Okay – first things first.  Who’s awake?  Anybody?  Bueller?  Actually, I got a decent night’s sleep last night, because I don’t care about football (fight me) and don’t feel any need to stay up until the game ends.  I do enjoy the commercials, but for the past few years – and this one was no exception – I don’t actually get to see many of them because I am parenting up until halftime and then I putter off to bed not long after that.  Anyway!  I was kind of half hoping for a productive weekend, but it didn’t happen.  I needed to put in a few hours of work, didn’t do that.  Needed to get some organizing done around the house, didn’t do that either.  It happens.

This was one of those weekends that was heavily dictated by the kids’ social plans.  On Saturday, Nugget had a birthday party to attend.  It was at a local gymnastics gym and he had a fun time running around, swinging on the rings and flinging his body at the piles of mats.  I enjoyed catching up with the other moms.  It’s a big decision-making time in our school community, because re-enrollment contracts for the next school year are due today, and summer camp registration floodgates open next week.  So while the kids ran around and burned off all the energy they’ve built up over a bitterly cold week, the parents talked fast and furious about who is coming back next year and who’s going across the street to St. Whatsit’s and where are you going for summer camp.  We have our plans sorted (both for this summer and for next year) but there were several families that were still deciding one, or the other, or both.

On Sunday, Peanut had a playdate with her BFF, who moved to the next town over (for the public schools – smart parents) and I went along with her and had a lovely day sipping tea and discussing the British royal family with BFF’s mom – we’re both Windsor fangirls and not even sorry about it.  After four-and-a-half hours, I finally tore Peanut away from her bestie so I could take Nugget to the library before it closed.  We had the children’s room almost to ourselves – I guess everyone else was getting ready for their Superbowl parties.  (This was actually the second library playtime we had this weekend; Nugget requested a visit to the city central library on the way back from his party on Saturday – they have an honest to goodness playroom, and he hardly ever gets to enjoy it because the central library is so out of the way.)  Ended the weekend on the couch, as usual – sort of but not really watching commercials, and not watching the Big Game at all.  It wasn’t a productive weekend, but the sun was out and the kids had a nice time, so there you have it.

Reading.  If the weekend wasn’t productive, the week in books sure was.  I finished Swimming with Giants in time to return it to the library on deadline, then spent five glorious days in Barsetshire with Doctor Thorne – my first five-star book of 2019 and probably destined to be one of my highlights of the year.  I loved it.  Anytime I read Trollope, I wonder what took me so long to find him in the first place, and why I always let so much time go by between his books.  Doctor Thorne was especially delightful – from the central romance, so refreshingly constant and sweet, to the wonderful side characters – so fully realized, even the so-called “minor” ones.  (I have two new favorite secondary characters in literature – Lady Scatcherd and Miss Dunstable.  I adored them both.)  Now I’m on to Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children’s Literature as an Adult, which has been on my to-tackle list for awhile.  Other than being a bit sniffy about Madeleine L’Engle, I think it’s spot-on.

Watching.  Well, a bit of Superbowl commercials, but not much.  My main viewing this week was on YouTube, because I discovered Roman’s Cooking Corner, and it might be the most delightful thing on the internet.  Cheese, please!  Thank you!  (Steve: “Are you watching that little boy cooking AGAIN?!”)  Do yourself a favor and go take a look right away.  Start with lasagna and work your way through to gingerbread man.  Leg, please!  Thank you!  You won’t regret it.

Listening.  All the podcasts this week, as usual.  I have fallen totally in love with The Librarian is In, the podcast from the New York Public Library.  It’s utterly delightful, and the source of my new favorite quote: “You’re a scrappy little stickball player and you read cool books!”

Making.  Black and white bean chili with quinoa and veggies for our Superbowl dinner.  Chili is a given on important football days.  I don’t know much about sportsball but I do know that.

Laughing.  Peanut doesn’t think much of my employability, apparently.  This week, we had this conversation:

P: “I wish you were a classroom parent at school.”
Me: “I am.  I’m a room mom in your class with Mrs. K and Mrs. G.”
P: “But I wish you were one of the parents who work at the school all day.  You could have an office by the bathroom.”
Me: “Oh, yes, I wish that too.  I would love to be in the same place with you all day.  Maybe on Monday, you can ask Mrs. C [the principal] if she needs a General Counsel.  Tell her your mom has education law experience.”
P: “Well… I don’t think so.”

Blogging.  I don’t actually know.  We got a new computer, and the spreadsheet I use to plan my blog posts is on the old one.  So we’ll all be surprised on Wednesday and Friday.

Loving.  Please see “watching,” above.  The highlight of my week was Roman’s Cooking Corner.  It has completely restored my faith in humanity.  Heart sprinkles, please!  Thank youuuuuu!

Asking.  What are you reading this week?