odds and week ends

we kicked this past weekend off in true community spirit by attending a bridge-opening ceremony at which our mayor spoke.  i almost expected to be invited to participate afterwards in a pie contest (making or eating, whichever) or perhaps potato-sack or three-legged race, since attending new-infrastructure events at which one's local officials cut ribbons is up there on the list of small-town things to do.

but ever since we moved in here, we'd been ogling the under-construction pedestrian overpass that would link our community with the lovely, shady queen's park.  our residential street comes out to a major busy road with sidewalks up only the non-park side and no pedestrian crossings for six blocks. there was no way to get into the park without walking a ways out of your way along busy streets, so the new bridge is heaven-sent.  stroller-friendly ramps, safe and it shoots you right onto the walking paths in the park - we'd already used it twice by monday night!

on saturday jamie and i had a rare and much appreciated date night out on our own.  we wanted to walk somewhere, so we strolled on down to the haunted keg steakhouse (apparently everyone there has seen an apparition, except our waiter) for dinner and drinks.  the restaurant is in an old rail station and is supposed to be quite reliable for late-night ghost sightings.  we were there in broad daylight and our dinner was uneventful in the paranormal sense.  ;-)  afterwards we wandered around in a leisurely fashion taking dopey photos of ourselves, enjoying the summer air and being generally fancy free.  we just discovered there's a boardwalk down on the river - who knew?

by the time sunday rolled around jamie and both had taken turns succumbing to seasonal allergies.  i haven't had a flare up of what is presumably a grass allergy in years - it was only on our trips "to the boondocks"(aka past vancouver's city limits) that i would get the telltale itchy, watery eyes and accompanying feelings of extreme irritation.  i was all better - or hopped up on claritin and reactin and coffee - by sunday, so jamie stayed home while i took coco to birthday parties for two of our toddler friends.  i was a little intimidated to go solo, but it worked out oddly well. one was in the morning and the other late afternoon and in the same general neck of the woods out near grandma & grandpa's house, so we stopped there to take a nap in between fêtes.  i was amazed that it worked - no tears, no freak-outs, a two hour nap together in a blissfully darkened room, much cake and much fun!

cole spent much of his time at the first party eating crackers and avoiding the other kids - i couldn't catch him in a single decent photo with the birthday girl, maryn.  he even ran out on pal abby when i tried to stuff him into a wagon so i could take their photo together, what with her being on his list of future arranged marriage mom-approved (aka will never happen!) potential partners and all.

at the second party he ate his weight in pretzels and crackers, enjoyed birthday boy james' backyard and yummy cupcakes and i managed to convince the two of them to sit together for twelve seconds of adorable posed fun.  ;-)  of course the whole ride home he kept telling me about his great day and his friends.

and why not include monday in the odds & sods roundup?  we had a visit from my friend miae and coco's pal aiden - cole has a crush on miae and was most excited to see her.  when we went out to greet her at the door to our building he ran down the hall screaming, "gitchie goo you, gitchie goo you" which i take it means he knew miae would toss & tickle him!

sitting outdoors was wonderful - the kids snacked and did some crafts and played in the water, and we got to enjoy many cups of coffee and catch up before heading over to the sushi restaurant on our corner.  in a city with nowhere to eat (not true, but it's not exactly brimming with options either) it's a decided plus to have a good sushi restaurant a block away.

and so concludes the unofficial three-day weekend tally.  ;-)