my two little monsters

my two little monsters, originally uploaded by Jen!!.

It was such a rainy dreary day earlier this month. I was inspired to clean the garage. The kids, being wiser and funner than I, grabbed their monster umbrellas and headed out into the downpour.

I should have joined them. Stupid responsibility. I shirk so much of it already. I should have shirked more of it that day. The kids were soaked. They were laughing, smiling and having a grand old time. They were singing songs and sitting (yes, sitting!) in puddles. I really should have been there with them.

grapes: ready for harvesting!

grapes: ready for harvesting!, originally uploaded by Jen!!.

Fun stuff! Today I went to help my colleague, Larry, harvest the grapes in his backyard. He has people over once a year to help and I'm so glad that I scored an invitation. (That's another, only slightly boring, story.) The weather was beautiful--sunny and in the 80s. The wind was blowing just the perfect amount. Larry's wife, Annette, made delicious food (a feast, really) for all of us. And, of course, I was able to sample some wine from past years. Ellen was part of the crew and it's always fun seeing her, as were some other people I recognize, but don't really know, from around the workplace.