CALVIN'S TEA PARTIES

Toddlers are funny. You do something one time, and suddenly it's a tradition, and has to be done the exact same way, every single time they come to your house. Until, just as suddenly, it's not, and they are on to something else.

Right now it's tea parties, thanks to his special Curious George tea set that Papa brought home for him. A few of Annie's Cheddar Bunnies are kept in a special metal tea tin, and they like to hop, hop, hop right into his mouth. Then there is diluted cranberry-blood orange tea, which rarely makes it as far as his mouth. Oh, and don't forget to pound the heck out of some ice cubes, to make tiny slivers that will fit in his wee little cups. Not that he'd ever let you forget one single step of this important ritual!

This week was the first time he ever insisted on bringing all his cars and trains to the tea party, and he arranged them in that perfect semi-circle all on his own!

I love these little rituals, and plan to enjoy them to the max, for as long as they last!

DESIGNATED DAYS AND HUBBY'S ADVENTURES

I used to make fun of people like this -- the ones who did certain things or ate certain foods on certain days of the week. Now I am one, and I don't even know how it happened! I guess it started with The Muses and our Tuesday morning get-togethers at the coffee shop, which were usually followed by trips to the library and grocery store, while I was there in town. So, Tuesday became errand day. Then, when our first grandbaby came along, Papa John and I offered to bring lunch over and play with the baby once a week for the first couple of months, so Lex could relax or catch up on things she needed to do. We enjoyed those weekly visits so much they just never came to an end, so Thursdays became "Goober Day".  Fridays became Hubby's and my "Date Day", Wednesday became appointment day, weekends were filled with adventures and family time, and lest I end up with no time whatsoever to do art or any of the things I personally wanted to do, I finally declared Monday to be Stay Home And Get Shit Done Day! Most times I don't even bother to get dressed on Mondays (a subtle reminder not to ask me to go anywhere or do anything) and putter around in my nighty, going happily from one project to another, with generous reading breaks in between.

Date Day is actually movie day. We love going to see all the newest movies as soon as they come out, and the best thing about being retired is being able to go on a Friday, during the day, to avoid the weekend crowds. Ever since the big new theater in Kyle opened, we've been going there, followed by lunch at Garcia's or Hays City or Mama Fu's. We do, however, have very different taste when it comes to films, one loving action films and the other preferring one involving an actual plot or story, so we take turns picking what to see. This week it was Hubby's turn to make the plans. Luckily, he chose a film based on a YA dystopian book series, so there was something in it for both of us. However, I suspected something more was afoot when he insisted that we go to the theater in San Marcos instead of Kyle. Why? He just felt like doing "something different." He also wanted to go to an afternoon showing instead of an early one.  Hmmmmm.

When he drove right past his favorite BBQ joint afterwards, I knew he had something up his sleeve, and this was it -- Patio Dolcetto.

Wine. Craft Beer. Tapas. Patio.

Now that's what I call a date!