The Adams Family

McKibbin: I found the HBO John Adams series.
Me: The one that won all those Emmy's? Ten or something wasn't it?
McK: Mmmm, thirteen.
Me: Really? Thirteen Emmy's?
McK: Yeh. Want to watch it with me?
Me: Sure, I like John Adams. He married well.
McK: Yeh...and he was the second President of the United States...
Me: That too.
McK: Continental Congress...signed the Declaration of Independence...
Me: He had many fine qualities.
McK: Most notably, though, he married well?
Me: Marrying Abigail, having her as your life-long confidant, it's a display of impeccable judgment.
McK: I see. You know, Abigail Adams is in this HBO series too.
Me: Great, then I'll watch it.
________
Currently Watching: John Adams (HBO)
Waiting for Me @ The Library: The Gathering by Anne Enrich
Current Undertaking: Listing 25 Books that Have Shaped My Life
Dinner Line-Up: Pesto Veggies, Tomato-Mozzarella Salad, & Cornbread

Considering This A Moral Victory

I have a cold and woke up this morning with no urge to go running. I went running anyway.

Six miles today. Actually, I felt a lot better having sweated it out. I squeegeed my treadmill with antibacterial spray, mopped the sweat from my face, and walked into the bathroom to find this sign at the sink:




The sign reads "Please remember to turn off the faucet."

Three Things Fitting Loosely Together In My Brain

I.
I started training this week, in earnest, for the Lincoln Marathon. With my running schedule stepping up both in frequency and intensity I feel a little tired, sore, and exhilarated. The tired and sore combination, while significant, is less potent than the exhilarated sensation.

II.
McK has focused his energy recently on baking the perfect bread. He'll do that sometimes, not just with bread, but generally fixate on something and quietly work at it to get it just right. One time it was brewing beer, another time he refined his praline candy making skill-set, his cheesecakes also have a large fan-base willing to mobilize anywhere his latest creation lands.

Recently the fascination has been bread. Mentioning it, or complimenting his work too readily grates against the task somehow. My praise waits for any small indication he’s pleased with the results. The bread baking task has yet to meet McK’s standards, which is too bad because it buttons up a mouthful of compliments from my end.

His lingering dissatisfaction, though, inspires a warm, earthy smelling house at the close of each day. And I find my husband, somewhere in close proximity to the kitchen, with a thin dusting of flour on his skin. Walking in the door is a measurable, and essential departure from the rest of my day.

Working in the environmental field, the responsibility of stewardship, the implications of our lives and actions on the planet…sometimes it leads to a general sense of…oh, I don’t know…I wouldn’t call it sadness exactly…just a spiritual heaviness.

McK’s latest attempt at the perfect, fresh baked bread was an artesian sourdough. The warm breath of it, let alone the culinary accomplishment, was dizzying and wonderful.

III.
The weather forecasters all said it was coming, warned us for days as we reveled in 60 degree weather, that a snow storm was on it's way. Friday, they said. Heavy snow. School was canceled by 10 pm last night. Everyone got out their snow-blowers, pulled the car into the garage last night, located the ice-melt, and waited.

The harsh weather was slow to get going. Mid morning before the first, lazy flakes fell. There was no particular rush, I suppose.

With her waking breath N planned our snow-day date at the Meadowlark this afternoon. The genesis of this snow-day “tradition” was last year when I was struck by a wicked case of cabin-fever. I thought if I stared at the same four walls for another instant N and I would both suffer the bitter consequences. To save ourselves from that ugliness we bundled up, walked to the Meadowlark, shared hot chocolate and played a good stint of OUTBURST (the board game).

Sometimes, just when I think I just can't possibly move from under the weight of this snow, it helps to head out the door and prove that theory false.
_______

N Reading: The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
Weekend Soundtrack: Appalachia Waltz (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor)
Dinner Line-Up: Black Bean Cilantro Nachos
Double Whammy: I finished both my book and the HBO Series Rome this week. I never take the endings of things gracefully.

