I geared up for being a mail delivery woman. Laura and I got the bike and trailer out. There were lots of complaints about a trailer being for babies. I tried to argue you couldn’t snuggle under a blanket and carry 3 stuffed unicorns when your on the trail-a-bike. We were also dangerously on the edge of nap time and I had an extensive trip planned.
I started to hear more giggles than complaints. Laura rode most of the way with a blanket in her head. I realized going up a familiar hill that the trailer is heavier than Black and pulls differently. It is much more complicated to get in and out of with all the straps. Complaints of hair pulled abounded.
First stop was school to drop off stocking stuffers. Sara was doing a read-a-thon all day. The night before, she had diligently and excitedly packed her books and snack and pillow. She tried on various pajamas for fit and feasibility. She had packed bag of treats for classmates.
Talk about panic…Sara brought home a notice for 28 stocking stuffer gifts the day before her party. Not lots of advanced notice. Luckily, Sara has a candy stash that wasn’t daunted by 28 pieces going away. That lead to a spirited candy exchange between Laura and Sara with the less desirable candy being donated to the parents.
Next stop was lunch. Another example of little notice. 2 days before, the Ballard blog published that Lunchbox Laboratory is leaving Ballard for South Lake Union…on 12-19!!! So, I made a final trek to the best burger joint in Ballard. The place is small to begin with. It also not very comfortable to stay. It’s on a busy street. The surrounding property is grungy and that’s being kind. The furniture seems intentionally broken and poor. But the food is spot on. And that’s all that really matters. The decor is whimsical, nostalgic, and clever. 30 or more lunchboxes nailed to the wall at kid height while you wait in line. The chalk board menus, filled with overwhelming choices. You’re always surprised when they as you to pick a salt and there are 8 choices in a small corner you didn’t notice. I noticed a Monty python gag can of “dead, expired parrots” as I
stood in the deep line of fans saying goodbye.
I got truffle love burger with bacon and Swiss and onions. Maybe there’s some truffle oil in the mix. I just know it’s good. Shoestring delicate fries. Chocolate covered cherry shake. I fell in love with the place when they served me the shake in a laboratory beaker. No longer. Maybe beakers crack too much, but it made me live the place for trying. Besides, the shake is awesome.
Laura proceeded to eat the cherry on top and drink most of it. She asked, “Next time can I get my own.”
My reply, “If that’s how shake ownership is defined do I get the cherry next time? And do I get to drunk most of it?”
“Nooooo. Silly mommy.”
Satiated we headed to Laura’s school to deliver cards to her friends and teachers. We also took a pit stop.
Finally, the post office at lunchtime and during crazy Xmas time. As I was locking up my bike, a elderly woman bee lined toward me from 15 feet away, announcing a loud voice, “Don’t you know those are bad for kids!!”. It took me a couple of seconds to realize she was talking about my bike. I chose not to engage and dismissed myself from the lecture. (p.s. Interesting article I just read. I bike for exercise and my kids. http://www.urbanmamas.com/urbanmamas/2010/12/ethical-child-transport-from-the-new-york-times-me.html)
I knew the line would be long. I got in and wasn’t flabberghasted. I settled into waiting. A manager stopped and asked what I had. He pulled me out of line to the stamp machine. His fingers flew speedily across the keys and screens. It took 4-5 minutes to get everything done.
Half-way thru, Laura started to wail about bathroom needs. “We just went” didn’t cut it for her as a response. There were now 10 people behind me at the machine and the other line had gotten longer. I was not leaving. The manager called an employee and Laura disappeared into the bowels of the mail room. We finished in another minute and I asked to go find my kid. The manager seemed reluctant, but relented. While my girl is independent, she still needed some help.
Home was up hill and slow. Penance for my lunch. We quickie switched to car mode and got Sara from early dismissal. After that, we all went home and napped.