I started typing this post outside! Today was wonderfully spring like — temperatures in the mid-60s. I managed to run outside in bits of time. I got 18 minutes in between two kids’ tennis lessons, another 8 minutes before going to pick a kid up, and then 10 minutes before supervising a playdate. But that adds up to 36 minutes running outside on a beautiful day. I’ll take it.
I had two big events this weekend. First, Choral Arts Philadelphia did our Flora and Fauna concert (this is my second choir – the one that meets downtown and that did the B-Minor Mass last year). I got back from CA on Friday and went to our dress rehearsal. The rehearsal was a bit stressful as we missed two Monday night rehearsals due to snow. I think the performance itself may have been the first time we ran a few of the pieces without stopping for something! But we did it. The performance on Saturday went well and I’m so glad I got to know the works we did by Finzi and Britten.
My other big event was my niece’s bridal shower (hence the cake photo on this post). My daughter and I drove out to that in NJ, and got to see my mom, and my two sisters-in-law. I also met various other folks, like the bride’s friends, her mom’s colleagues, etc. It is strange to think that I’m old enough to have a niece who is getting married but here we are. I was so glad my daughter went too as she was good company for the drives.
As for the “restaurant revelation” in the title…After my (afternoon) concert on Saturday there was a movement to go out for dinner. Some people pushed for The Melting Pot again. The trouble was that there weren’t any tables for 6 until 8:15 p.m.! At first this seemed like it wasn’t happening but then I realized that most of the kids are old enough for that. As for the 6-year-old, he is often not asleep until about 9:30 p.m. anyway. We let him play on a tablet during restaurant dinners (yes, I know, go ahead and judge), and he joins in on the conversation when he wants (he’s an extroverted kid so I think it won’t be long before conversation becomes somewhat more appealing) and it really makes it possible for us to eat out. This is a massive change in my mental picture of what is doable. We are a family that can go out to eat and it will be fun! No one is running away from the table or throwing things. And we can start eating as late as 8:15 p.m.!
(The Melting Pot is very good…and the cheese made me unhappy for a while afterwards but I decided to just deal with it.)
Since some proportion of family members had wanted a different restaurant, we wound up going to that one (an Italian place) tonight (Sunday). I don’t think we’ve gone out as a family two nights in a weekend except on vacation in a while. I don’t think we will do this often — but it’s nice to know that restaurants, including ones that don’t have tables until late, are a possibility now. Then, thanks to the time change, it was still light, so after dropping the 16-year-old off at Scouts, we came back and rode bikes in the driveway until it was very dark. TOAD Time is back!
This afternoon I also had a good long chat with my college kid. I got to hear about his spring break — he went to Panama with a volunteer medical group. He is now back in the states. After getting back in late last night, and despite the time change, he went and volunteered at a homeless shelter this morning (assisting with medical stuff – he does this most weekends). He is doing pre-med classes and I think learning a lot about what practicing medicine might entail through his volunteer activities. I’m really proud of him for doing all this!
You are right to be proud of your college kid Laura. It sounds as if he is doing great things with his time, especially during what is often that difficult second term at college, after the excitement of the first term has vanished and the long hard slog through the winter months sets in. I know both my daughters struggled with what is called Epiphany Term (January to March) at Durham University for all three years of their degrees. I remember the same for me with every Hilary Term at Oxford over 40 years ago. And teenage and older daughters are the best when there is a family social event to go to!
@Katherine – thanks! He is doing well. And yep, the winter slog can be hard. Boston is not known for gret winters!
Hi Laura, I always love to see how much you fit in your weekends 🙂 How have you found having a college kid? My eldest is only 15, so a few years off university (what we call college here in the UK!) but I already feel so anxious about him ‘flying the nest’. I don’t want to feel that way as I know it will be an exciting time for him no doubt, but I don’t feel ready at all!
@Becky – Weekends are always an adventure! I love that he is growing up and building his own life – so exciting for him. And we still chat a lot! We see him on breaks, some times extra weekends, and I think will this summer. So I think it’s just a little different, not a complete break, and that helps.