Without fail, when the school year begins, it seems life becomes more unpredictable. Maybe it’s just the contrast to a structure of routines. Maybe it’s that I set higher expectations for myself when I have my day times (allegedly) free. Regardless, today was a day that filled up with things other than what I had planned.

The weather was beautiful—t-shirt and jeans weather until the peak of the day. My car was due to the mechanic for a brake check. We can’t get out of there without a long, crazy chat with Kat, but I like the hometown feeling of being on a first-name, story-swapping basis with local business owners. Kind of like how we went to the store afterwards, and I chatted with the good-humored ladies behind the Murray’s cheese counter. You feel like you have a place.

Trevor had a yoga class, so I sat at Bread Lounge and worked on a short story idea that’s been rolling around in my head since I had to pry out a cork with my teeth the other day. Apricot oil. Seems weird out of context, but hopefully someone will like the story. I had other freelance work I could have been doing, but given how the rest of the day went, I’m glad I made some space for creativity and a croissant.

We found out that our college friend, who was already in town, needed a place to crash, so I rushed home to prepare the house. To be clear, I don’t think Calvin would have minded the state of anything, but I mind. That’s my nature. I made the bed and swept the floors and wiped down the bathroom and arranged flowers. Then I had to pick up my car.

He arrived shortly after, as I was pre-making a lasagna for the girls’ dinner. We had plans to meet other friends for a concert that night, and I don’t like to put the burden of dinner on our sitters, not even my mom who helped us out tonight.

The rest of the afternoon was running to get the kids and running to get myself ready and the journey to the show. Keith lent us the Storyteller to tailgate, “like sports people,” Kristyn said. I said yes, but with rosé. As this diary is meant to be a chronicle of the seemingly mundane, it is funny to include the sometimes-events, like a concert at Red Rocks, which is fun for us and for those who live outside of Colorado, a real novelty. It is a magical experience to sit above the city, surrounded by rocks and lights and people. I try not to take these things for granted, try to acknowledge all the special “extras” that come with Colorado living.

Instagram is more of a Highlight Reel, so that’s where footage of our time at the show lives.