Treats for a Sunday, toy trains, and other pandemic fun (7 Quick Takes)

~1~

Did we give up desserts for Lent? Maybe? Probably? But Sundays are Sundays. So, this past Sunday I was thinking of making homemade apple pie. Then I thought of Rice Krispie treats—so much easier and faster to make. They were even more popular than the pie would have been, and they took hardly any time at all. Yum.

~2~

Right before the pandemic started, I was having a busy day at work and I canceled my dentist appointment to take care of some urgent project I can’t even remember. Then we launched into a pandemic, and I really regretted missing that appointment.

For months, I have avoided routine medical visits, but I finally decided the pandemic might have no end, and doctors’ offices might be the safest place to go. So, I went to the dentist, and I have no regrets. My mouth is so happy. And I took our sons to their well-child visits.

I can’t believe how much they have grown. I mean, I can see it just looking at them, but it’s still hard to accept that the little toddlers we used to know are now such giants. Our older son is ¼ inch shorter than I am—or he was three days ago. He’s probably surpassed me by now. It’s amazing to see your children grow. I’m grateful for all of it. But I can’t believe how quickly it happens.

~3~

In other news, I’ve leveled up to Level 40 in Pokemon Go. I might be the only person still playing this video game, but that’s what happens when your children persuade you to download a game, get you hooked on it, and move on to other games that are apparently much cooler. I’m not the only parent I know in this situation. I can’t decide whether that’s the good news or the bad news.

~4~

Our baby girl finch, Lisa, has been laying eggs, and it’s just so sweet.

She sits on them too, even though they haven’t been fertilized. I would think that nature would tell her that, but apparently not.

It’s amazing to me that a little finch that was born in September is already laying her own eggs. I don’t plan to have any more baby finches. I think two cages in two separate rooms is about what we can handle finch-wise here.

~5~

John’s dream is for his children to love trains, so he is thrilled that our younger son is taking an interest in his toy trains.

This week they set up some track on our basement floor and ran Lionel trains in a circle.

There is something so magical about trains. We even Facetimed with a few of our cousins and put the phone on the train so they could go for a ride.

~6~

My friend and colleague Eileen stopped by to drop something off Friday morning and texted me that it was on my windshield. It was then that I remembered that I had something for her—a newspaper with her photo in it—so I texted her to come back and ran outside in PJs, bare feet, and a coat to give it to her.

It’s still a little cold for bare feet, but it was a very pandemic moment.

It was funny because I had had a dream the night before about a surprise visit from a different colleague. He showed up unexpectedly without a mask, and it was a completely different experience. I’m not sure whether that means dreams come true. But the real-life visit was a fun start to my day.

~7~

How are your Lenten Friday dinners going? We had fish sticks this Friday, and I was so happy. I could eat them every week with pleasure.

I’m sure, though, that we will mix it up and have pizza and maybe grilled cheese and baked tilapia and noodles and sauce before this Lent is over.

I wrote about my love for fish sticks in this column, The Fish-Stick Dilemma. Apparently, I am not the only person who loves fish sticks because I’ve heard from a few friends who agree.

Find more quick takes on Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum, and have a wonderful weekend!

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