The Salad Days

This first week back to work was a good one. But as always, coming to the end of it has great rewards. Yesterday, we had a fun day together, as we took the kids to Wild Rumpus, a bookstore that I discovered with my sister. It is in an idyllic part of Minnepolis that I am sure we will be visiting a lot, as it has draws for both us and our kids.

Here are some photos from our excursion:

Jack spying on the chicken-the book store practically is a live zoo.


Corrie holding up her books.


The "kids' door".


On a different note, I have been hearing the TV show "ER" literally in my sleep. The other day, I scored a 10.99 copy of the series' first season at a used DVD store. Since Steph is up late nursing, I have been on the look out for videos to help her pass the time. The show first came on while I was in college, and my sister was a huge fan. As I don't involve myself with TV programs for the most part, I never watched it (or any other show for that matter.) Anyhow, I am impresed by the show. It is quite good: fine acting, good writing, and everything that it had been cracked up to be. I have heard that the show now is only a shadow of its former self, and isn't that always the way? Anyhow, it's fun to have it be so fresh, and to see Chicago portrayed as it is. I wouldn't appreciate so many little details of the show without having lived there. It certainly is dated (mid 90's), but the power of the best art is its ability to both be of its time and yet timeless. The other thing that's odd about the show is how much it reminds me of my job. True, the stakes are infinitely higher in an ER than at Trader Joe's (though I have had a couple situations of serious injuries in stores where I have to think differently), but the pace is familiar to me. Steph is watching a lot more than I, but I have managed to watch a few episodes.

All in all. I am very happy as I settle into life with three kids. Time for a bike ride.