girls weekend

Andy headed north for a few days last weekend to harvest wild rice with some friends.  The girls and I opted for a quiet weekend at home, just the 4 of us (Lily included, of course).  We've had "girls" weekends before, but always, I think, it's been us leaving to go away and Andy staying home.  It felt strange to be in a home where there is an ever present-papa, without that guy around.  There were some tears each night at supper when his chair was once again empty, and again at bedtime (though I love him dearly, those tears were not mine, just in case you were wondering).  They even pulled out some (hopefully clean) papa t-shirts to sleep with each night.  Aw, so good to be loved and missed.

But aside from a bit of missing him here and there, we really had a grand old time.  We read, and played cards, and baked muffins and bread (yes, I can work the kitchen too).  We took a trip to a this fun used bookstore, and traded in piles of old books for piles of new ones.  We read some more.  We had long chats, and they played while I made fresh salsa and vacuumed the corners that have been bugging me.  Oh yes, and I did the chores, morning and night, just like papa.  Then I stood around in amazement and watched those big pigs, grunting and flopping and loving the wallow I created for them when the temps got hot.   I couldn't stop watching them, they made it look so fun!  I practically jumped in and joined them but them some kid hollered from the house that the phone was ringing and they needed something from a really high shelf and I realized I had things to do....

And then before we knew it, papa was home with a car loaded with 160 pounds of wild rice.  Apparently the rice harvest, in northern Wisconsin is really great this year.  Our friends were doing so well collecting that they didn't have room in their camp to dry it all, so they sent this batch home with Andy.  

We're new to the rice harvest, but Andy was sent home with careful instructions about drying the rice (3-4 days in the sun, keeping dirt and sand out!) Once it's dry our friends will take it back north to a processor, and in the end we'll get a nice share in exchange for our help. 

The weekend ended for us this evening with a rowdy rock and roll concert (on violin-guitars) and some fancy dancing to American Pie.  Welcome home papa, we missed you!