Rainy Afternoon Postcard

The little guy and I are on a several day sojourn up north to find him a pre-school for the fall. We're staying with my parents, and I love hanging out in their zen garden of a home.  I'm always drawn to the artful vignettes that my mom creates around the house, so I thought I'd share a few this rainy Tuesday.

Baby orchid, antique perfume bottle and pottery vase (made by my sister) by the kitchen window.

More Asian antique perfume bottles, collected by my grandma.  These are destined for my home after we get settled in... I love the intricate carvings and especially the deep color of the red bottle.

Potted miniature weeping pussy willow by the tea kettle.

The little man creates his own little vignettes around the house... here we have couch arm as parking lot.

This has always been my favorite print in my parents' house... it says:  So far the crocuses have always come up.

The school visit part of this visit is fairly all consuming, and I'm grateful for this rainy, quiet moment while the little man naps to gather myself before we jump back in this afternoon.  I am fully in perspective about the fact that this is just pre-school and pretty much anything we pick will be a winner, so there isn't a ton of angst in the choosing, moreso I'm just feeling fully entrenched in absorbing every detail to accurately relay to the husband (who is home working and watching the mutt) so that we can make this decision as a team.  Also, it seems like the choice we make will dictate, at least to a certain degree, what our community up here will look like, so I'm just trying to really feel out the people and the vibe at each unique place to try and determine where we belong.  No pressure. Really.

So, if you're keeping track at home, our major life changes are officially thrice: new gig for the hubs, new babe on the way, and this move, which is, in fact, not down the street, but out of state and into a totally new lifestyle.  Happily (and this is part of the reasoning behind this particular relocation), our new town is not totally new to us, as my parents live here and I lived here myself for two stints in my twenties.  We have some good friends awaiting us, and already know where the good coffee, burritos, martinis, dog beaches and hikes are to be found.  Even so, this is a major change from living in the city, and I'm sad to say good-bye to the old and new friends who have surrounded us for the last two years, even though they will only be an hour away.  I've been excited but anxious about the goodbyes and the changes, and I'm finding this visit to be incredibly reassuring that this was a great choice for us.

Today, after our morning pre-school visit, I stopped by a local kayak outfitter where I used to work, and was warmly received by the owner, even though it has been over ten years since I worked for him. With little J running all over checking out the boats and paddles, my old boss gently prodding me to try stand up paddle boarding this summer even with the knowledge that I'll be six-plus months pregnant, surrounded by the familiar boat storage area and launch, I felt suddenly at home.  The next month of packing, organizing, uprooting and saying farewell will be challenging, but I'm comforted by the familiarity that awaits on the other end and the lure of all the water up here (the ocean, river and bays) which we love so dearly.  I can't wait!

For now, it's back to logistics for me.  Do you know anything about Waldorf, Montessori, and/or the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education?  If so, please hit me up... I'm knee deep in all of it!  And just to end with a bit of humor, look who was able to reach my make up bag from his car seat on the drive up here on Sunday...

He's looking fetching covered in BareMinerals bronzer and a hearty slick of DiorShow mascara, no?  Lessons learned, lessons learned...

Happy Tuesday to all.