Justin and Atticus at Toys R Us

We were going to go swimming today, but storms took that out of the equation. So we went to Toys R Us instead.

We played with trains and Matchbox cars and all sorts of things. Justin and RaDonna had their niece and nephew with them for part of the day, so we all loaded up and visited Whole Foods, too.

Whole Foods, the kinder, gentler grocery store where the grungy alternative kids work, has plenty of healthy foods. And the store is made from a remarkable 143 percent of recyclable materials. They are very proud of this. There’s a poster explaining it by the restrooms. Wood in the store is from old barns. The metal decorations above the butcher area are from a thermonuclear warhead. The light is from the sun. The shopping carts were stolen from a Kroger down the street.

Only some of those are false.

It is a nice concept, though, putting into practice the old saying about one corporation’s garbage is another suburban grocery store’s treasure. Most of the recycled items were in place for the aesthetic, rather than function. It keeps these slivers of wood and steel and aluminum out of the landfill, at least until this store is razed.

We played in the toy area a while. We shopped. We played in the toy area some more.

RaDonna on the slide at Chick-fil-A.

We had a bite to eat at Chick-fil-A. They’ve changed the menu, but they have a sense of humor about it. We played on the Chick-fil-A playground. Or Atticus did. For the first time, perhaps, ever, there was a playground, a kid I was with playing on it and I did not take part. I feel so old.

We went to Target. I drove Atticus around in the shopping cart — not stolen from a Kroger down the street — backwards. He giggled.

Had a great visit, wish we could do it more. Hopefully we’ll get one or two more before Atticus’ birthday this fall when he’ll turn, unbelievably, five.