Is it Friday yet?

We had an awesome day today. I woke up to a dreary, rainy Sunday morning in Berkeley with a chip on my shoulder. My first thought was of how I needed to get the boys new rain boots for the wet east bay winter that lies ahead. Recalling the torrential rains of last January, February and March my mood was somber. Rainy days with kids can get a little bit, shall we say claustrophobic. I brightened briefly upon realizing that I had a very believable excuse to skip my Sunday workout.

But the day was surprisingly terrific. We had what I would call a first date with another family in the morning. Last weekend I met a woman and her 3.5 year old son Dylan at the park. We chatted and came to the realization that I had actually had a long conversation with Dylan's grandmother almost a year ago at the same playground. Dylan and Zack played well together despite the age difference, and we ended up exchanging phone numbers. I could use a new friend in the neighborhood. Heck I could use a new friend period. I debated contacting her, because like asking someone out, it's hard. You don't want to appear desperate or lame, yet someone has to make the first move, and I am so glad that I did. She ended up inviting us to her home for Sunday brunch, and we had a really great time. Her husband likes baseball so the men folk hit it off. The boys for the most part got along well, and I had a great time. The perfect way to spend a rainy morning.

Next we hit the Oakland Museum of California. It was free day. And it was raining. So of course it was crowded. The exhibits were a bit grown up for the boys, but they seemed to enjoy looking at the old fashioned cars and the 1950's televisions. Of course the difficult questions came when Zack started inquiring about World War II. How do you explain the "relocation" of the Japanese to a five year old? Oye.

Finally we had a late lunch at a diner. A real diner with milkshakes and breakfast served all day. No it wasn't all sunshine (er... rain) and roses, there was some inappropriate behavior at lunch, occasional bickering between siblings, but overall a much better day than I had anticipated. In fact it was the kind of day that will make me miss the family all week long as I look forward to the weekend.

Is it Friday yet?