It is 8:11am. The sun beams through the windshielf and with my right hand I'm rooting around for my sunglasses in my bottomless purse. "It's Friday, guys!" I chatter to the kids. "The weekend starts today!" "Star Wars pancakes tomorrow!" shouts LittleMan. "Dee-too-dee-too! Yay!" chimes in Babygirl, clapping. "It's R-2-D-2, Babygirl!" corrects LittleMan. He finds my eyes in the rearview mirror. "Mommy, I keep trying to correct her." The person in front of me is looking for parking and has slowed to a crawl. I switch on the left indicator to go around him, glancing quickly over my ... [READ MORE]
Whose Idea Was This, Anyway?
January 8, 2013 by 1 Comment
There are certain things I like to do at Christmastime, dammit. I like to go to see the dogs (okay, and the cats too) in the windows at Macy's. Those Macy's people really know what they're doing. Standing there, with a hundred wreaths of lights twinkling above, and the motorized figure skaters in carefully curated outfits whirling across a fantastical San Francisco landscape, and the SPCA puppy ("Hi, I'm Deeter" reads his nameplate) gazing out all moon-eyed...well, that would be enough, wouldn't it? But on top of all that there is music playing: majestically festive music, swelling out ... [READ MORE]
Share and Share Alike
December 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment
We are talking quite about the spirit of sharing these days. Not only to keep the peace at home -- which is important -- but also because it's the Season of Sharing, right? It's the time when we Do for Others, yes? LittleMan says, "I love Christmas. It's my favorite holiday." I say, "Because of the peace, love, and joy?" "Because of the TOYS, Mommy!" "OH! The toys, of course. I thought it was because of the lights and the music and the foresty smell of the tree in the livingroom." "I like all those things, Mommy. But I really like the toys too. I want ALL the toys."At this ... [READ MORE]
Rear Window
November 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
My first apartment in San Francisco was on Franklin Street on the border between Pacific Heights and Russian Hill. A small but stately building with musty old hallways but beautiful art-deco apartments, painted white and full of windows. Technically speaking, I had a roommate, a college friend, but she mostly lived with her boyfriend; in the 10 months we "cohabitated" I think she spent two nights there...and that was sort of awkward, because obviously, it was my home at that point. But I will not complain about any of this because I got a very good deal in the bargain. It was the height ... [READ MORE]
An Ode
May 1, 2012 by 3 Comments
One of the few, but worthy, benefits of waking before dawn every single day is the dawn itself. Our apartment is south-east facing, over the Bay Bridge and across the water to the Port of Oakland, and if you are seated in the polka-dot chair in the corner of livingroom, giving Babygirl her 5:30am bottle, you have a front row seat. The sun breaks over the South Bay hills and spreads its glow across the gray water, and the City comes to life underneath it; the first ferries arrive with the bankers and the teachers who need to be at work by 6:30 or 7, the garbage trucks begin their screeching ... [READ MORE]
Oh, We’re Just Passing Through…
November 2, 2011 by 1 Comment
In honor of Babygirl's arrival I have switched back to part-time work, and though my maternity leave officially ends after Thanksgiving, we ratcheted Babyman down to part-time daycare on November 1. Which means, of course, that yesterday was my first full day with two children, on my own. I'll kill the suspense here and tell you that it went really well, and I feel with some confidence that I can do this. (Though it also bears pointing out that in doing this I will do little -- read: NOTHING -- else. I will not read the paper, I will not watch the news, I will not download the new ... [READ MORE]
Cooking “Well”
July 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
It has been woefully long since my last post. I left full-time employment on June 30 and you'd think that would leave me with much leisure time for things like blogging, but we went on vacation for ten days and since then I have been in turbo-nesting mode. My husband oscillates between amusement at my third-trimester behavior and mild panic that all this frenzied laundering of baby clothes and re-organizing of closets means our second child is making its debut any minute. Cliches aside, I am quite enjoying having two days a week to putter at will before the baby is born, and I am dipping ... [READ MORE]
