Use Your Words - A Day in Ancient Rome

Today’s post is a writing challenge. This is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once, and all the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the writer will take them. Until now.

My words are:

Gravel ~ Stool ~ Clothesline ~ Stick ~ Squirrel ~ Sunflower

They were submitted by On The Border - thanks, Diane!

As this post is being published, Colin's birthday party countdown is 22 hours. Even though I started preparing early-ish, I feel super stressed out about everything that still needs to be done, so wish me luck!

He has been in 3rd grade for a month now, and while he isn't experiencing any difficulties in school, I can feel a certain shift from afar. Longer hours and unpredictable amounts of homework. No more stickers for acing a test. We've also added an activity (swim class) and changed daycare days, so he's able to have more playdates with his friends. I'm glad he copes really well, even though he is having less free time.

Sometimes we have to get super organised in order to get everything done. Like the day he wanted to go to the movies to watch the Secret Life of Pets. He walked to my office after school, and we went to the Mongolian BBQ place for lunch. There is no exotic meat (crocodile, donkey, bison or zebra) and also no hot coals grill at lunchtime, but hey, as long as there's bacon...!

Then we drove to the cinema, purchased our tickets and settled down at the Bubble Bar for, well, homework. The youngster waltzed right in there and wanted to seat himself on a bar stool...

The movie was fun. A bit flat maybe. A couple of dogs who usually wait by the door for their owners, prance around town with the dog walker, bark at squirrels or chase after sticks at the park find themselves in the middle of an adventure that includes a scary encounter with a couple of rundown straying cats that are coiled up in a clothesline, a bitter rabbit called Snowball, killing a venomous viper and the pursuit of an animal control vehicle in a stolen taxi.

On our way home we picked up groceries to make dinner, and upon arrival at home I transfered the laundry that has been washing during our absencee and started a new load.

The next day I thought to hell with my to-do list, and I indulged in some me-time to enjoy that gorgeous weather. I went to Jucker Farm, the pumpkin patch. You may remember - the one that hosts the pumpkin regatta! Their display follows a different theme every year.

I couldn't believe my eyes - as I approached the exhibit on the gravel path I spotted the Roman Sea God, right there on the waterfront of the local lake!!

It was clear to me that I must have time traveled to ancient Rome!

Legionaries, chariots and forums, oh my!

I just love this place! It's over an hour's drive each way but such a happy place! There is a playground, an apple maze, hammocks, and they sell a lot of agricultural products beyond pumpkin.

Fresh produce, jam, syrup, vinegar, pasta, tomato sauce, cheese, deli meat, roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, you name it!

Oh, and I saved the best for last. Coincidentally I found out that at their self-service restaurant there is a narrow stairway leading down to the wine cellar.

The wooden table you can see below? It qualifies as "additional seating", so instead of getting annoyed by wasps and flies outside, I totally seated myself here and enjoyed my lunch!