"TGIF" According To My Granddaughter, Marisa

Photo of Vermont's Green Mountains by Evie

Beth's Interpretation Of Vermont's Green Mountains

It's now quarter to eight and things are settling down, or should I say quieting down.  I was up at 6:30 and Evie was already up making the lunches for the kids, getting them breakfast.  Everyone was up by 7:00 and I then took Mitchell to school, then Marisa to the bus stop.  Now it's time to relax with a coffee and finish this blog.  Beth has a workshop and Rami a doctor's appointment.

The Melancholy Of A Winter Gray Sky

Yesterday was still cold but not unbearable.  Beth went to her art class, then out to lunch afterwards with a few of the people in her class.  Ramiro worked all day from home, what a boon to be able to work from home rather than take the train into the city everyday.  Evie and I hung out, straightened up things around the house, cleaned up the breakfast dishes, before I decided to go to a coffee shop, something different.  It's an upscale joint called NEAT, packed with people, so I was lucky to get a table.  I ordered a latte, sat down to read my book when Beth' neighbor, Stephanie happened by so I offered to let her and a friend sit down as well.  So, as they talked about their kids college plans, I read off and on, as it's not so easy with a couple people talking at your table, the hum of others and the traffic.  So I finished up my coffee and walked outside and it was snowing, big flakes and for some reason it reminded me of Christmas, go figure that.  So I walked around town for ten minutes, enjoying the cold air, the  snow flakes hitting my face, thanking the gods it was not Christmas.

Playing Words With Friends

For lunch, Rami and I warmed up the leftover Greek chicken and rice, a tasty and easy lunch.  Then I watched Sports Center, which were highlighting the big game between the Cavs and Golden State, a preview, perhaps, of the NBA finals.  I finished my book ONE PLUS ONE, by Jojo Moyes, which I liked and started a book my sister Ellen highly recommended called THE PAYING GUESTS by Susan Waters.  So far, so good.  I then took a brief nap until Marisa and Mitchell came home.  Both, liked good soldiers, immediately went upstairs and worked on their homework.  I never remember coming home from school and immediately going upstairs to get my homework done.  This was something only girls did, not guys!  Marisa was editing a short story she had written. I did not know what editing was until I started teaching writing and was never asked to write a short story in high school or college.  So much for the idea that schools are worse than they were back in the 1950's and 1960's.  I think they are better by far.

Happy To Be Cooking For Her Family In Connecticut

I took Cody for a long walk around 4:30, up the neighboring street, Fox Hill, and back and by the time we returned, Cody had had enough, and also ran home to the warm house.  As Evie got our dinner of pork schnitzel ready to fry, I quizzed Marisa on her vocabulary words, and she easily knew some very difficult works. I was curious where her teacher came up with this list.  About 6:30 we adjourned to the sunroom for a great dinner, a platter full of pork schnitzel, broccoli, roasted red potatoes and salad.  Everyone love the pork, even the broccoli was almost gone.  As we were finishing up, I started talking about how I had earlier read a recipe called 'I want chocolate cake' cake.

A Late Night Run To Costco For Their Five Layer Chocolate Cake

Well, that started everyone talking about the amazing five layer chocolate cake at Costco and one thing led to another and within fifteen minutes, Marisa, Rami and I were driving to Costco, to get this mammoth cake.  Costco, of course, was brightly lit and busy.  When Marisa picked up the cake to put it in the cart, she almost dropped it because it was so heavy. We made it home by 8:30, quickly cut pieces of the cake for everyone, and watched some TV until 9:00 when it was bed time for her.  The adults then watched the next episode of Better Call Saul, a much ballyhooed series which I cannot get into, nor can Evie.  So far, it's not compelling, silly at times, and awfully confusing because of it's flashbacks.   Not sure if we will stick with it when we get home.  I was happy to go upstairs to my book and bed.