New library!

Another fine weekend. Being new to the 'burbs we are still discovering things. This weekend we made a second trip to a local library which was new to us, in neighboring Fairport. The first thing Sam has to do in a library is find the videos and look through them with the delight of a collector first in line at an estate stale. Once that's accomplished, and I've convinced him once again he can only get two, not four or five, he comes out of his haze and we can start finding books and playing with whatever toys they have. At Fairport PL, they have a little puppet theater, where we had a lot of fun. Sam put on the dragon puppet and gleefully ate all puppets who greeted him. That is, until he decided we all needed to have a group hug.

The other night when we went there for the first time, Sam had picked out his video and was walking over to some couches to sit and admire it, when he noticed another, older boy sitting alone. Sam said to me, "I'm going to go over there," and he walked over quietly and placed himself on the couch next to this boy, and shyly looked over at him. The boy, being older and cooler, didn't react to Sam at all. Sam wasn't bothered--he'd made his effort.

The rest of the weekend was typical, including another trip to the Play Museum, where he spent the entire time in the Mr. Potato Head exhibit. I was able to discern that MPH, who I'd previously taken as an inert toy, in fact is an astronaut, archeologist, sea-ologist and snorkeler, and, as mentioned below, polynesian god. Sam had a very good time going through all the activities again.

Sam's old enough now to know that he hates Monday mornings. He was extra fussy this morning, resulting in various stern threats and grudging improvements in his behavior.

Once he was in the car, though, and resigned, he perked right up. He wanted to talk to Max, and chatted for a while about how tall the trees are on the main route out of Penfield. We talked about squirrels and how he likes them and wouldn't it be fun to be one who could live at the top of one of those trees. I asked him what he would have in his house if he were a squirrel up there, and he said, "friends."


I include this photo because it has nothing to do with Sam. Sat night he was with Sara Dill while we went out to a concert. When we were getting ready to go, rather than our having to sneak out so as not to upset him, he practically kicked us out, saying "Bye!"

It was a baroque chamber music concert in an actual chamber, and one which looked so English drawing-roomie that we kept expecting the Colonel to murder us with the pipe. (Thanks to Juli for suggesting this series!) It featured a baroque oboe, which like a normal oboe except for fewer keys, and you need to blow as if you're trying to squeeze a grapefruit through it. There was also the HUGEST LUTE KNOWN TO MAN. It's a 12-string Jurassic version called a "theorbo" (I'm not making this up) which seemed a little like a portable section of a harpsichord. The concert was a visit to the artistic stratosphere--afterward there was a reception with delicious little pastries and candies and wine. The concert was wonderful and a real treat for all, including Sam.