Sydney Learns About Poison Ivy and Dave Eats Cold Pancakes

It's our last day in Tennessee, and Lizzie and I are at Harmony House coffee shop with Liz's "Little Pal," Sydney. Liz goes to Bryan college, and they have a program where the students "adopt" a pal to mentor and hang out with. Sydney is seven, and she looks like a miniature Kiera Knightley-- only healthier and happier. Full head of brown curls, big hazel eyes. Liz picked her up earlier this afternoon and we went to the library, where Syd got a few books and I got a book of poetry by a man who is from Iceland and apparently likes classical music A LOT.

We went back to Grandma's and sat reading on the bed for a long time, and then I did Sydney's hair so that she looked like a beautiful little princess (well, she already did.) Just so you know, the thing shining behind my head is an ocelating fan, not a halo or anything interesting like that...

Then we went for a walk outside, Elizabeth donning her "gathering basket." She studies herbs and their medicinal value, and likes to pick whatever she can find around the yard. I found her teaching Sydney what poison ivy looks like, making her point to it with a stick whenever she found any. She would make a great botany teacher!

Kimmy and Aunt Ann are in Nashville doing some college stuff for Kim, because she's going to Belmont College there in the fall. So we said bye to them last night.

Earlier today, Elizabeths' fiance, Dave, came by. I had met him before, but not since they were engaged. So it was fun to see how they interact together. Liz had made some pancakes which were then cold, but she offered Dave some anyway. He ate two, and congratulated her on being the first person to have made a "cold pancake," while still lamenting their coldness. Later, Liz and I ate some more of them, and she said "It's like journey bread."

"Lembas bread!" I said.

"Nasty!" said Sydney.

So here's a picture of Dave and Liz:

That was after Dave had choked down the rest of his pancake. There was a better picture before that...