The outsized, supersized, and oversized...

supermarket shopping experience.

It all starts in the parking lot.
Rows upon rows of parking spots. W-i-d-e parking spaces. Both of which I can fully appreciate.
Especially the wide parking spaces...I am still getting the hang of turning into a space at a ninety degree angle. And ending up centered. Which isn't always the case.
There's still some reversing back and forth that goes on until the job gets done.
M has started to ask, "Are we good?" before unbuckling himself from the car seat harness.
When I get it right in two tries, he commends my efforts with a congratulatory "You did so good Mom!"

Then there are the shopping carts. A variety of shopping carts.
The standard cart. Or there are the kid friendly carts with the cars attached to the front. Or the carts with the two seaters. Fun for M to hang out in but impossible for an adult to push.
We've had some close calls with a Pepperidge Farm cookies display and a fellow shopper while trying to make a turn. No. Can. Do.
Just think. I never used a cart when food shopping in the city.
Why bother when the carts barely fit in the narrow aisles. Nevermind about moving forward if there is another shopper with a cart coming in the opposite direction.
Old habits die hard.
My first month as a suburbanite, I would walk into the store and just start shopping. Either with a hand basket or just throwing stuff into the stroller basket.
This occurred early on when I wasn't driving yet and walking to and from the supermarket.
The stroller handles would be loaded down with bags. Of course the basket beneath the stroller would be stuffed to the max too.
An uncommon sight in this town.

I digress. Let's rewind to actually being in the SUPERmarket.
Feeling like Alice in Wonderland amidst the wide aisles and towering shelves.
Fully stocked. Neatly stocked.
Gleaming colors. Dazzling array of goods.
Very well merchandised.

I have since learned to go food shopping with a list. And checking it twice.
A vain attempt to avoid overspending...and to save myself a hike back and forth from one end of the store to the other.
Forget the onions whilst perusing the dairy section?
This oversight means a long haul from aisle #11 back to aisle #1. Passing displays that I missed the first time that can easily trigger an(other) impulse buy.
After a couple of trips like this in one outing, I eventually make it to the checkout line. Or the self-checkout line. Again with the choices.

The best part...
carting the goods back to the car. This newbie tends to park a yonder from the more congested parts of the lot.
Because I can.

The town pool...

has more or less become our daily sanctuary from this blistering heat and humidity.

We usually go for a refreshing dip in the afternoon to reset our thermostats.
M sheds his cranky pants for swim shorts and all is well again.

To get to the pool is a 10-15 minute walk or a 5 minute drive from where we live. Can we say YIPPEE.

Last week, my friend R and her daughter S, journeyed out from the city to hang with us for the day. Told her to pack swimsuits just in case we decided to chill out poolside.
Midway through her train ride, I get a frantic text from R asking if I had an extra combination lock and if I didn't, would it be possible to share a locker. Or can she buy a lock somewhere?????
OH RIGHT...rules of the city pool.

City pool regulations were the rules I was expecting to follow at the town pool:

Combination lock... Check.
Tiniest tote bag that could be stuffed (along with clothes and shoes) into a 12x12 locker...Check.
No electronic devices on pool deck. Leave the Nook at home and cell phone in the locker...Check.
No newspapers. Forget the NY Post. Bring Us Weekly...Check.
Leave the cute swimsuit coverup stuffed in the locker...Check
Only towels & bound reading material allowed on the pool deck...Check.
Shower before entering pool...Check.

I texted back: Relaxed rules in da burbs. Allowed to leave all of ur crap on the pool deck :)
Can bring food & have lunch in concession area. C U in a few.

Our fellow pedestrians...

jaywalk wherever and whenever.

Traffic comes to a complete halt in both directions. Drivers wait. And wait.
No amount of honking or herding will quicken their pace.
Slow is their way to go.

Summertime playdates...

with our pals have morphed into late afternoon/ early evening get togethers at someone's house-n-yard.

L started the awesome "feed the kids dinner" trend last week and it was a huge success!
The shrimps get to burn off steam and cool their heels in kiddie pools, whirly sprinklers, AND slip n slides. At around 5.30, it's time to chow down!
Everyone is much happier hanging out and dining with their peers.
This is definitely a welcome change to the oh so fun dinnertime routine at our house.

This week, C invited a bunch of us over for a pizza dinner playdate.
When M and I arrived, we were greeted with another dazzling array of entertainment centers that had been set up in the backyard.
I could tell that M's head was again spinning over the choices of a bounce house, sand table, water table, kiddie pool one or kiddie pool two, play kitchen, barbie dolls...where to go, what to do first??!?!!?!

After a simple pizza dinner, then it was onto the next set of tough decisions...
choosing the ultimate dessert to satisfy his sweet tooth.
Will it be a cherry or lemon popsicle or will it be a mini carvel flying saucer with chocolate ice cream and chocolate cookie saucers or will it be the vanilla ice cream one with oreo cookie saucers?!?!?!?!?
oh hang on...there's also one with chocolate cookie saucers with chocolate ice cream covered with rainbow sprinkles???

The dog days of August will be less grueling now with more outdoor dinner playdates on the horizon.

I go? You go? She goes? He goes?...

at a four way STOP when we all kind of get there at once?

The person on the right - is what I remember from drivers ed.
Except that for a few long seconds, we are making eye contact and gesturing before going forward.
As civilized as the exchanges may (or may not be)...
Give me a traffic light anytime ~
I will gladly wait a few seconds for a green light that means I GO.

I love the lush leafy trees in this town.  I don't love the STOP signs that are hidden beneath the verdure during the flowering seasons.  Can we say traffic hazard!
Again, give me a traffic light, (usually) visible during all seasons ~
I will gladly wait a few seconds for a red light that means I STOP.

To emerge, mate, then rest in peace...

such is the cycle of the annual or "dog days" chatty cicadas.
Well, only the males are chatterboxes. Females remain silent.  Imagine that?!

M spotted this dead cicada lying on the road...truly an exquisite looking insect.

I say a lifeless cicada is a way better sighting than coming across a feathery furry sad mess of roadkill.

Beware of drivers...

taking a right on red.

95% of the time, they are just concerned with watching oncoming cars coming from their left...and take the turn while keeping their heads turned to the left.
Completely oblivious to the possibility that there may be a pedestrian on their right.
95% of the time, even when they do see me getting ready to step off the curb with kid in stroller, they take the turn anyways.
Surly words just projectile right out of my mouth when this happens.

After one of my tirades, I happen to glance at one of the cars waiting to take a left turn into the mall...the driver is sort of grinning more smirking and shaking her head.
Oh crap.
M's preschool director just witnessed one of my public $#F@U!^$# meltdowns.