Weekending [2012's first snow]

Saturday's wet, cold rain
a bit sideways, a bit windy
just-after-dawn's darkness
five mile run
was it all up hill?
wet socks, cold fingers, stale lungs, burning legs
had me thinking half-marathon training is tough stuff
sharing the pavement with girlfriends is essential stuff
it took a hot mocha, hot shower, fleece couch-y snuggles
and most of the damp day to recover
Sunday's birthday start:
cards and coloring and crayon notes of love:
I love you Daddy and You're My Best Friend, Daddy and Hapy Daddy Luv
and Happy Birthday To You sung on repeat
snow, steady and slow and slight
only on our side of the island
western shore with enough for a snowman
while we had
so much for fairies, it's really knee-deep for them, Mama
snow,
just thankful it came at all
so slight,

frosts the old white pickup

punctuates a fence

like glitter, she says,
I think I'll stay a while and count flakes

turns a puddle into diamonds, she says
and we spend an hour harvesting for the fairies

on the leaf like butter on my waffle, she says

it was past nap
cold nose, cold lips, she says
in her language I know so well
sad when the flakes stop falling
pick up, she says
in her language I know so well
when it didn't bring her any closer to the snowflakes
still, thick and grey and stuck in the clouds
she's ready
for the pacifier I made her leave inside

she's ready
for story time snuggles
first cup of hot chocolate with many mini marshmallows

mid-afternoon
Lucy runs into the kitchen
What, do you want the cake to get moldy?!
made the day before
she couldn't wait
I'd even heard her down stairs
in the middle of the night
Yes, I was down there checking to see if anyone had cut into it yet, says Lucy
she loves Daddy and cake and birthdays and
Boston Cream Pie,
the official dessert of Massachusetts and my heart,
it's easy to give their little hands kitchen control
there's so much perfection in pride:
it tasted delicious

dinner at a restaurant with a boat in the dining room is best

even better when friends are arranged to surprise the birthday boy
even when Lucy says
I'm not going to tell you, Daddy, who is surprising you at dinner
I'm not going to tell you, Daddy, that it isn't only us at dinner tonight
not her fault, she'd carried the secret around too long
and believes dinner with good friends is best
just like a weekend
when snow comes to the island
steady and slow and slight.
:::
joining Amanda