Centrifugal Force

What is it about some kids, that whirling around and around on playground equipment makes them so happy? Today, a grey-ish, wet day, we went to the Strawberry Festival (doesn't that conjure up a bright, sunny day?) which is a benefit for Central Park School, a charter elementary school around here that we almost sent Sofie to.

It was held in a play area with great equipment, so we spent nearly the first 45 minutes of the drizzling rainy time with Sofie spinning herself into sheer abandonment. I got dizzy watching her. I finally dragged her to play on some of the other activities, like the bouncy jumper thing and an obstacle course. She actually loved the obstacle course, except the last part, where she had to roll a tire through a path. Her hands got filthy, and Ms. Priss got all in a tizzy about it.

Hands finally clean, we explored other things, they had a great treat, a lemon with a peppermint stick in it (hole drilled or cut into the lemon). All the kids and many adults were running around sucking on these things, you have to taste it to know it was pretty good, it does sound odd. I heard that by 3 PM they had sold 500 of them! In the drizzle.

We (OK, I) had a strawberry shortcake thing, and Sofie ate a hot dog with cheese sauce while spinning herself once again on one of the pieces of play equipment. I just don't get it, but it explains why she loves those darn teacups at Disney.

We stayed about three hours, then I had pretty much had it. I was tired. We went home to chill for a bit, I fell asleep during "The Invasion of the Tinysaurasuses" and Jamie picked her up around six PM. I was going to attend a choral concert, but pooped out, so watching a movie (a long one, so I took this break to write).

Tomorrow, I have pretty much the day off from child, so I have a brunch meeting with a friend (part work, part brunch), then I plan to do a few errands and get the nails done. Ah, I love grown up time. Or time to myself, for that matter. I started getting the Sunday NY Times again and perhaps I will actually read it this week. Last week was a total bust on that front, since I had Sofie. Ah well, it is a short term experiment, I haven't subscribed to the NY Times since Sofie came home (well, about three weeks after, when the pile of unopened newspapers gave me a broad hint of life changing in this arena). I crave the NY Times, I really do. And I feel a bit more intellectually stimulated than I do reading Scooby Doo.

Working on Monday after I get my blood drawn, then treatment again on Tuesday. Those treatment days come quickly, it seems, the week off goes fast. I am a bit anxious, this combo treatment is the one that sent me over the edge in terms of side effects last time, but I hope the new drugs do their thing.