'Tis a Gift

This weekend was full of pleasant surprises as well as those of the unpleasant wallpaper-removing kind.  On Saturday Sierra had a birthday party to attend.  I asked Jeremiah what he wanted to do during those 2 hours.  His answer was to shop for ideas for Christmas for Sierra.  And that is what we did.  We wandered around Target (I know, I know, the boycott!) and we looked at all kinds of items and he pointed out 2 or 3 things that she would like.  He didn't ask for anything for himself, although we did do some price-checking on a Wii game I know he wants.  His advice was very helpful.  I thought that was a very generous way for him to spend his 2 hours. He  has kept our trip a secret from his sister which is not easy for a 9-year old boy. 

On Sunday afternoon I attended the screening of Living Downstream at the Normal Theater.  I was moved by the film, the sheer number of people attending the film, the audience's responses to the film, and getting to talk with the author of the book and the film maker afterward.  Most of you who read here know what it's about, but for those of you who don't here is a link:  Living Downstream.

I felt inspired to continue my quest to feed my kids and myself more local food, more organic food, and to try to educate others when I can about these issues.  I am trying to find some materials that might be appropriate to suggest to my kids' teachers about the environmental and health issues related to pesticide use.  I've read about a quarter of the way through the book and will be dedicating my reading time to it until I'm done.  (This weekend I also finished my re-readings of The Used World for next week's book group, and of Saving Jesus from the Church for the study group at, where else, church.)

The weather was yet another pleasant surprise, as was the sunrise I watched Sunday morning while walking Wolf.  The sky was dotted with backlit fluffs and the horizon had a red glow as we turned a corner to head east.  Wolf was more interested in the pleasant fall smells on the ground, so I enjoyed the sky for both of us.