A long week

We are in the aftermath  of the election.  Which, as history will have shown you, did not go as we had hoped.  Shockingly not so, as it turns out. (for more on my feelings in the aftermath, see the ThirtyDays blog...)  Our illusions of America shattered, we have been licking our wounds, gathering in our corners, and planning the fight back.  Also, spending ridiculous amounts of time on Facebook and not nearly enough time sleeping.  It's been a long week.  12 days out from the election and I am trying to find an equilibrium, a way of going on with life-as-usual, without letting the new "normal" become the usual.  Trying to enjoy life without losing focus on change, trying to be fine without pretending that everything is fine.  I will be making phone calls, attending meetings, maybe even marching for change.  I will find a way to use my time and energy to fight back against this administration and everything it stands for.

But in the meantime.

In the meantime we have laundry and work and friends, ballet and soccer and going to the gym, grocery shopping and packing lunches and getting kids ready for school.

Life goes on, dear ones.  Just a note: If my blog updates are fewer and farther between, know that in the quiet hours I am searching for that balance, finding some extra time to give in the effort towards a life that goes on, for all people, in the direction of freedom, justice and equality.  (Lofty goals as ever, just more focused and urgent now.  Silver linings:  I can no longer sit back and assume someone else is fighting that fight.  I have to do it for myself.  Never to old to do some growing...)

A few moments from this past week:

An evening at the Art Museum with our friends.

A day out at Playhouse Square with my mom.  We saw "Finding Neverland" which was just about the perfect escape.  Believing in magic and dreams and love....  yep.
 (Plus, some pretty amazing staging and acting and singing, and even a dog on stage.  Loved it.)

 Playdates with friends all weekend long...

 And some stunning weather that begged an adventurous trip to our local treasure, Forest Hills.

Cory with her bows in from her grooming earlier that day.  Why don't we get her groomed more often??

 What's a nice walk without some breaking and entering?  We snuck through  a fence to look at the "Bowling green" area of the park..

 ... Conveniently locate next to this fascinating abandoned apartment building.  Never a dull moment around here!

 Second Sunday Soup, hosted by the Jacob's...

... and a 3 day trip to Columbus for me, attending the OCALI conference.  A work-cation for sure, especially with the 70 degree sunshine that necessitated several trips to Goodale Park and some serious walking around on High Street in the Short North.

This weekend:  Snow, of course.
Because it's Cleveland.

Kids are thrilled.  I am cold.  And busy with not one but two political meetings this weekend.  Not "action" so much, yet.  Just a lot of coming together to talk about how scared and powerless we feel. Hopefully our coming together will eventually change that feeling.  For now-- Thanksgiving preparations are underway (potluck tonight, apple pie in the oven; about to brine a turkey to roast up for school on Tuesday, looking for a good green bean recipe for Strasburg on Thursday....) and we're starting some Christmas lists.  Holidays are a good distraction.

Peace and Solidarity to you, dear readers.  May life go on.

Holding our breath

Election Eve 2016:  Snuggling with my daughter, watching My Little Pony, stress-eating and obsessively reading Pantsuit Nation. It's going to be a long 24 hours as we wait to see if America comes to its senses.

So much is at stake tomorrow.  On the one hand, we have the potential to make history, with the election of our  nation's first female president (about damn time), by choosing a candidate who is not just female but also brilliant, experienced, and on my side of the great political divide. A candidate who has spent her career working tirelessly for the good of others. A candidate who will lead our country with level-headed logic, and choose Supreme Court justices who lean towards equality and choice. On the other hand, we have the potential to make history by choosing to put our fate in the hands of a narcissistic, racist demagogue with a complete lack of impulse control.  A man who only thinks of serving himself and who knocks down our most vulnerable when they get in his way.

Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, I am  grappling with  the fact that almost 50% of the American populace is going to vote for choice B.  It is terrifying.  Even if/when Hillary Clinton is inaugurated, that won't change.  We will still be a country divided, full of people who are too fearful and angry to think straight.

I have no answers for any of this.  But I am heartened as I read the posts by other feminists on Pantsuit Nation, and encouraged as I've talked to fellow voters in my (safe, liberal stronghold of a) community during canvassing. Come Wednesday, we'll have an outcome.  And regardless of it, there will be dishes to do and kids to feed and a lot of people out there in the world to love.  I am trying to take my fear and anxiety and turn it into positive energy.  The work isn't over tomorrow.  We are just getting started.

In the meantime:

We had a super nice weekend! Glorious weather, an extra hour on Sunday (silver linings of that pesky daylight savings time!) and even a date night to kick it all off .

In the face of uncertainty-- life is good.  We are holding our breath-- and breathing in this beautiful fall and the richness and joy in our lives.

Date night, courtesy of Gram's babysitting service...
Dinner at L'Albatros. French cuisine, great service, just the two of us...

Then, off to MIX at the art Art Museum.

 Keith and his new beau met us there, and we had a blast listening to a brass band, making metal crafts, and drinking lots of beer around Art.

 And, then, because it was 60 degrees out, we went for ice cream.  Because, you know, its November...!

Saturday:  Spent our morning off going canvassing for our candidate.  My first time ever doing this, and way out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways--but I survived!  In fact, it was surprisingly easy.  So I signed us up for two more shifts.  #betterthanfretting  I hear tell our ground game is how we'll win this.

