dual personalities

Well, welcome back to posts from Daughter #1. My blogging days for the past two weeks fell on national holidays so I took them off. Apologies to those I disappointed.

Tonight, my boss, back in town for the start of the legislative session, wanted to go to the bar after work. And you can’t say no to the bossman, right?

Over the holiday, I read a number of books. A friend proudly wrote on insta that she normally only reads like one book a year (I kid you not), but in 2019 she read 17. Using audible. Congrats. I read five over the holiday. I read Donna Tartt’s The Secret History, which was engrossing but very depressing. I re-read at least three Longmire books, which always feel like visiting old friends. And I read Amor Towles’ Rules of Civility. I knew I would love this book from page one.

It was what the social columnists liked to refer to as “a superlative affair.” The men were in black tie, echoing the palette of the photographs, and the women wore brightly colored dresses hemmed at every length from the Achilles tendon to the top of the thigh. Champagne was being served off little round trays by young unemployed actors with flawless features and the grace of acrobats. Few of the guests were looking at the pictures. They were too busy enjoying themselves.

A drunken young socialite in pursuit of a waiter stumbled and nearly knocked me to the floor. She wasn’t alone in her condition. At formal gatherings, somehow it had become acceptable, even stylish, to be drunk before eight.

As my mother wrote in a post about Amor Towles’ A Gentleman from Moscow, “when I finished, I was tempted to turn back to page one and start again.” But seriously. What an absolute treat to read a book that felt so effortless. I tried to read it slowly and was a little sad when I reached the end.

I loved, too, that many scenes happen in my favorite building in New York City, the Beresford. The building was around the corner from my apartment (the difference between Central Park West and Columbus Ave is rather vast) and was my beacon when figuring out where I was when running in Central Park.

My mother gave me this picture for Christmas and I absolutely love it. I am not someone who found New York, as it is commonly described, as feeling full of possibility. To me, New York felt out of reach, even while living there. Because of course, when imagining what it would be like to live in New York, one pictures witty dinner parties and interesting people. Being caught up in whatever is happening. I pictured it more Nora Ephron and less How I Met Your Mother (that is, less meeting your friends at the same dive bar for eight years). I only ever made it to an apartment with a terrace overlooking the park at the Nightline holiday party.

The reality is that few people are actually interesting anymore–and those that are, don’t live in New York City. I’ll take happy hour at Paddy’s in Jefferson City over drinks in a bar with people who impress themselves any day. 

Now, I’m reading A Gentleman from Moscow and really can’t believe they are going to let Kenneth Branagh ruin it. Except that I can. Talk about people who impress themselves.

It was a quiet first weekend in January — we went back to work at the end of last week, but didn’t really get going. It’s odd to think that a week ago we were still in Nashville, gallivanting around! This week it’s really back to the salt mines.

In the meantime, I did plenty of lounging around, reading books, and tidying this weekend. I got a new vacuum cleaner in the mail (which I purchased with Christmas gift cards–very grown up of me) and was pleased with the results. Maybe I’ll be like all the people who leave vacuum cleaner reviews on Amazon: “It’s so fun to use, I want to vacuum!” Maybe.

We went out to the suburbs and I had a successful trip to Michael’s, where I got a wrapping paper tub for half off after my sister clued me in to their sale. Gee, I am sounding really fun! I wrapped up the weekend with my first yoga class in months, so I’m sure I’ll be feeling that all week. I rewarded myself with a hot bath using fancy bath products I got for Christmas–again, I have cultivated a scintillating lifestyle in adulthood!

I didn’t manage to take any photos of all of this robust activity, so I was looking for a Peanuts cartoon (or something) to share. I liked these, from January 1960:

The series made me laugh–“She prefers to be called an educator!”–and also reminded me of the wee babes, who have been known to pray for their teachers. I gather that today is the end of winter break for many teachers, though we are still in the quiet of winter term on campus. Hang in there, everybody!

The party’s over. The house will seem big and empty without the antics of my three guys, the last of whom leaves today. It was wonderful to have them all home for a few days and we had a grand time. In fact, we had so much fun that we took no photos. Not a single one. Suffice it to say that we opened presents, played various games, ate way too much, hosted the bride-to-be’s family, and talked, talked, talked. By last night we were all exhausted so we decided to relax by watching Local Hero, a favorite film that I have not seen in years. It was the perfect choice.

Local Hero has incredible scenery

and wonderful, quirky characters.

Whose baby?

The comedic timing is perfect…

and, of course, it has one of the greatest soundtracks ever.

