It was a miracle we found it, a childcare space for Joey. When I was pregnant I remembered it, from work visits. A sweet little family childcare several blocks away. A house, with a trampoline out front--surrounded by pine trees. At the time I'd no idea they'd always end up reminding me of sunny summers in Spokane.  Early on at pick up I'd sit on the sidewalk and breastfeed that little squishy 1 year old, at the end of the day of his twice a week visits. Alison carried him in a carrier for his naps, since he was so used to that. Gradually transitioning him to a little cot. Gradually letting him gracefully grow out of his naps with just some quiet activities in the "big room" while the others slept. Snacks and meals included. Vegetarian at that! Joey raves about the cheesy bread and the pasta, "And we eat the fruits first at snack time!" he tells me.  I thank Alison for Joey's love of lentils. For his better-than-my-others' manners.  Every drop of...

You know when you get time to yourself -- that you've been craving -- and then, then it just completely flops? As you watch the sands of it all just slip thru, those finicky sands of time. Summer parenting is a difficult thing. Everybody is home, all the time. If you work from home sometimes, well EVERYONE is home. All the time. All.  The. Time.  Teenagers. They stay up late. All the time. If you work a part day, well by the time you're done, they're just rising. Making their bleary eyed appearances. Needing things. (How dare they?!) Getting in your business, your space. (Where did these people come from?!) If the childcare place takes a vacation, then you've got that piece to top it off. (Well why'd you have so many kids, then? Why'd you have kids?!) *Why'd I have kids??* Sometimes I go out on my bike these days, just to really let loose haha. Listen to my music, feel the wind in my face, centre myself again. Hoping when I get home I can hold on to it. Some...