We had a nice lunch with my friend Fiona from choir, followed by a fun swim in the lovely Winton Place pool.  Fiona is a treasure.  Ivy couldn't get enough of her, just gazing at her with a look of wonder and surprise as they joked together.  We had a great time.

From one party to the next:  Lillian and Naomi are seven!  (What?? How did that happen so fast?)  The girls had a  "Zootopia" party, complemented by the perfect fall weather and a grand leaf pile.

Eating donuts on a string....

Jack was the only "big boy" there but it didn't seem to bother him much-- he was in his element chasing all those girls with leaves all day...

Barb kept the party games going, with the assembled kids hanging on her every word.  She's a magician.

 Sunday:  Ivy's first canvassing!  We teamed up with a nice young lady named Brianna and had a successful shift, talking to 13 voters out of our 35 doors.  Ivy loved it, mastering the "ring, knock-knock-knock" on each door, and carefully leaving a leaflet and sticker on the unanswered ones.  She's a trouper, walking the whole way, focused on her task from start to finish.

We had to soak up yet another perfect fall day-- a quick trip to Horseshoe Lake Park (Ivy's idea, and she was very clear that I should ALWAYS listen to her ideas, when I told her it had been a good one--- "See mom???  I TOLD you we should come to this park." )

 Jack has been reading everywhere we go.

 Sometimes they are cute.

 Jack found a new friend and they played soccer together for almost an hour.

 With the sun now setting at 5:30, we could fit in a sunset lake trip too, all before dinner!

Tag and sign climbing in the fading light.  Loving our city and our fun-loving family.

Took home two completely starving children who happily ate every bite of their suppers.  We need to take them to run at two different parks EVERY day before dinner.  Really.

Happy Halloween!

Hogwart's Halloween 2016:  Mad Eye Moody, Harry in his Quidditch robes, Professor Mcgonegal, and Fawkes the phoenix.  A month of nonstop creation by Nat (our Halloween tailor extraordinaire) led to a full-family costume theme which was well-received at every one of our many Halloween events.  Gotta get your wear out of a handmade costume, after all!

First round:  Cedar-Lee business district trick or treat...

... and our first trip to Boo at the Zoo.  I was in NYC for these events but did receive the following reports:  Cedar -Lee trick or treating was cold, but had plenty of candy.  Boo at the Zoo was too much walking, not much to see, and hardly any candy at all.  So, back to the gardens for us next year.

The kids did, apparently, have fun on this giant pretend anthill.

Pumpkin carving:

 Both kids did all their own design work and carving this year!

 Toasted Marshmallow did not help at all.

 Boo-levard movie night:  a gazillion elementary schoolers, in costume, in the dark, with pop and popcorn and candy, wandering amongst blankets and pillows.

 Terrific fun, and a terrific mess.  At least we had this little Phoenix to help with the cleanup...

Saturdy-- a non-halloween related trip to the park.  

 Tag, then baseball with friends.  They'd brought their bats and mitts, inspired by the world series after all!  We are just not a baseball family, it turns out-- our kids know nothing of the sport.  But they were game to try and Jack wasn't half bad.  When encouraged to maybe try baseball sometime, he reported that he probably won't, since he doesn't like catching or running.  Says the boy who lives for soccer, in which he runs the ENTIRE time. Silly goose.

Halloween Party with our friends...

Lots of Hogwarts going on with this crowd!

The dueling Harry's

McGonegal, Neville's grandmother, and Luna Lovegood

The four witches!

 The assembled company of (not so) little ones.  I love watching these kids grow up together.  They are magical.  They get along so well and they are just so.stinking. adorable.  And far too big.  I am so torn between loving this phase-- wherein I sit and enjoy drinks with my friends as our children run independently in the yard-- and desperately missing our tiny ones, their unbearable sweetness and the intensity of their needs and their love. It is exciting to watch our babies getting so tall and strong and smart and brave but it is terrifying, how fast this life flies by.

Time, frozen for a group photo;

Sunday:  Halloween at Severance.

Ivy entered the costume contest, brave girl.  She did not win anything, but had fun watching the other fun costumes go by.

 Jack was not enthused about this outing and read his book through most of the experience...

 ... though he could not help but get caught up in the Superman themed music played by an outrageously costumed orchestra.

Throwing confetti around outside after the show-- totally the best part for this ornery boy.

And, finally-- the real thing!!
The Jacob's family joined us for supper and a nice jaunt around our neighborhood.

 It was a perfect night for trick-or-treating-- just the tiniest chill in the air, dry and crisp.  Things were a bit quieter on Somerton than they've been in past years, which was fine with us as it was easier to keep track of little ones.  The little ones that stayed with us, that is.  These boys?  They took off on their own.

 Max and Jack were free agents for an hour, traversing the streets over to Hampshire and back.  How did they get so big?

 This girl was on a mission, charging ahead to find the next lit house.  We ran into several friends but Ivy could not be bothered to walk with them, as she was far too busy focusing on her next destination.

The kids were rewarded with a nice haul of candy, which was traded and sorted and eaten and even shared with baby sisters...

And now, suddenly , it is November!  This month-long Halloween spectacle is over, and life is back to normal but for the decorations (which may stay up through Thanksgiving), the pile of cast off costumes, and the trail of candy wrappers through the house.  What a funny, wonderful way to spend a month!