Presto-Change-O

Made it out quite early today with L and T.  The riverwalk was beautiful despite some intermittent graupel, and was satisfyingly empty. We only passed one runner the entire hour we were out.

It reminded me of how L and I would leave at 6:30 am last year and it would feel as though we had a Downton Abbey-sized gardening staff just to fill our hearts with spring beauty. We used to be delighted to see and chat with anyone we saw up that early. Now we're relieved when the trails are empty.

And it's not just us... I've noticed that many people won't make eye-contact, much less speak, these days.

Moods

Huckie side-eying the whole world is my current mood.

(Except this picture is hilarious, and I keep bursting into giggles every time I catch sight of it.)

Monday Magic

It's a good day when it begins with Nu doing a magic trick for the puppy sibs and Huck responds with a standing trick of her own.

Today marked the start of official lesson plans from Nu's school district, At finished up his final project for the term, I turned in my grades, Big A is on back-to-back shifts... kind of a momentous Monday for these times.

"NPCs?"

Snuck out for a walk with these guys and when the other kids saw this picture, they were a bit jealous and claimed that dad and puppies looked like unreal NPCs. Apparently in video-game-ese it stands for a "non-player character." I see it, actually!

All family pics are either the kids or Big A these days... that's just the way it is in these days because of isolating Big A. Friend-writer SS suggested that I write about how difficult and stressful it is to isolate within the family--but what's there to say beyond how much it sucks?

Socializing (Distance-style)

A (Zoom) bake-along with PM, whom I wrote about a decade or so ago and 23 of her fans and their kids (Nu is in one of the tiny top frames)!

And while the dough was proofing, a spot of tea and and a chat with L who brought her sling chair along to sit in the driveway while I perched on the porch. And an hours-long intercontinental Zoom chat with cousins to start things off in the morning!

Simply put:

  

That's it; that's the post.

Sweetness

Today I was quite housebound with meetings, and I'm tired. Chopping veggies and making dinner was the most creative and relaxing thing I did all day. And I don't usually make dessert, but this "crumble" (long-ago store-bought almond granola,  not-so-juicy blueberries, some apples gone soft, brown sugar, coconut oil) made me feel like a domestic goddess.

Also, I didn't realize it at the time, but this tea-towel that L left on the porch for me last Saturday with brownies, a card, and fruit was my very own Easter basket, wasn't it?! Love L!