Life goes on: dresser, grandmothers, pools

Updates:

So the two neighbors with kids Sophia's age are joining the new Y pool but I'm not plunking down the money. We're going to Maplewood to sign up there this afternoon. I debated just heading to my aunt's house several times a month, but those are never quick easy trips. We would never just swim for an hour and come back home. I figure if we go to the pool 30 times it is more than worth it. Thirty times is a lot, though. I'd really have to make good on my goal to swim laps this summer. Which I must do.

So it begs the question: why don't I just sign up for the Y and then use the gym? I've soured on the Y due to many reasons. I spent a lot of time there when Sophia was a baby, and got into great shape; after Maeve I did it on my bike in the park and on long trails. Now with Leo, I want to be on the bike more, but it involves all these complicated steps to get my car ready for transporting all those bikes and gear. My current plan is to finish that project, and bike in the mornings before Mike leaves for the day, once summer is in full swing. I know getting up at 5:30 will improve my life in numerous ways. It's just that first day I'm dreading. But my goal is to be about 40 pounds lighter by Christmas, and I know I can do it (I did it with Maeve's toddlerhood). So let's get it going.

Other than pool rage and bike complications? I visited my grandmother today, you know, the one I thought was going to die last summer? She didn't, and in fact seems to be doing rather well. She was gardening when we got there, and had a dresser for me (the goal of the visit). It's a Danish modern, in awesome condition, to replace the badly aging one Maeve has been using. The old one is three huge drawers, but one drawer fell apart, and so there's a plastic box sitting there for her shorts and pants. Losers. I looked for new, but they were either very cheap or very expensive; Craigslist was a bust for once. Bevin and I were going to keep hunting, but I knew I didn't want to put a lot of money into this, or time. My mom suggested Penny, since she has, like, 8 of these dressers, identical ones and parts of sets, a headboard, and so forth. I think all her kids used them starting in 1955. It has four smaller drawers and will be perfect for Maeve for the time being--eventually the room will get split into different rooms for all three kids and things will change, but this is perfect for now.

My grandmother told rambling stories and was in good spirits. Leo impressed her to no end. She kept telling me "He's yours, there's not a doubt about that." I look incredibly like my grandfather, like spooky-like, and Leo looks like me. I know what he'll look like when he's 50. That's so weird.

We had to take 7 boxes of old shoes with us, though--heels, in good shape, in their original boxes. It was payment for the dresser. "Maybe you can wear them?" she asked. They were all 7 1/2s. I wear a 10. A big fat 10. But I said that Colleen probably could. Mom took those when she dropped me and the dresser off.

And? Sophia's class is going to Kakao Chocolate for the last field trip of the year. I'm psyched. I am so in love with her teacher. Not that way. He's so unassuming and reserved and good with those kids. Sophia adores him, and this is a 180 degree turn from the beginning of the year ("what, a boy teacher? I don't like boy teachers."). He's one of two teachers in the classroom next year, too, with a Miss Wellinghoff. I keep saying to myself, "Miss Wellinghoff, could you please bring in the scones?" Dork that I am.

Everything else is ok. I'm heading out to Kakao here in a minute. The ants are back (Grr) but not in the kitchen (they're not too bright). The house is a mess but that's tonight's job. AC is on and maybe it won't rain for a few days.