Perfect morning

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After take-out Mexican, good wine and Friday's Real Time, I headed down to the basement "hotel room" to continue my 18-hour holiday (thank you again, in-laws). I read approximately 4% of the material I'd carried down - material I've been toting for weeks in a vain effort to stay informed and/or sate my interests - before deciding it was absolutely bedtime; why risk missing the boat to sleep that is my Circadian rhythm. Insistent mewing from Nutmeg, in addition to an assertive attack on the door - seriously, does he carry a tiny yet powerful cat club? - woke me sometime after 6:30am and we had a nice snuggle until he got nippy. Now, I'm nestled on our comfiest couch, a warm cup of good coffee in hand, the Sunday Times spread around me indulgently; I might actually get three sections in before the kids come home! The door to the deck is open, letting the sound of the magnificent breeze outside blow through, the sun is shining through the trees, the greens of spring/summer are positively aglow. The birds seem to be engaged in an enthusiastic kaffeeklatsch, the squirrels are acting like they've joined a high-wire stunt circus, Percy is to my left, snoring on a silk shantung pillow that he co-opted and licked so much that it is now definitely his (how precious is this situation I ask; cue the eye roll), Nutmeg is sitting in front of the screen door in full-on hunter-mode, and I've got my feet propped on the boys' PurFun mini-trampoline as if it's the best ottoman around.

It doesn't get much better!

Aah

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Jack won 2nd place in his first-ever chess tournament, and his team won 1st. I am bursting with pride. He was so excited and relaxed, and isn't not being saddled with any nerves just fantastic? It is! Jack takes second place in his first chess tournament

This afternoon has been a marvelously zen one. After I got home, I worked in the yard for a while, and then, as I always do when the boys aren't here, threw away pounds of crap (there's really no better word in this instance) that usually, my little hoarders want to keep. Why an empty juice box would ever seem like a treasure is beyond me, but anyway, it's now gone. I did some work for my writing class and have just hit the wall, in a good way. It's nice to recognize and appreciate a productive, happy day and to then be able to stop when your body calls for a cease-fire. Thank you again to my in-laws who are hosting Camp Grandparents for the night. I'm going to have a glass of wine and do that crossword that I've been thinking about since this morning.