Water Babies

Hiding from my mother-in-law's ill-humor, I have taken Riley Dino and Nephew Junior to the Swim Center for an afternoon of aquatic fun. They started with the Splashdown, a giant flume, then they switched to the diving board (Riley clowning and flapping down the board, Nephew rolling himself neatly into a perfect cannonball), and now (after a short break in which Riley fell on the concrete deck and whacked the back of his head) they are swinging on a rope into the deep end of the pool. I am sitting in the waiting area with a notebook and a copy of "O, Pioneers!" ogling the pool managers and watching the boys crack each other up as they wait for another shot at the rope.

Mouse is enjoying a long-awaited playdate with a school friend at the friend's house.

BoyMan is enjoying the absence of his siblings at home where Dino Spouse is reading his latest take of books about Stalin, Lenin, and Hitler. Jone as I might on my husband's mind powers, I must admit that he reads a lot more in English than I read in Russian.

I presume that Babushka is in her lair. She was less overtly hostile toward me this afternoon than she was this morning, but I think it best to stay out of her way to avoid a repeat of last week's meltdown. I hope she is not in howling pain like she was last week - thank God she sees the doctor tomorrow.

The pool staff are flirting with each other. Ah youth. O, pioneers!