When last I stopped by the plan was to post twice that week.  Instead I didn’t post at all for two weeks.  What happened was this…first Galen took a bad fall.  He’s perfectly fine now, but it was one full intense day followed by a couple of days of entertaining him while he had to take it easy and rest.  Then we all got a change of season cold, with much of my time being devoted to doling out tea and chicken soup.  By which time I was well behind in preparations for the trip were taking…to see family and friends, a wedding! A new baby!  Two field trips!  And more…all in 6 days time, including travel there and back.  Phew.

Last night we came home; a long dreary trip through the rain, watching the leaves change as we drove north.  Full-fledged autumn at home, after only a mere hint while we were away.  I put aside the wool blend sweater I had packed, “just in case” and slipped into the full wool one I’ve been living in at home.  We built a fire and sliced up the watermelon that had ripened while we were away and harvested a few acorn squash for the following day.  I set some yams out in the crockpot to cook over night.  Filled the hot water bottle to slip in between two little ones, who have been sharing a bed as of late, thinking, as I always do, that we really need more then one bottle.  And then to bed… at approximately 7:20 pm….so thankful that I thought to change the sheets right before we left.  I was good, so very good to be away.  And now, it’s oh, so very good to be home again!

I’ve always had this vague memory from my childhood of once going to a playground that had a giant wooden slide in what seemed to be an old barn.  Last year I started researching it a bit to see if I could figure out where it was and if it was still around.  What I found was Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse in Fairmount Park.  Since I was little, the whole park has undergone a massive renovation, with some of the coolest play structures I’ve ever seen.  Playgrounds can be a rather dull affair for the older ones at this point.  They are often designed with much younger children in mind.  And let’s face it, when you are used to climbing towering trees, how can a set of monkey bars designed for a six year old compare?  But Smith?  Oh my!  There is enough climbing, swinging, flipping and sliding to keep everyone happy for a long, long time.  And the highlight of it all?

It’s still that big old wooden slide…