Downpour

#1 - My partner, Michael, came into the room today and asked me if I could pick up his daughters.  He was not looking at me and started doing some other task after the question so when I responded, "What time?" he was too absorbed to answer.

Once we figured it out I said, "Did you notice how quickly I said, "yes"?"  Because his perception is I often quickly respond "no" about things.

"It wasn't that quick," was his response.

A few minutes later I went to find him in the other room and said, "I am feeling defensive.  You said I didn't respond quickly, but you hadn't even told me what time they needed to be picked up."

He got up, gave me his full attention, apologized and gave me a big hug.  He said I was right, he wasn't being respectful when he made the original request.

#2 - The oldest is learning to ride the city bus by herself and has plans to practice the route they will take to school with a friend on Wednesday.

#3 - I listened to an Elizabeth Gilbert interview today.  During the questions at the end a woman told Gilbert she didn't want to have children, but felt pressure and worried that when she got old she'd regret it.  Gilbert had an awesome response with a list of positive statistics about women never having kids.  She then concluded that there is no statistic correlation between being elderly, with or without kids, and happiness.  She said what was correlated to happiness in the elderly was health and financial security.  So she said, "Brush your teeth, wear a seatbelt, save your money and you'll be fine."

#4 - Michael was going to bring something out to the garage, he came back in and said, "Never mind, it's raining cats and dogs out there."  His daughters wanted to see the rain.  First they stood on the stoop underneath a roof.  Then they ventured out into the downpour and walked back and forth down the sidewalk, playing in the puddles.  And not just briefly.  I'd say they've been out there for at least 20 minutes.

#5 - Our evening plans were cancelled for the rain.  I asked the girls if they wanted to play Catan (board game) instead.  They both enthusiastically said yes, but it seems mother nature has taken their attention instead.