Twenty-Eight

Today we’re celebrating our 28th anniversary. We’re the atomic number of Nickel, the atomic mass of Silicon. We’re the standard number of tiles in a box of dominoes. Our binary representation is 00011100, and if we were a 28-sided polygon, we’d be called an icosikaioctagon.

But when you delve deeper, you’ll see that we’ve worked hard to have a good, happy, adventurous life together. We’ve raised the world’s most amazing son. We’ve raised and survived the world’s best dogs, Penelope and Maggie … and most recently added Daisy Marlalade to the family. We’ve got both of our mothers. We’ve got our sweet LeighRoy. Life is good. We’re so fortunate, and we’re so thankful. And 28 years is a huge fucking deal!

Adventuretime! Cookie delivery edition

Me and Rah-Rah had an exciting day in Durham today, spending some time at Leighroy’s station, having a tour (wahoo!), and delivering a bunch of cookies! Rosemary shortbread, along with M&M, treasure chest, oatmeal raisin, and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Check out how capable our girl looks — and actually is. What a day! We even had time for lunch at Guglhupf on the way home. I mean …

Adventuretime! Errands

Me and Rah-Rah made a quick stop for lunch at our old trusty Belted Goat today. It’s the perfect spot between home and the Big City, particularly when we’re running errands. Once lunch was done, we re-donned our masks and got in some steps through Fearrington. It was hot, but refreshing.

Adventuretime! Plus one edition

We decided to take it easy today and walked around downtown for a bit, then had lunch at the Small B&B Cafe. With my son, who everybody is crazy about. Neither Rah-Rah nor I bothered with fixing up our hair today because we’re still on the tail end of a super windy day yesterday. I wore my Paris beret, and Rah-Rah said she didn’t feel like setting her hair for a Cat-5, so you get what you get. What adventures have you been up to lately?

I’m adding this here because it’s one of my favorite photos. Mom’s always willing to do the craziest stuff for a photo. Here, she’s dreaming of being a hula hoop queen like Peggy Noodle, Hoop Queen, in my first children’s book. Go, mom!

Adventuretime! Watercolors edition

At the beginning of the year, I started having Adventuretime! with my mom as a way to keep her active and engaged. We have a tasty lunch, do a little exercise, and use some brain power. Some weeks we color, some weeks we dance, some weeks we walk. This week, we headed to my mother-in-law’s house to do a little painting.

My MIL’s a retired math teacher, so it’s no surprise she was able to do a quick watercolor lesson. We started with a chaos background and built up from there. Lunch was a collective effort of homemade chicken and Israeli couscous soup and salad. And since we’ve all gotten COVID-19 vaccinations (the moms are finished, and I’ve gotten my first dose), we had free Krispy Kreme donuts for dessert. I mean …

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Adventuretime! Silver sneakers edition

Patty Pineapple is a force to be reckoned with, and in her late seventies still runs circles around people decades younger than her. She’s an old pro at Silver Sneakers and has great advice and resources on stretching and senior yoga. This week, she wowed us with her exercise ball … by the time I got home, my husband had ordered one for me and Rah-Rah. Now we are all badass athletes with professional equipment.

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Adventuretime! Nordic walking poles edition

Now that Rah-Rah’s an ‘active senior,’ and basically an athlete, we got her some Nordic walking poles. Or as she likes to call them, “my sticks.” My friend Denise’s mother, Omi, is German and an old pro at the walking poles and gave me some good advice: “Make sure you stand up straight, don’t reach out.” It was good advice, and jives with Rah-Rah’s habit of getting her hips under her before she begins walking … she’s got two bionic knees. Check her out:

Adventuretime! Vaccine edition

Have you gotten your COVID-19 vaccination yet? Our family is underway. Rah-Rah, Patty Pineapple and our son’s girlfriend, Leighronious have already gotten their first shots. My husband is up next, followed by me (community college adjunct) and our son (frontline journalist). Within the next 10 days, we should all be somewhere on the vaccination spectrum. Thanks to everyone in the community who’s doing their part to keep each other safe, and thanks to our frontline workers who are keeping the country going! PS. Check out mom’s new specs. #winning

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Adventuretime! Birthday coloring

Whereas my mother-in-law is a watercolorist in her retirement, Rah-Rah is a color-pencilist in hers. Check out her new coloring book. She’s not a drinker, so she had OJ Simpson to drink while I had rose while we colored.

Adventuretime! Tomato soup edition

Laziness ensued today, so we opted to make tomato soup and sit and visit. Our friend Carol sent me some great French nesting measuring cups. Check out Rah-Rah’s new specs.

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