Local Hero was the perfect choice for the last night of vacation. Really, it’s the perfect movie to watch almost anytime, especially when you need to be reminded of how good life really is. That’s all I’ve got for this bleak (it’s snowing) Saturday in January, but maybe it’s enough.

Happy New Year!

I am happy that it is January — a new month, new year, new decade. I did not post anything summative or inspirational on Instagram, but I did inevitably reflect a bit. Born at the turn of a decade, I can easily associate decades with phases of my life. My twenties are now ending and my thirties beginning! This last year (29 + 2019) brought about a number of challenges and accomplishments, so I feel happy to see what the next decade brings. If I have a resolution, it’s probably just to keep up a positive mental attitude, be humble, and stay grateful. Easy, right?

We invited one couple over to toast the new year with dessert and snacks. They left at 10:30 p.m. so we could all go to bed. Isn’t it nice when everyone is on the same wavelength?

I am glad we made it home in time for a quiet New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day before heading back to work. We unpacked gifts, took down Christmas decorations, vacuumed up pine needles, and refreshed some corners of the apartment with our new (and new-to-us) presents. It’s always nice to do a little rearranging as it forces one to take stock of what’s already out, what could be put away, what needs dusting, etc. (Everything always needs dusting.)

Pretty new tray from my sister

Truly awesome lamp from my mom

Antique dresser from my parents’ house that I’ve had my eye on for a while. It needs some more zhooshing and maybe a big mirror to replace the BMA print that was already hanging there. A good project for future scouting!

My dad was using this dresser at home, and when he heard I was taking it with me at Christmas, he seemed a little panicked that nothing would replace it. “Where will I put my things?” Doesn’t he know my mom can fill a gap in furniture-needs with the snap of her fingers? Well, thanks for sharing in the meantime.

*Henry David Thoreau, from Walden

Greetings from the road! DN and I left St. Louis on Friday after four solid days of family time and Christmas celebrations. We packed the Subaru full of gifts and some large items that have been waiting for us in St. Louis. What would we do without my mother’s furniture scouting on our behalf?

DN drives so capably; I still have a huge face

We made our way to Nashville, TN after an overnight it stop in Paducah, KY. We are enjoying our Southern tour, which includes feasting on lots of traditional cuisine…

A crawfish pot pie with amazing pastry

Listening to lots of wonderful live music…

At the Ryman Auditorium for the Grand Ole Opry

Touring the sights…

We did not last long on Broadway, but we did a quick walk through after the Opry and then came back the next day for a tamer version

And shopping in lots of different neighborhoods.

This was a very fancy store in the 12 South neighborhood. They had every extremely expensive brand that I see on Instagram, such as Lele Sadoughi, which makes $200 headbands. I bought a box of matches.

Nashville is a very interesting city with lots of different vibes: from downtown honky tonk at the Wild Horse Saloon to ritzy shopping at Draper James (Reese Witherspoon’s clothing store) and everything in between. We stayed in the hip East Nashville neighborhood, which fits into the “everything in between.” Less cowboy boots and more flannels. We ate great food and there were lots of fun places to walk and explore. More than other cities we’ve visited (like Portland, OR, where we felt conspicuously square), it seems like Nashville is an inclusive place — you don’t have to be hip, or cool, or honky tonk for that matter. Anything goes! That felt nice.

I enjoyed returning to city I visited more than once as a child (and again in college, though that was a very idiosyncratic experience tied to a fraternity outing). Country music was something we all enjoyed and I remember the Nashville trips being fun. Here we are staging an Opry photo op:

Am I snapping?

I loved that alphabet sweater a lot, which adds to the good memories here!

Monday marks the end of our trip. Keep us in your thoughts as we drive 10.5 hours home to Maryland — we are praying that it doesn’t rain the entire way!

While my DP and her wonderful family celebrated Christmas, we have postponed ours until our children can join us. One arrived yesterday and the other two are due in today and early tomorrow. Meanwhile, the presents remain around our tree and we continue to hum Christmas carols.

The delay has been relaxing but a bit discombobulating. We never seem to know what day of the week it is, and while we haven’t hit Groundhog Day unreality, we are living in a kind of Narnia-like “always winter but never Christmas” limbo. C’est la vie. We’ll catch up. One thing’s for sure: the delay has not been good for my waistline, the state of which this cartoon accurately describes.

Obviously, the thing to do is to throw out the calendar, embrace our situation and pretend it’s December 24th. Keep the travelers in your thoughts and prayers, keep eating bonbons, and make every day a spiritual Christmas!!