Fireworks, River Walks, & Building Memories

My new BIG coffee mug!

If we were having coffee, I’m sure you would notice my new cup up above.  I have been on a trek to find a Beatles coffee mug ever since I saw Trent’s collection.  I know I can get them on Amazon but I’m stubborn and I am determined to find one at a yard sale (which is tough because I don’t go to yard sales) or a thrift shop or some kind of discount store.  It has to be a bargain.  This week, I was at Ross (I just had to use the bathroom, wasn’t going to buy anything) and I walked by the kitchen stuff.  No Beatles mugs or travel cups but this sugar skull or calavera mug popped up and begged to come home with me (well, it didn’t have to beg much because I love sugar skulls and don’t have many so I would have dragged it home even if it didn’t want to come).  I looked at the price, expecting it to be about ten dollars but was very surprised to find the low low price of $3.49! Score!!!  I also picked up a set of 4 stemless wine glasses that were $8.  See…

Stemless wine glass

If we were having coffee I would tell you that I’m still in the de-cluttering process.  I took 5 boxes to the Goodwill donation station this week.  There’s more to go, too.  I’m also doing a lot more cooking than I have done in several years.

Last Saturday was Independence Day here in the U.S.  In previous years, I bought small, inexpensive (never more than $20) assortments of safe fireworks.  First it was for my kids when they lived at home then for my daughter when we moved to Oregon in 2008 then the last couple of years it has been for my grandson.  We sit outside and all the neighbors set some off.  It’s like we all take turns setting them off and we all get to enjoy each others fireworks.  It has been great fun until this year.  The owner of the mobile home park where I live said NO FIREWORKS of any kind under any circumstances and threatened to evict anyone who violated that rule.  It’s because everything is so dry this year.  It was for everyone’s safety. I had resigned myself to a quiet evening alone as my daughter was working and the boys’ dad was home with Anderson and Spencer.  Then about 9:15 I got a text asking if I wanted to take the boys in the car to see if they could see any fireworks.  They had heard fireworks in the neighboring housing development and wanted to see some. Off we went.  I was worried we wouldn’t see anything from the car, especially the boys strapped into their car seats.  I ended up driving a couple of miles up the road where I take them to see the fancy Christmas lights each year.  It was a good place to go. There were lots of families out getting ready to set off their fireworks so I parked the car and we got out and watched from the sidewalk.  They loved it, especially 2 year old Spencer who doesn’t remember seeing them last year.  At first he grabbed a hold of me when the first loud BOOM went off but then he eased his hold and got into the booms, repeating “boom” after every one and pointing to where the lights had been.  I’m so glad I took them!  It was something just the boys and I shared.  A special time; special memory.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you about taking the boys for ice cream on Sunday.  It wasn’t the ice cream that was the point, although they loved that.  They were going away for 3 days and I wouldn’t be seeing them so I was just spending a little time with them before they left on Monday morning.  Off we went to McDonald’s for $1 soft serve cones. After that they wanted to go for a drive so I took them to a small riverside trail I had seen previously in Gladstone, a few minutes drive away.  We walked the trail along the river for 40 minutes.  Anderson I knew would be good, especially after our 2 hour hike the previous Friday.  I was a little apprehensive about Spencer, thinking he would want to run off on his own.  I was prepared to head back to the car with them right away if that happened.  But no.  He was perfect.  He held on to my hand the entire time, never even making a move to let go of my hand.  They both enjoyed the walk tremendously and neither wanted to get in the car when it was time to go.

Park Place Bridge, Gladstone, OR

There’s a lot more to go to get you caught up on the week but I will just let you have your turn now, as I have been monopolizing the conversation, again.  Tell me about your week.  Highlights? Even the “low lights” are fair game.  What are you reading?  I finished two books this week.  One was incredibly good (Strings by Allison M. Dickson) and one that was so blah that I cannot remember the title.  Any movies?  I went to a movie this week but I think I will save that Anderson Adventure for another post but I want to hear about your movie going.  What are your plans for the week?  Any traveling coming up?  I’m preparing for a road trip with Anderson, just the two of us.  I have a week and a half to go before the trip.  You’ll hear about it.

Anyway, tell.  I want to hear it.  And when you’re done, be sure to visit the other #WeekendCoffeeShare posts.  You’ll find them at Part Time Monster, by clicking on the blue Linky at the end of Diana’s post.  You’ll find a lot of other bloggers telling you about their weeks.  You’ll find it interesting, I’m sure!