On the way home from BC, we stopped at the Enchanted Forest and strolled contentedly (i.e. well shaded) on a winding path through the giant trees. You name the fairytale character, we probably saw it that day.

We passed the Three Pigs and each of their houses, and a pirate’s ship, and The Little Old Lady Who Lived in a Shoe. We peeked into the house where the Three Bears entertained Goldilocks. Don was put out that he was too big to go inside.

Barney, spotting a little statue off by itself among the ferns, called out gleefully “Hi Tooth Fairy! Thanks for all the money!”

And as we neared the exit gate, there was a little pond with its resident ducks -- next to a vending machine, naturally, where for a quarter you could buy a handful of feed for the friendly little waddlers. Barney cleaned out my change purse and proceeded to delight both himself and the ducks.

Don was horrified.

“I can’t walk there!” he said. “I’m afraid of ducks!”

We jollied him through, as there was no other exit nearby and because we knew that the ducks weren’t dangerous. But as he passed slowly through the tiny flock gathered around his feet and his crutches, with Farmbeau and I on either side of him, he visibly shuddered and almost threw himself off balance.

But he made it.

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Barney’s going to homeschool. Did I tell you already? Anyway, he is. Today we picked up textbooks for the four or five core subjects he’ll be studying for Grade 6. Tomorrow he puts his nose to the grindstone.

We’re into fall weather now. Farmbeau heard there’s a risk of frost tonight, and went and covered up the tomatoes and peppers. I was in the middle of doing dishes (gotta have the kitchen spikkety-span for tomorrow morning, when someone is coming for a tarot card reading) and packing a cucumber salad into jars to store in the fridge for up to six months. If it lasts that long.

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Barney: “Hey Mom! Is there such thing as an electric blanket?”

“Yep.”

“Freaky! How does that work?!”