Redundant

It was pretty fortunate that we had already planned on Blackout Night last night. For reasons we never did decipher, our power flicked on and off several times throughout the evening. There's some road construction going on a couple of blocks up - that's my best guess. The only way we knew what was going on was that the silence was taken to a whole new level when the air filters (kids with allergies!) and air conditioners switched off all at the same time.
Oh, you think it's quiet with no lights and no TV and no computers, but just try turning off all the little fans and things that are "on" even when they're not. It was very quiet.
And very nice.
The kids have begged since the inception of Blackout Night for a snack tray dinner. I usually do this when we're setting up the Christmas tree. It's mainly a summer sausage (I know - particle meat, nitrates, yada yada - but it doesn't happen often), some cheeses, fancy crackers, olives and that kind of stuff. So I went ahead and did that last night and tossed a few slices of Neighbor Tomatoes in with the mix. It was very enjoyable and the kids were so excited for dinner that I had no personal space in the kitchen. They were pressed right up against me on all sides, it seemed, waiting for dinner to be ready. That doesn't happen often, because I force my children to eat things like homemade spaghetti sauce and brussels sprouts sauteed with lemon juice and butter. Oh, the humanity.
As fall is approaching, the sun is setting earlier. Couple that with an impending thunderstorm, and you had an earlier-than-usual need for candles. But the gorgeous soundtrack of celestial rumbling and the prolonged glow of the candles was so soothing.
Our friend Jacob loaned us a fun game to play called Pirate's Cove, with our Blackout Night in mind - thanks, Jacob! We should have looked at it a little earlier in the week, because we pulled out the instruction booklet and it was like a novel. There was no way we could figure it out in the time we'd allotted to gaming. So, we ended up playing a couple hands of rummy instead, once it became entirely too dark for me to knit. The kids were awfully disappointed because it looks like such a cool game. We will have to play it soon, though, or I'll be walkin' the plank, Matey.
Once the kids were tucked in bed, Chris and I played a couple more rounds (best two-of-three is usually how we do it) and I took a candle-lit bath with some peppermint essential oil.
Hopefully, I'll handle today just fine, having been so fortified with peace and silence.

DAILY BLISS: taking care of some nagging paperwork this morning - huge weight off my shoulders, and the hope that maybe, just maybe, I might finish the Honeybee Stole in time to wear it for my party on Sunday