Saturday to the Full

Saturdays usually are pretty busy, and today was no exception:

Jake Walk

This morning, after Jennie came home from work, I slept a little while longer. Then I woke up and took Jake for a walk.

When I take Jake for walks on Saturdays, we have made it a tradition to walk from our apartment to the Galbraith Food Mart and back. It winds up being a good walk, and Jake usually does his business about three times. I usually stop at the food mart and get a drink.

Today, however, I stopped at the drive-thru next door to the food mart. The main reason for this is because, when I go inside the food mart, I have to tie Jake up to the telephone pole outside, since I can't take him inside. I was able to walk Jake inside the drive-thru, and I got my drink from there.

Fun in the Sun at the Pool

When Jake and I returned home, Keisha was awake. I asked her, since Jennie was still sleeping, if she wanted to go swimming. I haven't been to the pool that much since it opened on Memorial Day - maybe three times. Keisha enthusiastically said yes, and we got ready to leave.

Since it was going to be a bright, sunny day, I made sure we loaded up on the sunscreen. She put some on my back, and I put some on hers. We made sure to get our feet, face, and ears.

When we arrived at the pool, we found a mom and her two kids already there. Other than that, we had the pool to ourselves. The water was refreshing - not too cold and not too warm.

Keisha had brought a frisbee, and we played with that for a bit. Since it floated, I went underwater a few times and came up with it on my head. I'd pretend that I didn't know what was going on, to have fun with the kids.

I also had brought a quarter, and we played hide and seek with it for a while. Neither Keisha nor Josie would go underwater, and Josie's brother Tate was wearing an inflatable vest that kept him afloat. Josie was able to slide the quarter along the bottom of the pool, over to the steps, with her feet. Then she was able to get the quarter up the bottom step with her feet. I was impressed.

Then there was a time when it appeared that I was on a one-man mission to empty the pool of all its water. I'd jump into the deep end and make a big splash, mostly with "Preacher Seats", but one time with a "Cannonball".

Home for Some Food - Physical and Spiritual

After awhile, Keisha and I returned home, changed our clothes, and ate some brunch. She had the cinnamon raisin bagel with strawberry cream cheese, and we each had a chicken pot pie. We also split the last pudding cup.

While we ate, we went through a "Sticky Situation" in this book we've been reading. It was a situation involving a boy on a camping trip, who found out he needed to do the dinner dishes. It was a pretty hefty job, and his counselor had asked the cleanup crew who wanted to be the "chief washer". We were presented with three choices. Keisha intuitively picked the right one, but we read in the Bible in John 13:3-5, in which Jesus washes the disciples' feet.

We talked about the kinds of dirty jobs around our home, in our community, and at church. We discussed the consequences of those jobs not getting done. Then, Keisha cleared the dishes - the "dirty job" she decided she wanted to do.

Turtle Talk and Nature Walk

At 2 PM Keisha and I went to Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve, which is just up the street from us. They were giving a "Turtle Talk", and there would be an interpreter there for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

The turtle talk was very interesting indeed. Afterward, Keisha and I went to the gift shop and bought our Hamilton County Park pass - it only costs $5, and it lets you get into any Hamilton County Park.

After we left the gift shop, we walked for a little bit on the trail. We stopped by the drinking fountain, and I noticed that they had a separate drinking fountain attached to it, with a spigot that led to a bowl that was obviously for pets to get a drink, too.

As we walked down the path, a woman spotted us, and she called out, "Are you Jennie's husband? I recognize her in Keisha."

It turns out that this woman went to high school with Jennie, and we'd met her and her husband about 5 years ago at a conference in Columbus for parents with deaf and hard of hearing children. She gave me her phone number, and I told her that I'd have Jennie call her when we got back home.

Reading, Watching, Snacking, Resting

When we got home, Keisha put on an Arthur video we'd checked out from the library, "Parents are from Pluto". I pulled the comforter off our bed and grabbed a pillow. Then I laid it on the floor. Before we watched the video, however, Keisha brought out the "Charlotte's Web" book we've been reading. We read a couple of chapters and then watched the video. Keisha popped some popcorn in the microwave, so we shared that, too. Along with the frozen fruit pops and cups of water she'd brought out.

Family Time at LaRosa's

After a little while, Jennie came out, after talking with her old school friend. We decided to use a LaRosa's coupon Keisha's 1st grade teacher had given her for completing the 1st grade. Jennie also brought the seasonal coupon magazine.

We decided to go to the LaRosa's on Boudinot Street. When we arrived there, I saw a plaque that mentioned that this particular store was the orginal LaRosa's that Buddy LaRosa had opened in 1954. Very impressive, as was a lot of the memorabilia throughout the store.

For example, in the men's restroom are framed copies of old menus from different time periods in the store's history. Also, along one of the walls are some cartoon salutes to local sports legends - high school, college, and otherwise.

The Johnson Family Explorers

After we ate dinner, we decided to do some exploring. I proceeded down Boudinot to Glenway. Glenway to Race. Race to Gaines. Gaines to Sheed. And so forth. We wound up driving throughout that section of Western Hills, Colerain Township, and Springfield Township. As I drove, Jennie navigated with our map, calling out street names as I would pass them.

We stopped at the Dairy Mart at Hamilton and Houston to use the restroom. Then Jennie and I got coffees while Keisha got a frozen drink. Then we proceeded home.

It was a very eventful day.