New Places

Our neighborhood store reopened!!!!

After weeks of remodeling during which the kids almost daily asked about the store, its owners, when it would open, would they have Skittles, the store put out its open sign yesterday. And so today after school, we went. Sis and Bud practically danced and sang in their car seats when I told them it was finally open.

Ooooh, it's fancy. So much cleaner and nicer and roomier than the old one. The food counter had more and better choices. There were more people making it all faster. And some of them were the same, which was good.

The kids couldn't be happier. They got their half meat sandwiches on a roll, plus Skittles and an M&M cookie (because there were no Hershey bars). With water, there being no juice boxes. I got a delightful panini and a Snapple. All of which we devoured outside. A nice little picnic. A great addition--re-addition??--to the neighborhood. I know we'll be back.

Another new place, or actually, new to me, place, that I've been recently is a nearby farmer's market. There weren't too many booths (I always think of the Greenmarkets in the city) but what they did have was delightful, fresh, local, and reasonable. Unprepared for a big spree, I bought a few eggplants, which we had in a pasta bake last night. Delicious! I'll be back, though, for more fruits and veggies, plus other little treats, probably with the kids in tow. I think they'll like it.