I was surprised, once we got out this morning, at how many tree branches were down. I thought that all the vulnerable trees would have succumbed to the bigger storms we had during the summer.

• It’s outdoors.
• It’s local, from Wheaton’s wonderful Brookside Gardens.
• It shows storm damage. We had three storm-induced power cuts this summer: 54 hours, 24 hours, 4 hours.

I regard summer as over, since MoCo schools have restarted. Maddie started first grade yesterday.

Moco outdoor pools have gone into post-season mode, which means that they aren’t open on weekdays. We could really use them this week, with temperatures heading up towards 100, but I guess that many of the outdoor pool staff have gone back to high school, and that it was impossible to know very far ahead that this week would be hotter than most of the earlier part of August.

Post-season ends, and the outdoor pools close until next year (June?) after Labor Day. For someone who grew up outside this country, the status of Labor Day as a hard end of summer is even more amazing than spelling Labor without a u. It seems particularly silly when it comes to closing swimming pools in this climate.

That said, we had a good summer, and we’re having a good time as summer turns to autumn (all right then, fall).

First we went to a start of season party at the Parkland Pool, on Arcola in Wheaton. We found out about the party via a flyer at the nearby Little Gym of Silver Spring, where the kids enjoyed some classes during the spring. Although we enjoyed the party and liked the pool, Parkland is more of a club, and more of a $ commitment, than we are looking for.

Second, in terms of pools visited, was the Wheaton/Glenmont Pool. It fits our family well, as do many things run by Montgomery County.

As well as a toddler pool and a big pool, Wheaton has a kid pool, which ranges gradually in depth from almost nothing to about a meter. There’s also an adventure pool, for which none of us are quite ready. We decided that $275 for a family season pass would provide savings, as well as fun and coolness.

The third pool we visited is at the YMCA in Silver Spring. I’m starting this post as Maddie (6) is having a lesson in the indoor pool. We went for lessons there largely because of the timing: four mornings a week for the two weeks between Maddie’s school and summer school.

Today brought an incentive to make further use of the Y, in the form of a coupon. Today’s Groupon is $20 for a One-Month Family Membership, Two Personal-Training Sessions or Two Private Tennis Lessons, and $25 Toward Programs at the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington (which includes the Silver Spring location).

The photo is from the local Gazette. It shows lemongrass chicken from the Saigonese Restaurant. The Saigonese stall was the first one I visited; we intend to have more of their food.

We enjoyed our first-ever pupasas. I forget which stall they were from, and more than one place in Wheaton does them.

We (mainly the kids) had noodles from Hollywood East Cafe. Hollywood East recently got a glowing writeup in the Washington City Paper, which recommends Wheaton over DC for dim sum.

There is, however, at least one vital ingredient missing from Wheaton’s restaurant scene. There is no Indian restaurant. From my review-surfing, it seems as though the nearest good non-veggie Indian restaurant is quite a way away. I hope you can tell me I’m wrong…

But Monday morning without coffee was tough… until I remember that I have backup, in the form of a French press. I’d actually prefer to grind beans and then use the French press, but amidst family life, it’s usually ground coffee and filter machine.

So the day just got as bright as… well, as the sunny day itself. Or rather, it would, if I could get to tasks such as finding preschool. Tasks like that would be easier to accomplish without a three and a half year old boy at home…

So I’d better get to them. If you can recommend a good preschool near Silver Spring with current of imminent openings for Max – who really is lovely, by the way – then please let me know via comment or email (andrew at changingway dot org).

1. It’s poised for a boom. That’s according to city planners and via the local Gazette, so it must be true.
2. Wheaton library hosts Year of the Tiger celebrations this Saturday, March 6 (again with the Gazette-linking).
3. It is home to a branch of DC institution Rodmans. We closed on our house (3 months ago yesterday) near the original Rodmans, and followed advice to check the place out. I didn’t realize until about a week ago that there’s another location within a couple of miles of our house.

I became aware of Snoburbia via a post on its blog, which I in turn found via JUtP. The post is about Wheaton Plaza and how it is a better fit with MoCo snoburbians than said snobs allow.

I’d like to point out that I’m not one of those who “go to the Target (only), then immediately scurry to their SUVs or hybrids.” Last time we went, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts, as well as Target, got our business. And I have bought kid shoes from the Stride Rite in Wheaton Plaza.

Our rather tasty lunch today was from Paul Kee. It seemed that everyone in the county was picking up a large order when I was there – and that was before noon.

The news is that Wheaton Library will stay at its current location. I regard that as good news, since I see nothing wrong with the library in its current location. I think of downtown Wheaton as a separate issue: one that needs attention, but not one that is a good reason to uproot the library.