Weekending in Santa's Season

Weekending.

It began with the middle girl and her middle ear infection,
tearfully sweetened with
a warm onion cheesecloth-compress
a new pony chapter book; a big sister read aloud
a real dinner.
Yup.  We rose out of a dinner rut,
broke free from random quesadillas, supper pancakes
baked a chicken, chopped goodies for stuffing, oven roasted broccoli, winter garden salad
french dill loaf, gluten-free dill loaf
: and that was it, and that was about five hours in an apron,
dancing with little ladies into a wooden spoon of laughter.
So long since I'd made a proper meal
lost track of time, ate at eight o'clock.
In flannel pajamas with a full tummy
the middle lady said, I think I'll be just fine.
Friends came to drink coffee
way past the time drinking coffee is acceptable in most places,
with friends like these,
we'll
:turn on the porch light, grind the coffee beans
no matter the time
for good, hearty-laughing conversations.
Saturday morning's sunup
frozen fog
I left Daddy with the ladies, the pancakes, the spatula
and got a mocha, a few yard sales in
returned before ten, all smiles and patience,
arms full of treasures [oh my, even a vintage Lite Brite].
Hours filled with naps, Barbies
photo editing
slices and slices of day old bread jumping in the toaster.
Sunset found us at island's north
Santa's block party,

candy canes, hot chocolate
lighted boat parades

and that one picture I tried so hard to get:

Again, porch light turned on
for those same wonderful friends
drank black coffee past eleven o'clock
: so many good laughs.
Early morning ferry
my family held fort in minivan's impromptu early morning theater,
as I
read top deck at sunrise

Washington's educational budget and other School Board business.
I'm learning how to sift through pie charts, graphs, educational policy
while holding a highlighter
it's been a while
it's always easy with a view like this

Did I tell you I got elected to School Board?
I certainly did.  Pretty exciting stuff.
and now,
more paperwork,
amongst friends
sitting here by a familiar tree
on a familiar, neighboring island
at the home of friends-like-family.
Wishing you a happy week, and don't forget to keep it real.
:::
linking with Amanda.