And we also had a busy John’s birthday weekend before.
Last year we were in Chicago for John’s birthday, but he was so busy with work we never even saw him. This year we had brunch with John & Megan the weekend before, and found out that not only were John & Megan coming to Madison on John’s birthday, their Dad and Cheri were coming from California. Finally getting their turn to meet Jasper.
Holding the baby like it was guitar
Grandma Cheri & Jasper
But of course, since we didn’t know we had all this family coming in, we already had a busy-ish weekend. Our gang of retired librarians & archivists was having a tamale party on Saturday afternoon, and then we had a Madison Symphony concert and the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra Gala back-to-back on Sunday afternoon.
But it all worked out. We had a big family brunch out on Sunday morning, John’s birthday and Jasper’s 4 month milestone, and then everyone proceeded to their other stuff. John and Jeff got to walk on State Street and stop in at record stores, and Emma had curling and took Jasper for the first time.
#One Me holding Jasper – looking smirk-y and jowl-y. John’s shoulder & Megan’s hand to my right, Al’s hand on my left. Jasper is enchanted by the ceiling fan.
Emma & jasper at curling
And just to be totally vain, and kinda like the eye doctor says, which is better, which do I look like more, #One, #Two, #Three (tho Three is cheating because I’m 13 in that shot). Personally I vote #Two.
#Two, 2-22-2023
#Three, Debby Shapiro in 1968
Getting to the actual Tuesday in the aforementioned tittle, shortly after I got there I took Jasper for a stroller walk.
The we played a bit and he napped but he was still kinda cranky. Emma set me up to rock him and as I was kind of hoping, I got nap-trapped for half an hour – he fell really asleep in my arms. I had had a terrible night’s sleep Monday; I think sinus infection. I woke up at 4:30 all stuffed up, mouth dry, and kept feeling like I had to pee, but when I tried nothing. Never went back to sleep so I finally got up at 5:44. So the nap-trapping was refreshing.
Notice my knees in flowered legging, foreground
Between that and working at the food pantry in the AM, I got 2.6 miles that day. Not my highest since getting off crutches, that would be Sunday 3/19 and Friday 3/24 at 3.5 miles each. Though my health & exercise calculator still says “you’re burning less calories”. Duh.
What else …
I made banana streusel muffins on Friday so they’d be around for people to eat in the weekend. I used my blueberry muffin recipe and subbed 3 mashed bananas for the 2 cups of blueberries and added some pecans and I think I used a bit more milk. Although golly looks like I already have an actual Banana Streusel Muffin recipe, with sour cream.
And speaking of getting food for people to eat over the weekend, I got half a dozen Gotham bagels on Saturday morning. We only ate one. Sunday I sent four back to Chicago with John & Megan, although as John pointed out, “We have Gotham Bagels in Chicago, mom”. Monday I had the last one toasted with cheese and tomato for one of my first desk brekkies in a long time.
And that desk brekkie reminds me – more milestones. Monday I did a full day in the office, took the bus there and back, and John, our neighbor up the street, got a puppy. He used to have a pug named Elvis and after Elvis left the building a bit before pandemic, he said he wouldn’t get another dog, and didn’t – not even a pandemic pup. But now he’s got the cutest baby pug, all black – and its name is Blanco. Seems very hopeful to me. This isn’t Blanco, but similar. Blanco is (of course) more solidly black.
And here’s anther random baby pic, just because. See overleaf for Jasper’s St. Pat’s Day outfit.
