Good Things Friday (44)
December 12, 2019
1. JB had a play date without us monitoring for the first time! O_O
It was a huge step for me for a lot of reasons but it was with a group of kids we’ve known for a couple of years and parents that we get along with well, so … we gave it a try. It was a much longer visit than we planned. Ze was totally worn out but we had good reports: zir manners were excellent, when ze was upset by a scary bit of a show ze just went and asked an adult to sit with zir instead of emulating the behavior of a cousin that I can’t bear (screaming at the top of their lungs until the scene is over). We spent some time chatting with and laughing over parenting stories with the parents before taking zir home and I think that really made a difference. We like this group of kids enough to offer to set up a date night rotation so we can exchange free babysitting with them.
2. PiC was razzing me about always wanting to try the local Peruvian cuisine. There are two ingredients that feature heavily in Peruvian cuisine that he doesn’t care for, so he always focuses on them. But I have vision! At least when it comes to food. Peruvian is so much more than cooked tomatoes and plantains! There’s not much in the way of affordable Peruvian, it’s mainly the fancy places here, but I found a small hole in the wall sort of place to try and I sold him on their fresh chips and salsa. Once there, we were floored by the new to use dishes that were amazing: Sopa Siete (no carbs, no sugar, perfect for me!) and Tallerines Saltado Carne. This was a huge treat. As was PiC’s mea culpa for doubting me. š
3. It feels like it’s been a full year of intentional effort in building on our local relationships, particularly with each socializing encounter eating up a lot of my limited energy, but I am being hopeful that it will be worth the investment. PiC and I want to keep investing time and effort in our people and relationships, and I’m glad we’re on the same page.
In the past two weeks, we have had more spontaneous socializing than I’ve had in the entire several years before this: we ran into a friend at daycare and asked them over for dinner. We had a friend ask to drop by with a gift for JB and they stayed to lunch, no big deal. I’m not at the point where I can host like Angela does but I do like that within reason (I’m still a massive introvert after all). Say, one or two weekends a month sounds good.
4. I commented that I didn’t have time to do the laundry over the weekend as an offhand reminder to myself to do it during the week after I cleaned out the washer drum of fur. Because he was up early and rested, PiC remembered what I said and did all the laundry on Monday morning before I got up. BONUS: I was able to change into fresh from the dryer warm clothes! Best. Partner. Ever.
5. I love this from Terry Pratchett’s Dodger (bold mine): “Money makes people rich; it is a fallacy to think it makes them better, or even that it makes them worse. People are what they do, and what they leave behind.”
6. I feel CRUNCHED for time this week and next. We have a lot to prepare for various holiday cards and gifts for a lot of loved ones. Even keeping it relatively minimal (cards for most, photos as keepsakes to remember our time spent together), there’s still a whole lot left to do: putting notes in for some people, sorting out the 115 photo prints I ordered to gift to some folks, stamping them and addressing them. I know PiC would help but he and I have VERY different ideas of when these things should be done and it’s less annoying to me to do it than to rush him. I’d rather have him do other things that I don’t like and where the timeline doesn’t bother me. He’ll do all the food and car packing up when we travel, for example, or scrub the sink (hate), the toilets (hate), and maintain the cars.
Sounds like a great week, and yeah for a playdates where you don’t have to be present! That sounds fabulous.
I was in London all week, and we’ve tried to keep things simple this weekend (soccer tournaments, and chores/prep in between). It’s been pretty peaceful, all things considered.
I am definitely feeling some anxiety about how much I have to accomplish before I wrap up for the week on Friday. But, then it will be a glorious two week vacation. We fly to Portland on Saturday, & then head to the Oregon coast. So very excited for mellow, relaxing beach time.
And seriously, huge wins for a partner who steps in to help out. My husband & I have very clearly delineated chore lines, which typically makes things work smoothly – we each know exactly what we have to accomplish, we both do it with zero prodding from the other, etc. i do need to be better in asking for help when I fall behind & need a hand. It’s pride in my way, for sure.
Hawaii Planner recently posted…Menu planning, bonus, raise & other financial stuff.
There were lots of unmitigated good things last week. Before Friday anyway š