought home during the last three weeks of school.
Cut roses.
Planted watermelons.
Wore sunscreen and a hat.
Got dirty, got clean.
Got my hair blow-dried by an eight-year-old boy.
Renewed a library book I have not read and cannot find.
Held a chicken.
Ate leftovers and played sudoku.
Made peach ice cream.
Made guacamole.
Realized that I'm lucky and my life is beautiful. It's not suburban and dull and small, petty, and meaningless unless I think it is. I had a crazy industrious day and I just have to keep lighting it up. Because growing food and swimming in the ocean and answering questions like "Mama, what is dark matter?" — that's what it's all about.
So -  now, I'm going to sit on the porch and drink champagne. And if you think I'm kidding, just come over and have a glass with me.
* Amy - if you're reading this, and I know you're not: It's not you, it's me. Everyone thinks you're all that and you probably are, plus 100 times nicer and more generous than I would be if I were wildly successful and ubiquitous. Heck, you're probably just 100 times nicer and more generous than I am - unqualified. The above offer of champagne applies to you.