Sep 10, 2006

Can 'Ya Smell That?

Last night we ventured to Providence to check out WaterFire for the first time. WaterFire is a series of 97 wood-burning braziers (not the kind you wear) installed in three different rivers snaking through downtown Providence. Every summer weekend at dusk, huge tepees of wood are lit, with great ceremony, in the braziers and kept burning all night. Orchestral music is broadcast throughout the area and street performers and vendors line the streets. Private parties can rent boats or gondolas and sail down the rivers. (We were content to watch from the shore.) Not long after all of the fires were burning, the smell of woodsmoke filled the air and made me want to go camping. It smelled soooo good.




Later, when we walked past some particularly aromatic food booths, I was dismayed to find neither Husband nor I had any cash. It was the work of a moment for me* to find a swarthy Italian vendor and get directions to a nearby bank. (There are lots of swarthy Italians here in Rhode Island.) 30 minutes later, I bit into a huge "Dough Boy" covered in powdered sugar. (This is what I called a "scone" growing up, but does not even remotely resemble the scone you might buy at your local bakery. Think wad of dough stretched out "personal pizza" size and deep fried.) Oh, the artery clogging goodness...! Hub-Dub bought himself a frozen lemonade (also very popular here) and between the four of us, we finished off both treats. That, for me, made the evening complete and we headed home. That was last night....

Tonight after dinner I was resignedly doing the dishes when Dug-Hub came stealthily into the room. "Quick! Let's go jump!!!" I looked around and realized the boys were nowhere to be seen. D** had introduced Max to a Disney kid show website and both boys were vegging out contentedly in the office downstairs.

Three seconds later I was out the door and that's when I smelled it. Not only was it a little chilly out, but there was a definite NIP in the air! And to think, if I hadn't been sneaking out behind my kids' backs, I wouldn't even know that FALL IS HERE! (...practically!)

We had a few uninterrupted minutes of jumping as high as we wanted until Sammers realized we weren't around and came out to find us. (It may have been my giddy laughter that gave away our location.) Pretty soon, Maxer joined us too, and we had a good family bounce before bedtime.

TTFN!

*This phrase totally ripped off from P.G. Wodehouse's character Bertie Wooster.
**It's really hard thinking of witty names for Doug.

3 comments:

Emily said...

What exactly is a swarthy italian?

Foot Handle Pete said...

It sounds like a fun night. although I am concerned with the lack of political correctness, what with the swarthy and the nip in the air. It's good that you guys don't just sit at home. FHP

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