Celebrations, milestones and golden gifts (7 Quick Takes)

~1~

My friend Katie came for lunch one day this week. She brought the most delicious lunch for us—and Chick-fil-A for our boys. We sat at my dining room table and chatted, catching up in person. It was so wonderfully normal and relaxed. I’m really enjoying connecting and reconnecting with people I’ve missed so much over the past 15 months. Bit by bit, it feels as if we are reclaiming our lives.

~2~

People keep asking me our plans for the summer. We have no plans beyond a couple trips. Otherwise, this house, which has served as a virtual school for so long, will be declared a virtual-schooling free zone. Our family summer reading program will kick off, and we will pay the children by the minute to read. Our boys will swim and run and play and relax. We will get together safely with friends and family. And we will drink gallons of frozen lemonade.

Unstructured summers are the best.

~3~

Our younger son graduated from fifth grade yesterday in a very sweet in-person ceremony. He has been studying virtually all year but participating in an in-person ceremony was irresistible.

I had tears running down my face through so much of the ceremony. I cried for what he has gained and what he has lost through the pandemic. I cried because when we transferred our children to that school years ago, I was so afraid that it wasn’t the right move. But it was perfect for both of our boys.

I cried because the teachers and administrators there have been extraordinary. I cried because our little boy is growing up. But I cried mainly with pride and joy to think of all he has achieved in his first 11 years of life. He’s going to do great things. And I am just so very blessed to be the mother of this child who was born to another woman on the other side of the world.

~4~

Yesterday was also a big day for our finches as we celebrated the first anniversary of the day we met our pet birds, Ron and Hermione. We gave them corn on the cob to enjoy, and we bought a little ladder for each cage.

I decided to wait to install the ladders this weekend since anything new in their cages creates such chaos and concern.

If you’ve been following along, we have four birds because Ron and Hermione had two babies in September. So, we’ll have to have bird birthday celebrations at some point, too. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

~5~

We celebrated my colleague Molly with a baby shower this week in my backyard. I always love hosting, but I have to say that hosting a party outside on a beautiful day might be my favorite. It was weather-themed, so I made a veggie tray in the shape of an umbrella, and one of my colleagues and I gave the food fun weather-related names. So, we had “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” “Tornado Chips,” “Meateorologist’s Platter,” “Ginger Hail,” “Sand-which way is the wind blowing,” and “Don’t slip on the ice cream cake.”

I don’t know why funny food names haven’t caught on as a party trend.

The weather for the shower was magnificent, and everyone seemed so thoroughly happy to be together for the celebration.

~6~

Right before the baby shower started, I noticed there was dust on a little balloon I had bought.

I grabbed a Clorox wipe to clean off the dust, but instead of wiping off the dust, it took the entire design off.

I’m fascinated that a balloon’s design can come off so easily.

You learn something new every day.

~7~

My parents’ wedding was 50 years ago today. I’ve been trying to figure out what to give them or how to celebrate them, but the pandemic has complicated things, and my siblings and I aren’t all in town.

At the very last minute, I thought of giving my parents gold-themed gifts. I went to the store and bought Yukon Gold potatoes, Golden Oreos, Goldfish, Golden Grahams, golden butter crackers, Rold Gold pretzels, and a few other items. I wrapped them in gold paper and delivered them.

There are many ways you can mark a 50th anniversary, but you can do worse than giving golden food. Still, it’s hard to compete with the sister who gave the statue of the pig eating an ice cream cone.

Find more quick takes on Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum.

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