The Best Little Library In Florida. Plus, Other Stuff

 

This is what it looked like this morning when I got up. It was startlingly clear and beautiful. Summer is at its green best, still not yet weary from the days of heat, and we have gotten some rain. It was one of those moments where you catch yourself looking at something you have seen thousands of times and think, "I should pay attention to this," the light being somehow more transcendent, the trees and plants somehow more softly emerald green, the birds singing more cheerfully. 

We had a good time with Gibson. The meatloaf was perhaps the finest meatloaf I've ever made. Don't ask me why. But it was damn good. He allowed me to read him two books, one being "In Search of the Zipper-rump-a-zoo." I've read that one almost as many times as "The Little Red Hen Makes A Pizza". Its pages are soft with many turnings and either Lily or Jessie crayoned over some of the faces when they were tiny. 

This morning I made the standard grandchild breakfast with pancakes and bacon and eggs, and later on Gibson and I drove to Monticello where we met Lily and Owen and Maggie at the library. Owen and Gibson had never been to the Jefferson County library. Lily and Jessie and I started going there to take the little kids to Toddler Time which is how we met Terez. It is such a sweet library. There is a guinea pig in a cage and there are little activities set up all over for children to do.

On one table, they have a huge coloring sheet- as big as a tablecloth- and I tell Terez that one of these days, I am going to come in and sit there and color and listen to my audio book. I can't imagine anything more soothing than that. Terez says to come on in anytime. 
Hell, I may go buy myself a brand new 64-pack of Crayolas. Can you imagine the joy I would be giving my eight-year old self to be surrounded by books and interesting people, listening to a story and coloring with unbroken, still-pointy crayons? 
Be still my heart. 

The 4-H club had already come in to the library before we got there for a field trip and Terez had made slime with them and he offered to bring out the supplies and help our three and another little boy who was there to make their own batches. Great happiness ensued. 

Terez's slime-game is on point, y'all. The man knows how to do it. He even put coloring in it that made it glow in the dark. 
Are you kidding me? 

And a black light to really get the full effect. 
It was hard to get the kids to leave to go get lunch, especially after Maggie and Gibson found the puppet show theater in the little kid reading room. But finally we rounded them up and I got them to pose with Terez for a picture. 

We even checked out books! Several of the books on Owen's summer reading list were on the shelves and they came with us, along with a few craft books that Lily wanted. 

And then we were off to the Mexican restaurant where we all had delicious lunches. 

I had to take these pictures. 

And then Lily took her kids to Wag the Dog and I came on home. I feel like I have so much to do before we leave and I DO but some of it, most of it, in fact, can only be done right before we leave. But I picked some more figs and green beans and with the other figs I've picked over the last few days, I have about four pounds according to Granddaddy's old kitchen scale. If I can pick another pound by Friday, I may be able to make three pints of preserves. That would be great. 

Tomorrow I am going to Tallahassee to do my pre-trip shopping and I am meeting my brother, Chuck, for lunch. We rarely see each other and I am very much looking forward to this. 

Somehow that will turn out to be an all-day activity. And then I will have Friday and Saturday to do all of the packing and organizing and getting the house ready for Mark and...oh yes- making preserves. The hen house MUST be cleaned out, good and clear instructions for Mark must be written. By the time we leave for vacation, I will certainly NEED a vacation. 

And isn't this always the way? 

I think so. 

Love...Ms. Moon