When you’ve put a lot of time and energy into planning and dreaming of something, it can feel deflating when it’s over. My vacation last week was like that. It was such a positive experience, so readjusting to real life took a few days. I felt annoyed by the reappearance of actual chores and let down by the seeming lack of an array of fun activities to choose at a moment’s whim.
What helped me adjust was (well…mostly time. But also…) arranging flowers.
Taking the beautiful product of my time and energy throughout the summer and bringing it inside to brighten the interior landscape helped me feel grateful and happy for how wonderful a normal, “boring” day is for me.
It was also really fun to pick up gumballs to fill the gift Grandma Jan passed down to me.
I’ve loved it since the day they got it, so it was exciting to set it up. Now we just have to wait for the day that visitors are allowed to come to our home again, so we can share the gumball love.
After a few days of the boys reveling in being inside our house, they were ready for an excursion. Wednesday, we parked on Nicollet Island in the middle of the Mississippi River, and went for an explore. Early on, we found a stage, so Henry did a little dance for me.
On the island, we admired the pattern of the water flow, how it was so still next to us, but just a short ways away it was gushing down a spillway with immense power.
Downtown Minneapolis
We went from one Hideaway to another!
Charlie’s always got to read posted information. I believe this one was about the energy generated from this hydroelectric plant, and how it used to power the streetcars. I could be misremembering, though, so don’t quote me on that.
A unicyclist!
Not sure what this used to be, but the boys are always excited by it when we’re in this park.
Approaching the Stone Arch Bridge
It gives a good view of the falls
We were finally allowed to see a lock! We’d been thwarted back in March. Here the boys are watching carp eat the algae that accumulates. I chose to watch the clouds, since I don’t love watching fish do much of anything.
The boys were sworn in as Junior Mississippi River Rangers, vowing to protect, learn about and share their knowledge of the Mississippi River.
She was also an entomologist, so she shared her knowledge and specimens with us. The boys had lots of questions, so she was tickled pink to “talk bugs,” as she put it.
Hennepin Avenue Bridge
I didn’t get a good shot of the Stone Arch Bridge, but you can just barely see it through the arches of that bigger bridge behind the boys.
A train driving over the river
Climbing up to the Hennepin Avenue Bridge
We were hot and sweaty when we got back home, but also very happy. We headed down to our cool basement to watch Cinderella and lower our body temperatures.
The boys will be starting out the school year distance-learning, but my district doesn’t have its plan quite yet. So I headed in to my classroom yesterday to do some looking and thinking and configuring in case I’ll be doing anything in-person.
It’s a big job to set up a classroom! Here’s my little display box I’ll be in charge of. Until there’s student art to put in it, I want to come up with something.
What to do…what to do…