I Spy

My friend, Colleen (& Naomi who wants in on the action), dares me to do the following:

Find the directory on your computer that stores your pictures.
Select the fourth folder in the directory.
Select the fourth image in the folder.
Post it to your blog and describe it.

Description:
Each year I scan some of Naomi's artwork and create brag books for her grandparents. The books sport pictures of Naomi and pictures by her. The attached image is a 2008 Naomi original. I believe it is a self-portrait, composed after watching the Nancy Drew movie. Naomi is peering through a magnifying glass.

One Word Answers ...To Life's Persistent Questions

1. Where is your cell phone? Atlanta
2. Your significant other? Brainy
3. Your hair? Disappointing
4. Your mother? Steady
5. Your father? Open
6. Your favorite thing? Naomi
7. Your dream last night? Silly
8. Your favorite drink? Cocoa
9. Your dream/goal? Purpose
10. What room you are in? Office
11. Your hobby? Jogging
12. Your fear? Cruelty
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Quiet
14. Where were you last night? PTO
16. Muffins? Pumpkin
17. Wish list item? Bat-free
18. Where you grew up? Havelock
19. Last thing you did? Reboot
20. What are you wearing? Soft
21. Your TV? Big
22. Your pets? Dead
23. Friends? AWESOME
24. Your life? Delicious
25. Your mood? Edgy
26. Missing someone? Nope
27. Car? Eco-fabulous
28. Something you're not wearing? Sunglasses
29. Your favorite store? Coop
30. Your favorite color? Green
33. When is the last time you laughed? Today
34. Last time you cried? Bedtime
35. Who will resend this? Dunno
36. One place that you go to over and over? Safari
37. One person who emails you regularly? Mom
38. Favorite place to eat? Chipotle
39. Why you participated in this survey? Curiosity
40. What are you doing tonight? Movie

(Thanks, Maija, for the prompt to complete this list)

Weekend Soundtrack

I make no secret of the fact that McKibbin and I are kitchen dwellers. Each weekend I cook a pot of soup or flat of lasagna. I feel better on the approach to each week if I have something in the fridge as fall back in case McKibbin or I are too busy to cook or uncharacteristically struck by culinary apathy.

My Saturday cooking habits were scheduled around Weekend America offerings from my local NPR station. McKibbin had long since cast of from these Saturday kitchen excursions. Happy with the left overs, he isn't one to plan ahead and definitely isn't one to listen to Weekend America.

As he left me alone that first, of many, Saturdays retreating upstairs to his computer he joked about Weekend America hybridizing NPR's All Things Considered and NBC's Today Show. Too trite for my husband's tastes but I rather liked it. Weekend America afforded me some time in the kitchen by myself.

The show was lighter fare news, certainly. but something about me liked the smaller, more chatty focus. The Good-News, Bad-News, or No-News Section always made me laugh. The calender announcements alerted me to Valentine's Day events, and Elvis Festivals across the country. Most of all it was the Weekend Soundtrack segment that marked the show for me.

The segment begged the question which song just sings weekend to you. Maybe it was the backdrop to your greatest day ever. Maybe it's a song that brings you to tears.

Each weekend I'd ask myself what was on my weekend soundtrack, and position it against the people who actually had the guts to phone in to tell their story. I was one of those arm-chair companions for the segment offering up plenty of songs from the anonymity of my kitchen. The soothing noise of Nora Jones Come Away With Me throughout my pregnancy. Ani Difranco marking my 2008 election season. will.i.am providing my personal Presidential Inauguration soundtrack.

I'm sad to report that Weekend America has been canceled. To be honest the coming weekend looks a shade lonelier than most. Anyway, if you notice a Weekend Soundtrack entry at the bottom of these posts I thought it only fair to properly credit the inspiration.
----------
Weekend Soundtrack: Nelly Furtado's I Will Make U Cry
Currently Reading: The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller
Friday Night Dinner Line-Up: Vegetable-and-Cream-Cheese Pizza & Spinach Salad
Friday Night Movie: Cold Mountain (2003)
Anxious to Attend: Skyler's 8th Birthday Party