Girl Day Out

Claire and I went to Clinton today. James came back from holiday and I got a 9am hair appointment. Combine that with getting paid by Bruce for milking his cows... Girl day. Should have been put into bank to pay bills, but Claire needed one on one attention and I thought it would be a great way to celebrate not wetting bed last night.

Hair cut went as usual, only with Claire questioning art work, pictures and James daughter, why a customer went into room and laughing hysterically about mommy getting hair cut. Poor James didn't know what to think of someone's enthusiasm over cutting and styling hair. I like the more liberal conversations at the hair shop. A wonderful diversion from the fundamentialism here in Madison.

Next to bank. Deposit my milk check (ok milking someone else's cows check) and Claire begging for lollipop. Back to truck where Claire questions me about children attending or not attending daiy care in the various church looking buildings in the commons.

Short drive (because my coat smelled of cow and barn dog) to other end of common. Go to breakfast at my anti-McDonalds... Bistro 7 or something. I ate Eggs Benedict and Claire two eggies (with wheat toast and potatoes). The later was an offence to Claire because she didn't ask for them, but I was able to concinve her that she only had to eat what she ordered and that it was nice for the lady (with sparkles in her shirt) to give her something she didn't ask for.

Another girl, of maybe 2 comes in. She is with her grandmother. After paying, Claire goes up to say hello. It is lovely how little kids have no inhibitions about approaching a total stranger (of same size) to say hello. Claire must have sensed the candy that grandma snuck to the little girl, because she askingly suggested that the little girl, who still barely noticed Claire, would liek to give her a piece of candy. As I pull Claire away, other patrons smile and chuckle, Claire gets gummy worm and we are out door.

Ah the shop between Bistro and truck has colourful toys in the window and is open. Ok, why not. You have to visit the Duane twins and need presents. Thank God the toys are up scale and cheap. Barbara will cringe and the kids will enjoy them. We had no money for X-Mas, but I was still able to get presentable toys for each child for their birthday. That and the lady at the shop was a joy to talk to. I am meeting intelligent people again with conversations that go above the general native talk of snow mobiles, bad mouthing neighbors and some NASCAR/country music...

I also ran into the market manager. Nice guy with a genuine passion for small business sucess in the town. He took my name down and I said something about considering attending the market. We talked about wholesale vendors at many markets that pretend they grow their crops and the unfairness of it and of Green Rabbit Farm and Suzanne's ability to make a damn good mesculine mix and her new bread making venture. We both agreed that her raisin bread is awsome. I used it for French Toast.

Back home. Dave is learning how to use internet (blood pressur emedicine getting workout on his part). I just finished Bait and Switch by my favorite author Barbara Ehrenreich. I also downloaded last draft of Tim's b.plan to highlight the last bit of info I needed. After I'm done with that, tea and biscuits, turn cheeses in cooler and to Bruce's to milk them long tailed beasts...