Sisssssssssssssssssssy!

Hi all,

So, yesterday I welcomed summer by getting my first sunburn in a swimsuit. It may be the first summer in 2 years, but I did it. Monday afternoon Hum asked if I would take a group, including the new villager, to the neighboring community for a waterpark outing. Sam can't drive, so I felt semi-obligated to say yes. It was pretty much what I expected. Except for someone having to go to the hospital (one young person's father after a rollercoaster ride...hopefully ok...) as a precaution.

It was pretty disorganized, but I only really had to keep tabs on Maria and Connie, as the new villager was assimilated back into his old friend group. We first went on a kiddie train and then on a "gondola". Which was pretty much a ski lift. I sucked it up and sat next to Maria, who after a first 15 seconds of nonstop questions decided to really just go with it. I was just happy she didn't wet her pants and me by default. This thing moved SO SLOWLY, about 1/5 as fast as your typical lift. However, when she started bouncing around to YMCA, I told her no bouncing. Then she turned to me and said: "Sissy! Sissy!" while laughing.

This is the same girl who wouldn't go down a waterslide 5 minutes later. Frustrating. So We had to park her at the bottom so I could do rides with Connie. We did something called the "Tornado" which was awesome. Shaped like a large funnel, you get dropped from about 15 feet to build up momentum and then careen back and forth as you go down it. Crazy.

It was a long day though, but we made it through with no major hitches. I went and watched Amelie with Bean and a few other co-workers and enjoyed it. Funny to realize that I'm now supposedly older than Amelie. Sigh.

Today Okiwa came again and as it was raining this morning (and everything was soaked...), neighborhood lunch was canceled. This makes thing easier, not having all the deals to try to manage with just Julia. We were both relieved. So I taught Okiwa how to cook millet and we made a variation of the millet cakes with zucchini. They fell apart and hissed in the oil a bit more, but were really good. Frankin had an appointment this morning, so I watched the oldest child (who ran next door to visit and freaked me out...) and managed the other villager who comes in. She had one of her days where she cries because she says that her house has no food, so I taught Okiwa the trick of pretending to call her house and have her overhear me affirming that they have food.

Neighborhood meeting was fine and pretty short. Connie's still having a really rough time, and everyone has different advice. I know that once the neighbor house parents come back from vacation that things will level out a bit. I hope.

Anyhow, I'm really tired and am going to bed!

Hope all is well,
Steph