Ok, so the party? The party was in Maine the week of the Fourth, and the only invitees were the people already staying in the house. But there were enough invitees to make it a PARTY. And we were celebrating an engagement and a birthday. Furthermore, there was an official invitation, sent by me and my father, via email that I wrote from my Blackberry while he and I were having lunch. So, guys. It was a party. And also, unrelated, yes, I’m the only person left in America with Blackberry.
1. run a 20K
2. get into tea
3. try cloth diapers
4. take a ride on the carousel at Lighthouse Point
5. sing Irish songs at an Irish bar
6. attend a lecture at Yale
7. plan weekly (or almost weekly!) dates with my darling husband
8. get a book deal
9. improve the home office
10. visit Essex, CT
11. take another cooking class
12. read three novels (not mysteries)
13. see a Puffin
14. take the kids to a baseball game
15. build a sandcastle
16. have a Dark and Stormy at McSeagull’s
17. swim laps in a swimming pool
18. take a boat ride
19. spend lots of time in our back yard
20. have a party
21. grill some octopus
22. buy a record
23. make a photo album
24. get some sleep
25. go on a Sunday drive
There is a family of sparrows living in one of the hanging plants right outside our front door, despite the obvious warning signs, like the daily waterings and the tiny dog who would just love to kill everybody. The two little babies have grown up right before our eyes and are almost ready to take off on their own.
“You know what I think saved me? The fact that I mostly drank white wine spritzers and light beer.”
“You really love those wine spritzers.”
“I know! Wine spritzers. White wine. Seltzer. Alcohol. Water to hydrate you. Refreshing.”
“Yeah. Makes sense.”
“Yup. I think I’m totally going to drink those now.”
“Welcome to middle age.”
A couple months ago J and I headed to NYC by ourselves, and by that I mean just the TWO of us with no children. Not even one child! The anticipation was wonderful and so was the actually trip. We stayed right by Washington Square Park, one of my favorite neighborhoods. We met up with friends for drinks. We sought out spots we’d wanted to try for some time. We went for a run by the river.
One of the best things about our weekend was the aimless wandering we did, something you can do with kids, sure, but only to a point. When we woke up Saturday we spent some time walking around the Village and ended up checking out this place David’s Tea, which has a retail location in the neighborhood. It was brightly colored and they enthusiastically offered us some wildly-flavored iced beverage when we walked in.
I know this sounds real lame, guys, but walking into a tea store with absolutely no agenda and all the time in the world to allow the friendly sales staff to try and sell you on the benefits of their product is something you just can’t do when your children are around. Not in a relaxed way, that is. And, I mean, I know it’s not that important. Like, I could say, “Hey, it’s really hard look for jobs, or organize my finances when my kids are around,” and you’d be like, “Yeah, maybe you should concentrate on those things,” but there’s something subtly important about allowing yourself to have an unplanned Saturday morning with your darling husband, too.
This tea store was part of our time off. So, by the way, was this fancy bed store we visited while walking to brunch Sunday, where they invited us to lie down on the best and most comfortable bed I’ve ever seen or touched, and then offered us freshly squeezed orange juice and chatted with us about life in New Haven, and honestly, I’d still be there lying on that bed if I could. But that’s another story.
Anyway, while we were at David’s Tea, we talked to an employee who was incredibly good at her job and we walked out with two different kinds of loose leaf teas - the kind I chose was a vanilla-infused Earl Grey and let me tell you, you have never smelled anything so intoxicating - as well as some tea bags to steep them in. I was all, “We are into tea now!” Hence the summer goal.
And, I mean, I have gotten into tea. You know, sort of. Pretty much. The truth of the matter is, I’m never going to like tea as much as I like coffee, although I have tried to make my afternoon caffeine fix a cup of this amazing tea I bought, which is really delicious and requires only slightly more effort than getting an iced coffee at the Dunkin’ Donuts, which is something I shamefully admit that I love.
Yesterday, though, remembering my summer goal, I realized I had half an hour or so before I was meeting J for lunch downtown and so, instead of trying to fit in a few errands, I drove to this organic tea and coffee shop that opened in April and that I have been meaning to try for some time. I had this iced hibiscus tea that was out of this world. I got all excited again, like, “I am TOTALLY going to make this at home!” I won’t, but I will go back to that store and have them make it for me. Because I am into tea. Somewhat.
But more than I used to be, and so I’m claiming success.
A tweet from my Dad to start your day. Thanks to Mike to pointing this one out to me.
(You can follow my father on twitter here. And you totally should.)
