The last weekend of June

In pictures

The (Un)Celebrated Day of Love

My husband and I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. I know: this is equal to heresy in our commercialized world.

I don’t remember ever having observed the Day of Love, which is not to say that we don’t value romance. To the contrary! We make it a point to take time out for romance all year round. Each and every week, you can find us at our house, lingering over a fancy candlelit dinner, with Frank or Tony crooning in the background, the two of us engaged in spirited discussion about anything and everything or just gazing into each other’s eyes (yes, we do this even with a baby!).

We’ve come to expect these evenings, just as we expect that Mondays follow Sundays. We look forward to them with anticipation; they are an important part of our marriage. Ten and a half years of romantic dinners twice a week on average look something like this numerically: 10.5x(52x2)=1092. In reality, we’ve enjoyed over a thousand romantic evenings, many of them uniquely memorable.

Like the time when I surprised Ron with a four-course meal on the dawn of his birthday upon getting home from work at 4 AM. Or when we grilled steak and lobster outside at midnight one freezing January night. Or when we hiked to our destination, carrying our al fresco dinner (with wine!) in a picnic basket, so we could enjoy a crisp fall day by the river. Or when we celebrated Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year with a traditional meal. There have been countless nights when we sat on our back deck watching fireflies light up the sky, bats fly overhead, pointing out constellations and observing the moon wax and wane. I could talk about the night we sat and marveled at the new life we’ve created. Or the night we had our deepest discussion yet on the nature of God.

So you see, we really have no need for Valentine’s Day. It will remain uncelebrated by us yet again this year.

(Unless the fancy strikes us at the stroke of midnight and we decide to fire up the grill and pop open that nice Shiraz.)

Caleb's take on politics

This is what he thinks of political speeches at the moment

On the other hand, his parents were thrilled at having the opportunity to hear 2 political candidates (Paul, Huckabee) speak in 3 days. We may have a third candidate visit our little town in the next couple of weeks.

Caleb slept soundly through both of these speeches (though the energetic cheering threatened to sabotage his peaceful slumber on more than one occasion).

To the memory of a hill

This is the still-existing snowy winter view behind our house.

(I cannot show you what the view used to look like. There used to be a dense forest all the way up that hill. It was the home of lots of deer, squirrels, and opossums. You might notice that now there's an ugly black tarp stretching halfway up the hill, and behind it... no forest. The mean people killed our forest this past fall and destroyed our hill. Next winter, this view will be even more ruined, for they're planning to build on top of that hill. In the summer, there's still a jungle between us and them, but sadly, the lovely winter view will be lost forever.)

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

The first day of Kindermusik was sadly cancelled today - but happily, the reason was snow! You all know how I just LOVE SNOW! So although Caleb and I (well, I) have been impatiently looking forward to our musical class finally starting back up (it was delayed a week already from the initially announced start date), the reason was a good one (not a legitimate one, cause you know we live in the South and they cancel everything when there's a mere dusting of snow on the ground; with this kind of approach, the North would have to shut down for the entire winter season; however, it was good that if Kindermusik had to be cancelled, AT LEAST WE GOT SNOW INSTEAD!).

So this is the first real snowfall of the winter and this time, it's more than a dusting. About 2-3 inches have fallen so far, I'd say. We're taking advantage of it, for sure. I'm pulling out the snowsuit and boots we've received so generously from my friend's kids, and gearing up the stroller (with attached winter covering) for a wintry stroll through the white neighborhood. If it hasn't melted, we will frolic and play in the powdery stuff. (Powdery stuff, please don't melt until then).

Caleb has already been out in the snow early in the dark morning and he stares out the deck door every time he passes it, pointing and inquisitively watching what this white stuff is falling from the sky and beginning to lay a white cover over everything. (Yes Cakes, snow is quite magical, even to an adult. Except for when you have to drive in it, or shovel it, or clean it off your bushes, or so I've heard some adults say. But I must say, your Mama never minded any of the above. Besides, none of those things will happen to you for another 10 years or so and until then, there's only sledding and skiing and skating and snowshoeing (this one, soon!) and snowmen making and snowball fights. And wintry stroller rides through a white neighborhood. So enjoy!)

I will surely thrill everyone with some snowy pictures later in the day (if the snow cooperates and my batteries sufficiently recharge by then). Let it snow!

And later...