Staycation Day Two

Our original plan for today was to start at the state park for a (very) little hiking and a picnic lunch, stop at the  "Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium" (that Peeper and I visited recently with T and her girls) on our way back to town, and possibly go for a swim, either at the state park or a local pool.

The weather wasn't so cooperative with that plan though, and by the time we got our act together and got on the road, it was drizzling and I don't think the temperature ever went about the low 70s.

So, we decided to start out at the "Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium."

We looked around, inside and out, bought some fudge (of course) and at our lunch (and fudge) in their garden, while it was still a bit drizzly.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?!" (Yes, she actually said that.)

While we were eating, Shrike suggested that we drive a bit farther and go to the same children's museum that we've visited a few times with MOMS Club. I gave her a special dispensation to use her phone to check on their hours, and she said they would be open til five.

When we told Peeper, she was literally jumping up and down saying, "I'm going to play with the fruits and veggies! I'm so excited!"

So, you can imagine how things went when we got there and discovered that they are only open on Sundays during the winter!

We immediately promised her that we'd come back tomorrow, and I suggested that we go to the "historic" farm market and more that we'd visited after our blueberry and cherry picking expedition.

In addition to the real fruits and veggies, there were animals to pet and feed (not pictured: goats and donkeys) . . .

And the Silo of Fun! (Yes, this is in the actual silo.)

I didn't think we were ever going to get her out of there!

Next, we stopped at a winery, where there was an amazing view of the valley, but I failed to take any photos. We felt a little weird taking Peeper in to their store and tasting room, but when we spotted the pile of toys over by the fireplace, we figured we weren't the only ones dragging a little one along. We tasted a couple of wines and bought one bottle.

By then, the weather had cleared up and it was really nice out, so we finally made it to the state park, where Peeper played on the playground and I didn't take photos, because I was too busy freaking out about Shrike letting her go in high places and on precarious things.

I felt awful when, at the height of my freak-out, Peeper, who was doing just fine (although I still maintain that if she had slipped, Shrike was in too precarious a position herself to have caught her), started getting scared and unsure of herself - because she heard me saying it wasn't something that she should be doing.

I explained to her later that high places freak me out, and watching people I love in high places freaks me out even more. Even when it was just Shrike climbing down the monkey bars, I was pretty nervous. I'd like to just chill out about it, but it is a visceral reaction. I actually feel tingly in my knees and rumbly in my tummy.

We decided that we need to make a point of Shrike taking her to playgrounds without me, so she can have fun and I don't have to watch it.

Then Peeper spotted the pool, and although she didn't know that we'd packed our swimming gear, and although it was definitely not ideal swimming weather, and although the pool lady told me that the pool is spring-fed and the water is "always like ice," she somehow talked us into going swimming.

We were the only ones there, and the lifeguard had to come out of the office and get on her stand when we showed up.

Peeper sure enjoyed herself, though.

We weren't there long, but it was long enough to warranty a trip to the bathroom. I really hate getting out of the pool to go to the potty, but if she's going to ask, I'm not going to tell her to just pee in the pool (although I not-so-secretly wish she just would). This time, though, she said that she needed to pee-pee and poop, so there was no question that we were getting out!

As we got to the bathhouse, she said, "Thank you for taking me to the potty, Mama!"

Then, when she was done doing her business, and I hopped her off the potty to wipe, she said again, "Thank  you for taking me to the potty, Mama. Otherwise, I would have had to pee-pee in the pool!"

Once we were out for a while and then got back in, the cold hit her and pretty soon she was shivering, so we decided to call it a day. We got out, had some warm showers, (Peeper kept saying "Ahhhh!") and finally headed for home.

"Bye-bye, creek!"

When we got home, we let Peeper skip her real bath, got her all tucked in, and then Shrike and I share most of that bottle of wine.

Not a bad way to spend a day in (almost) our own town.