Weekend: Bach, raingutter regatta, snow

We got our first snowstorm of the season this weekend. As snowstorms go, this one was pretty good. It hit on a Saturday, so there wasn’t the fuss of school being canceled. It never got too cold, we only had a few inches and the next day was into the high 30s so most of the roads are clear.

My 2-year-old was quite taken with the snow, so I spent a lot of time outside with him. We’d trudge around the back yard, knocking snow off the plants or trees. He also started making snow angels, like he’d seen in a cartoon, so I guess he’s learning something practical from the hours of early morning TV he watches. He never wanted to go in, but after an hour each time I’d get pretty cold. I guess he is just tougher than me (or didn’t inherit my poor circulation in my hands that makes them go numb in cold weather no matter what gloves I’m wearing).

The snow added a festive touch to what was a pretty full weekend. On Friday night, I went to my husband’s office holiday party. The theme was Havana nights, so we had mojitos and Cuban food. I wore this red dress I bought in Brazil in January, 2001, when I visited as a college student. That was a pretty fun time in Rio some 17 years ago, which is why I had hung onto the dress. Fortunately, it still fit! The occasion also gave me the opportunity to dig my statement necklace out of my jewelry box. We left separately, me much earlier, as my husband never wants to leave any party, let alone one where he knows everyone. It turned out to be a good thing I got home and into bed at 11:15, as the 2-year-old was up at 6:15. Another difference from my hard-partying days in Brazil, when I think I once went back to the hotel at 6:15 a.m. But anyway.

I had to be up relatively early anyway, as my choir had our with-orchestra rehearsal at 9 a.m. Saturday. Fortunately, my 8-year-old’s Cub Scout Raingutter Regatta was also at the church at 9 a.m. So I dropped him off, with other parents graciously watching him, and went to sing Bach in the sanctuary. I stopped by the regatta twice on breaks. The first time they were just starting. The second time I came in and got to watch my kid race three times right in a row. He was on a winning streak, only losing in the championship round. So there was a nice trophy involved. My husband (who was once an Eagle Scout) had tried to convince him that he’d built the boat in a problematic way, but the kid wanted to do it his own way. And it turned out he had some boat expertise. Go figure.

The rest of the day involved a lot of chores like signing kids up for summer camp, and doing Christmas cards. The snow meant I was running on the treadmill, which is never my favorite (my mileage totals are going down rapidly). My husband took some of the kids sledding at a nearby park, and he made a Costco trip, which resulted in a dinner of crab legs and lobster. Also, the gingerbread house kit (pictured), which we made on Sunday. He also took the big boys to see Coco at night, and after I got the little kids in bed, I read 100 pages in Brideshead Revisited. This is slow going, partly because I just don’t have as much downtime during this part of December.

Sunday, the choir sang in church, and then there was more snow playing while one kid went to a playdate. Then it was back to the church for my 3 p.m. call for the 4 p.m. performance. We sang the first part of the Christmas Oratorio, and then the Magnificat. It was so fun to be singing again. My last Christmas concert was in December of 2010. I have missed it. The director said we’ll be doing the Bach B-Minor mass in the next few years, so I’m quite excited about that.

Then it was home for a short bit before my husband and I took off for Talula’s Daily for my official birthday dinner. This restaurant in downtown Philly does a seasonal chef’s tasting menu. There was apple slaw with fried clams, a consume with a pot-pie like crust on top, some gnocchi, duck, cheese served with peanut brittle, and brown butter ice cream. I also had the beverage accompaniment because, hello, birthday dinner (my husband was driving and did not).

It was a great dinner, and I managed to get to bed at 11:15 again (I might consider that my new bedtime). Then the 2-year-old slept in until 7:15 this morning! I’ll take that as a birthday gift any day. The 10-year-old is home sick from school, but he’s pretty low maintenance. Very different from the time around my 29th birthday a decade ago, when he was home sick for a bit from daycare and…whoa. Not low maintenance. They do grow up.