Summer Solitude

After a busy two-weeks of adventuring around Portland with visiting friends and family, River and I have a silent afternoon. Me at my kitchen desk.....

And River out in the living room. I think to myself, wow, she's really playing so well alone. So focused.
Until she appears before me with shiny, shiny lips. Shiny cheeks, too. "Whatchya doin Riv?" She shows off her lipstick, proud and beautiful. I discover the trail of shininess leads to the other room, to the faux suede couch, where a tube of chapstick is smeared across the pillows.....


As I declare how oil will not come out of fabric, she has a declaration of her own. With great feeling she explains how important it was for her to put lipstick on all her animals. That's what happened, she doesn't know anything about the couch.

Summer, my friends, is almost over....