An Amazing Storm

We got trapped in the mall today when a huge storm came in, driving waves of rain before it in the parking lot with huge lusty gusts and there were great claps of thunder, deep, frightening booms and then the electric crack of lightening and so we decided to stay inside the mall and we had so thought we were getting out in record time after our errand was run.

Ah well.

We took Owen to the little playground and it seemed as if there were hundreds of children there although I am quite sure there were not that many but they were all electrified, perhaps by the storm pelting down over their heads, a skylight leak dripping down two stories and the maintenance lady had to bring a bucket and the drops were steady, steady, steady, and Owen was frantic with playing. He played with boys and they were like baby apes, pulling each other up the little slide by their arms, dangling over the edges. He also played with little girls and I think he was in heaven.

Lily hadn't eaten and the lunch with May that we'd planned was canceled because she didn't want to drive in the storm and she didn't want Lily to drive in the storm and neither did I so we made do with mall food and it was frustrating and took forever but Owen certainly didn't care. He played for an hour, perhaps, as happy and focused on one thing as I've ever seen him.

When he finally sat down to eat his quesadilla and chips, he was already tired.

Gibson was happy the entire time. He didn't care. He spent a good long time watching the other children play in his mother's arms or mine. He nursed, he ate some banana, he cooed, he chortled, he smiled, he observed.

By the time we could finally leave, my hips were screaming at me and Owen was ready for a melt-down and Gibson fell asleep two seconds after his mama put him back in the stroller. It felt as if we'd been in the mall for years. As if we'd sheltered there for a three-day hurricane. 

If I had had a Scotch and a Valium, I would have swallowed them both down. 

Well, not really. I don't think I've ever taken a Valium and I hate Scotch and I had to drive home so of course I wouldn't have but I did take three Ibuprofen and came home and slept like the dead for an hour. 

Then I got up and felt completely behind in everything and made very healthy bread to rise and boiled potatoes and steamed green beans for a Nicoise Salad and Mr. Moon will be home soon and I've gotten things under control and even cleaned out the hen house but somehow, the anxiety of the storm has settled in my bones and I can't find but two of the baby chickens and I'm despairing a little. 

Well, when I think about it- I spent an entire weekend here in Lloyd, seeing no one and then suddenly, I was at the mall with an epic storm trapping us inside with dozens of wild children and it's no wonder my nervous system is jangling. 

I almost bought a dress today. Almost! I swear! It was on the 65% off sale rack in Dilliards and I tried it on over my clothes and it was so cute, so cute, but when I took it up to buy it, the lady informed me that yes, it was on sale but NOT 65% off, it had been put back in the wrong place and I didn't buy it. 

Ah-lah. It would have been a perfect Cozumel dress, crocheted ivory lace with a soft cotton inner slip but I left it there.

Who knows when I'll get back to Mexico anyway? Who knows where else I could have/would have worn it? 

A moot point now, as so many turn out to be.