{Virtual Coffee}

It's Tuesday, which means it's time for virtual coffee. If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that I didn't cry yesterday morning (for the first time) when I took Riley for his first day of school.

It always seems to be a strikingly sunny day for the first day of school and I'm a little sad all the photos I got were squinty ones.

I did catch his usual worried expression when he's looking for friends in the schoolyard.

And so it goes. Another ten months ahead of us and it feels like the energy has tangibly shifted. The nights, the mornings, the lake and the pool water - all drastically cooler than they were ten days ago. There, now that made me cry.

If were were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that it's MushroomGate in our neck of the woods. And there were even some little tiny Grimm's fairy tale type of red ones I didn't capture. What I did find was this spooky black one

some that looked like they belong under the sea

the bold

the classic

the umbrella style

the "there's a leprechaun living under here" ones

and how about a Dr. Suess orange one with some kind of polka dots

or ones that could be puff pastries with a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar on top

and this one that I don't even know where to begin to describe.

I might ask you if you think a seven legged Daddy Long Legs might be good luck?

and oddly enough there were two seven-legged beasties side by side which made me wonder if a new bug species has been born

or if you ever heard of my dock spiders being called "jesus spiders" because, dang it, they actually walk on water. I will admit that from time to time when I see one of these honkers I have taken the lord's name in vain.

And I've said even worse when I walk into these kind of camouflaged webs strung between trees.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that I ran into an equally scary zombie

and discovered that I am highly allergic to this proliferating beastie of another variety.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would ask if you also feel as if these have gone and changed whilst you weren't looking

and as beautiful as they are, their next step is to fall off and my mind won't even let me go where the next step is. But if we were meeting for coffee today you would chide me and remind me that I am supposed to be living in the moment. Then before we headed over to Amy's Lucky Number 13 for one of her hillbilly cinammony lattes we would stop by The Rock Fairy's place and drop this rock in her lap and see what she would come up with to paint on it.

After the flood, the laundry

Yes, the washer is going full tilt today cleaning up what I used to clean up my flooded basement yesterday. It takes a village because I couldn't have done it alone and it's a good thing my village includes the amazing neighbours, Heidi and Glenn, who came running without being asked and took charge.

But before the laundry, more visitors, at 5:00 a.m. this morning.

As there was four of them and not just one and as they were not the least bit fazed by my presence or that of my dog, I took to heart Ted Andrews' words on raccoon medicine. Masks and transformation. Delicious and delightful. Now, back to the laundry.

{Virtual Coffee}

Ah, coffee time. After a week off I really need a double-double. But I'm going to settle for this intimate one french press style.

Taking a week off means I have so much to say I don't know where to begin. So, if we were meeting for coffee today I would start by telling you we have been mobile. We have hung out with new and old friends

pink friends

scary friends

a gargoyle or two

and a very gangster-y dog named Capone.

We have done our best to keep the vineyards in business

bought new shoes

landed on the moon

rode a snapping turtle

and been thoroughly searched.

We have swung on swings built for giants

made our way through elaborate natural labyrinths

been chased by crocodiles

camouflaged ourselves

availed and relieved ourselves for days on end on compost toilets

and in outhouses

We have held tight to the concept of world peace

been silly

waited on chickadees

and jumped off of docks.

We have left behind rocks

and bits of our hearts

We wished on a rainbow

took a chance on breakfast

mourned our ravaged tomato plant

laughed at a Christmas tree car

sat in the hot tub

tried to get a bit of culture under our belts

and drove over 500 kilometers to find Montreal steamies.

We have had good news and not so good news and been in full throttle of life. Oh and yeah, we have had our share of coffee.

If we were meeting for coffee today I would tell you that I have been Home Alone for 36 hours straight now, the first time that has ever happened in eight and a half years. I would tell you that at first it was a bit unnerving and I just paced around the empty rooms but now I'm kind of revelling in the selfishness being alone for a stretch of time allows. I would tell you that my heart is heavy with school starting up next week, I'm not ready for another ten months of the kind of lifestyle that brings nor the kind of weather that the segue into the school year will ultimately bring. If we all hold the thought, maybe we can turn back the clock a month so I could do all of this over again. But then you would tell me that I need to just be in my moment and embrace it and deep down I would know you are right. Then we would head over to Amy's Lucky Number 13 and see if there is any of that chocolate pie left over from her birthday.