savor

The new Year in Review feature. Love it.

Eating in restaurants is great anytime, because not only does someone else cook, but someone else cleans up, too!

But then there are times, like last night, when the food is fantastic and the service unbelievably good. Came out of the restaurant having had a completely delightful time. Enjoyed it so much!

Every Christmas there’s the joy of rediscovering or remembering the things we do each year. E delighting in the pop-ups as I sing/read (off key) The Twelve Bugs of Christmas or watching a loved holiday special or saying “awwww” at the silly dogs dressed in antlers in our town’s reindog parade. That sort of thing. Christmas time just seems to lend itself to traditions particularly well.

Watching TV for E is not a passive experience. Perhaps because we’ve limited it so much? He bounces up and down and experiences the characters’ emotions and laughs in a way that would be very gratifying to the makers. It’s kind of adorable. :)

In the fall, I always drive around town in awe of the prettiness of the leaves, but the recent snow has made me do the same, reacting to the blanket of white everywhere and the snow-covered trees.

Our library recently reopened after an extensive renovation (much needed). I can’t believe how gorgeous it is. I mean, yeah, famous architect designed it so I guess it makes sense, but knowing how it was before the renovation, the transformation is stunning. Stone, polished wood, huge windows with tons of light streaming in, and tons of books. Yes, I just want to move in.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving was a lot of work—we made tons of food. S and I like cooking though, so it was a labor of love that we took on gladly. But it was too hectic to savor, really!

The best part was the meal and afterward. I love Thanksgiving food, and it all came out well. I really did focus on the food as I ate, yum! And then after the meal, we all lingered over wine, talking. Then again, after cleaning up, we gathered again for pie, and again lingered. Moments to store in my heart.

My dad just called me, as I’d requested, to report that he’d arrived safely at his twin brother’s house in Maine, an almost 4 hour drive.

I’m so happy that one, he’s not just sitting in his easy chair but is doing stuff, and two, that he’s going to be with his brother (and SIL) for several days, having a nice time. The weather’s supposed to be great, he and his brother are both avid birders, and it just warms my heart that after all he’s been through he can have this. It will be a happy glow in my mind all week, knowing that he’s there.

(And I’ll be relieved when he calls to report himself safely back home again.)

I love sleep. I’m always pretty excited when it’s bedtime.

Lately I’ve been sleeping really poorly and not enough.

Last night, I slept nine and a half solid hours. Lovely, delicious, sleep. Mmmmmmmm!

My town glows orange in the autumn. I love that.

We finally had a half a day at home on a weekend (can’t ask for more than that, ever) that wasn’t raining, so S was able to take care of the leaves. E was in heaven. Leaping in piles, hiding under the leaves, tossing them around, helping stamp them down in the wire bins where they’ll compost for us. Giggles in the sunshine. It doesn’t get much better than that.

I didn’t want a party for my 40th birthday; I wanted to go away. So we went to the Burlington, VT area for a few days, even taking E out of school on Monday, my actual birthday.

I really just wanted to be entertained and relax, so mostly what we did was indulge in “agritainment.” We went to Ben & Jerry’s, Lake Champlain Chocolates, the Cabot Cheese factory, Magic Hat Brewery, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, a winery, a glass blowing place, Green Mountain Coffee visitor center, King Arthur Flour, Gardener’s Supply Company, and probably more that I’m leaving out. Samples everywhere! S compared it to driving around the wine country tasting everything.

We also went to the ECHO aquarium and shopped in the Church Street Marketplace of Burlington. And of course ate out a lot, and went swimming at the hotel.

And since Halloween happened while we were there, we took a little Harry Potter out to trick or treat. We drove around until we found a residential neighborhood with Halloween decor on most houses and costumed folk roaming the streets.

This trip was probably more low key than S might have liked to give me, but it was what I wanted. Lots of variety, which I like. Little stress, which I like. Being with the people I like best. Being in pretty surroundings (mountains!)

One of the great pleasures of life is a cup of coffee in the early morning quietness while reading 43T. Although I have only met one person I “know” here, I feel like so many people here are friends, and I care about your ups and downs.

And this morning I saw this goal. Aww, you guys! You’re so nice! I don’t know what to say! I will just wish you all the best and many moments to savor in your own lives.

I’ve said before that I am always happy to come home. No matter where I’ve been or how much I’ve enjoyed what I’ve been doing. No matter what kind of mess my house is. I’m just always glad to come home.

Last night, multiply that by a million.

I worked in the office yesterday. The main office, which is the more distant one. I left home in pitch blackness, heavy rain, and strong wind, and drove almost 4 hours through that to get to the office. It was actually a relief when I hit traffic and could poke along slowly instead of having maniacs zigzag by at high speeds. Then I worked a full day in the office, then drove home in pretty much the same conditions I drove to work in. Maybe the first 10 minutes I had daylight and no rain, and the last 20 I had almost no rain, but incredibly strong winds.

In other words, hours and hours of sheer driving hell. I was really tired and really tense.

I’m savoring the feeling of pulling safely into my driveway, and the sound of, “Mommy!” from E, who was in bed but not yet asleep, as I came in the front door.