Books, Breezes, and a Homecoming

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . savoring the cool breezes of an overcast morning.

. . . drinking strawberry lassi with the kids. We all agreed it was much better than the mango one I made last night.

. . . Phillip coming home from his trip. It's so good to see his face and hear his voice again.

. . . reading an essay called No Good Stopping Place by a man who adores good books.

And another thing . . .

. . . you know you're a parent if you invite a four-year-old to help you bake and she dumps a few things into the mixing bowl, then accidentally upends the flour canister when she's horsing around, and you still thank her for being helpful.

. . . some friends loaned us their Candyland game this week, and it is Joy's new favorite pastime. I enjoy it well enough, but I find that as an adult I feel greater trepidation about picture cards the closer I get to the end. As a child I only thought about how close I was getting to my goal; as a grownup, I am increasingly conscious that the more I progress, the more likely it is that a picture card will send me back (possibly WAY back) instead of forward. I suppose you could debate whether that reflects a mature, big-picture perspective or jaded cynicism.

Also, whenever I look at the illustrations on the Candyland board I find myself craving peanut brittle.