Back to school back to work

As September started, we couldn't just go cold turkey with our junior ranger badge collecting. A couple of nearby sites were within reach. First, JFK's boyhood home in Brookline.

 

and then Washington's headquarters / Longfellow's house in Cambridge. I must have passed this marker on the Cambridge common dozens of times without reading it

 

and the plaque showing Washington taking command

 

During our recent road trips I started thinking about how much valuable park-hopping time is eaten up by finding and consuming food. There has to be a better way. Enter Soylent, the brainchild of life hacker techies who are too busy to eat. Amazon even sells version 1.0 and it's the ultimate protein shake, formulated for complete nutrition, as you can see.

 

Here's what the one-day supply looked like. It tasted kind of oatmealy, with an awful thick texture, and a weird grainy smell. You're supposed to sip it down gradually over the course of the day. Halfway through, however, my body must have figured out that it was under experimentation and rebelled, because I became more and more nauseous and could not finish it. But this may not be the end. Soylent version 2.0 is supposedly much more palatable and may yet be our solution to the fast food drive-thru. 

 

First day of school for our 3rd grader and 1st grader

 

and first day of work in the Shire for Dad

 

 It was Erin's turn to accompany Mom on the trip to Atlanta to see Grandma Lu

 

 Their big outing was to the Georgia Aquarium

 

While Dad was on his own with Tessie, one night she made her way upstairs and put herself down alone

 

 At daycare Tessie's bestie is Lukie, and they will run around for hours on the playground

 

 As a treat the older girls went to the Ringling Brothers circus

 

 September was warm and beautiful for picnics

 

 and our annual trip to Portsmouth for the fairy house festival

 

 This year's blue ribbon winner was not very impressive, in our opinion

 

 but we were proud of our construction

 

 Apple picking

 

 Erin loves her honeycrisps

 

 After a few weeks at home Dad was back in Tessie's good graces 

 

 One weekend the older girls were given free rein to create their own "this n that"

 

Beanie boo village

 

Props to Erin for designing her own quest and spirograph prizes

 

And props to Mom for finishing the Bowman 5K adventure run

 

 

Tessie's tatoes

 

Polly want a cracker

 

Beach running

 

Croaky Tessie

 

Dancing Erin

 

Sweet Caroline (thankfully they didn't act out "warm touching warm")