Day 28 - February 6: There's Got to be a Morning After

A thick fog of disappointment blankets New England today.

Day 27 - February 5: Builder and Friend

Douglas and his brother, Stuart first met Paul and Lucille in 1992 - they were newlyweds hoping to add a small dining room alcove.  The brothers had a good feeling about these two.  Twenty years and many projects later, Paul and Lucille are dear friends and wonderful clients.  Upon completion of their stunning carriage house, they dedicated the building to the memory of Stuart.  The foyer floor is a gorgeous mosaic bearing Stuart's initials, which greeted us as we arrived for the Super Bowl party tonight.

Day 26 - February 4: Boden Mania

Today the stars were aligned.  How else do you explain my family leaving me alone on the same day my favorite catalogue is hosting a warehouse sale at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston?  Douglas and Stuart were skiing in New Hampshire with the Boy Scouts and Lane was off with her Saturday ski group.  I decided the only way to drown my lonely sorrows was to subject myself to the frenzy of hundreds of women (and a few crazy men) pawing through mounds of clothing in a cavernous hall in search of the ultimate bargain.  I left with a few things I couldn't live without (it's Boden afterall!) and then went in search of my other guilty pleasure - a Starbucks tall, non-fat, decaf latte. The perfect ending to the perfect self consumed day.

Day 25 - February 3: Thank You

My brother, Pete is a builder in San Francisco.  He was a philosophy major at UC Boulder, and has studied both the teeter board at circus school and Buddhist meditation somewhere other than circus school.  He has a unique view of the world and is one of the most genuine and joyful people I know.  He also writes a great thank you note.  Today Lane received a handwritten note from Pete that was Pure Pete.  He talked about how much he loved the book she'd sent him on graffiti art in San Francisco's Mission District and that finding the pieces he hadn't yet seen would be like going on a treasure hunt.  His letters are full of life, just like Pete, and receiving one today reminded me of two things - how much I love receiving handwritten notes in the mail and how much I love Pete.

Day 24 - February 2: "Well, Swell"

My dad's sister, Margy is a great story teller.  She taught grade school for many years in Palo Alto and spends summers traveling with friends to the far reaches of the world.  These trips provide her with a lot of great material, but she pulls from ordinary life as well - and with her dry wit, delivers very funny stories.  One day, she went to the DMV to get license plates for her new car.  After paying the fee, the clerk handed over two shiny new plates.  In an attempt to clear up the obvious misunderstanding, Margy asked him how the plates would actually get on the car.  Unapologetically, the man handed over a screwdriver.  With the new plates in one hand and the screwdriver in the other, Margy stood before her car in the DMV parking lot and sighed, "Well, swell".  Today I went to REI to buy a ski carrier for the car.  As the three strapping young men wedged the ski carrier designed to go on top of my car inside of my car, I suggested that it would make a lot more sense if they just put it where it was intended to go.  They responded that installation was not included but would be "really easy".  I drove away thinking of Aunt Margy. 

Day 23 - February 1: When Did Life Get This Complicated?

Over the past week, Douglas and I have met with our insurance agent, our financial planner, and today, our lawyer.  In between meetings, I've spent a lot of time sorting through files, making lists, and staring at spreadsheets.  I am quite grateful for two things.  I'm grateful that we have these people in our lives - they are indeed trustworthy and beyond proficient.  I'm also most grateful that by the end of the week, I can file away all of this administrivia and get back to the fun of life.

Day 22 - January 31: The Last Night for Lights

We have a 45 foot scraggly pine in the backyard.  Ten months of the year we swear we're going to rid ourselves of the unsightly mess - and then December comes along.  For two long months, it stands proudly, draped in big old fashioned colored bulbs, bringing Christmas cheer to the many drivers and pedestrians who pass by our house.  Each night, our kids gaze at it through their bedroom windows until their eyes close.  We leave the lights on through January and then magically, on Valentine's Day, they reappear for one more night.