This morning we pondered getting up and going to church, but it was hard to work up any enthusiasm where there was no compelling reason (such as one of us having to sing in the choir / play the piano / otherwise perform some particular necessary function). So instead we put on our bathrobes and our slippers and we went downstairs and we ate s'mores for breakfast.

I suppose there are far better things to have for breakfast than s'mores, but when one's husband has purchased one a s'mores maker for one's birthday, it makes a compelling argument to break out the marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey bars, and a little half-full can of chafing fuel and fire it up to start off the day.

It's a cute little contraption, although a little bit silly. After all, it's just a little grill, run by chafing fuel, which comes on a rotating tray with little containers in which to place all the s'more parts. We actually opened the box Friday night and had s'mores for dinner while sitting on the couch in the living room, watching episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on DVD. We'd then bought extra s'mores ingredients, intending to make use of the little contraption during the game yesterday, but there was pizza and Captain Crunch cereal instead of s'mores and we never got around to it. This meant there were leftover graham crackers, and a half-empty can of fuel from Friday night and we really did need to use them all up. Sure we did.

After stuffing ourselves with s'mores we headed off to Costco to stock up on paper towels and toilet paper, and then we stopped by our favorite hardware store to get a flat of creepers for the backyard. Yes, I know it says something that we have a 'favorite' hardware store, but when one is surrounded by a Home Depot, a Lowe's, and at least two Ace Hardware stores, one has to decide on the best place to go. So we stick with a local chain that always seems to have what we're looking for.

Last summer, after we built the raised flower bed and put the stone path around it, we put in three flats of blue star creepers, hoping they'd spread out and eventually fill in the gaps between the paving stones. Unfortunately it was too hot and too dry and they all died. Or rather, we *thought* they all died, until recently when I noticed one determined little patch which had somehow hung on and was actually growing quite well. In the meantime the gardeners had, at our request, extended the range of the sprinklers on either side of the flowerbed to reach the path itself, so at least the little creepers would get water. So we went outside, armed with the new flat of creepers and two large mixing spoons (because why waste money on gardening trowels when one has mixing spoons?) and we cut the flat into random chunks and planted all those chunks and now I am keeping my fingers crossed that even just a few of those chunks take hold and start doing what they are supposed to be doing. I have dreams of one day having that little pathway be all green and lovely between the paving stones. Of course I also dream that one day the tree being (slowly) painted on the wall of the breakfast nook will finally be completed too, so obviously I suffer from occasional optimism.

Richard wanted to go see the new Spiderman film, but I wasn't in a movie mood, so he went off to watch the web slinger while I stayed home and poked at the cats and did some knitting. I am sick to death of blue yarn, and of knitting afghans (since I'm working on afghan number two), but I am determined to finish it anyway, just because it is there. I was pondering various options for dinner when the phone rang with my older sister on the other end, wanting to know if we wanted to meet them for dinner in Fairfield. Since they're in Napa, it's the best halfway point for all of us. Richard made it back from the movie just in time, so back we went in the car and joined far too many other people heading in the same direction (ah, how we love traffic) on the freeway. Except this time, instead of grumbling about the traffic we had lots of fun watching the mpg on the Prius climb higher and higher. Hybrid engines just *love* stop and go traffic. Yet another reason why I adore this little car.

Oh, and that reminds me – when we were driving into the parking lot of the hardware store earlier today we were amused to see another little blue Prius pulling out. The driver of the other Prius grinned and waved, so we waved right back. It's like an exclusive little club – all of us hybrid car drivers. I've done it with hybrid Honda Civics too, so we're an equal opportunity club. I imagine that come next year we will even all be willing to wave merrily to drivers of the new hybrid Ford Escape, even though it might be one of the evil SUV's, because least it is a hybrid and that is surely better than nothing at all.

Despite the traffic we made it to the restaurant just a little after my sister and her family arrived. My poor mom was not quite so fortunate, hitting the traffic about half an hour after we did (and by then it had gotten a lot worse) so she showed up after we were all mostly done with our food. But it was still fun. My little three-year-old nephew chattered away at the top of his lungs, mainly about the fact that he was wearing Thomas the Tank Engine underpants (he's potty training right now). After dinner we all over to Coldstone Creamery and got the smallest servings of ice cream they provide (which is still a huge amount right after dinner). By then it was cooling off outside, enough that we took our ice cream outside and sat there and chatted and the little boys could run around (much like several other clumps of small children were doing) to take advantage of the space, and for impromptu, last minute dinner plans that involved driving in horrid traffic, it was a very lovely ending to a lovely day.