School runs quite late here, and it wasn't until Friday, June 24, that Rachel was finally done.
I volunteered to bring over sidewalk chalk and help supervise games at Madison Manor Park, which is within walking distance of our house, where the entire 2nd-grade class was having its end-of-year party. When I arrived at my designated time, about 11 p.m., any effort at organization had deteriorated. Kids were wheeling each other around in a little red wagon, hanging out on the play structure, playing with soccer balls in the field.
Rachel was upset that all the other kids had had their turn in the wagon and Sydney wanted to pull her around in it. No one was letting that happen, and so she came to me, teary-eyed and whining a bit that "It's not FAIR!" Having just dealt with the Sydney issue, I didn't want to barge in and insist that the other kids give Rachel a turn. So I looked at her and said, "FIGHT FOR IT!"
I walked away to talk to a parent, and later saw that Sydney and Rachel had prevailed and that Sydney was pushing her around.
The best part was when Rachel came up to me afterward and said, "Thanks, Mom. That was good advice." I was floored.
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Father's Day!
We had a wonderful Father's Day visit with Grandma and Grandpa.
I met them for dinner on Thursday night before the weekend, and then on Friday we toured Arlington National Cemetery. (I had been before, but walked only a bit of it, to John F. Kennedy's grave -- only to find out it was closed for repairs. This was soon after we arrived in D.C. in 2013.)
Mom, Dad and I ended up taking a tour on wheels -- and, man, did we see and learn a lot. The weather was perfect, just like summer in Oregon, and it was longer and more informative than I thought it would be. So glad that we got to see the cemetery that way.
That night they came over for roast lamb, popovers and a berry tart. We all had a great time talking and laughing.
On Saturday, we toured Hillwood Gardens, the home and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, which I had deliberately not done until I could see it with them. Rachel was somewhat impressed with the lavish interior -- Post was quite a collector -- and then we had a great time touring the outside. Rachel really impressed Drew and me with her insistence on pushing Grandma's wheelchair, holding her purse when needed, etc. It's as if she grew into the role of junior caregiver by knowing instinctively that she had to step up. What can I say? It was astonishing to watch.
We had arranged for a babysitter Saturday night, which Rachel was very happy about -- she occasionally urges us to go out on dates -- and then Mom, Dad, Drew and I went to the Oval Room, a fancy restaurant near the White House, and then back to Arlington to Buzz Bakery, our favorite cupcake place. It was great fun insisting that Mom and Dad take cupcakes back to NY with them.
On Sunday we met them for a Father's Day brunch at the hotel. Rachel wore a very grown-up maxi-length tie-dye dress and sandals, and snuggled in Drew's arms for most of the brunch. Then we said our goodbyes, with Rachel pushing Grandma in her wheelchair yet again.
Altogether, it was a lovely weekend.
I met them for dinner on Thursday night before the weekend, and then on Friday we toured Arlington National Cemetery. (I had been before, but walked only a bit of it, to John F. Kennedy's grave -- only to find out it was closed for repairs. This was soon after we arrived in D.C. in 2013.)
Mom, Dad and I ended up taking a tour on wheels -- and, man, did we see and learn a lot. The weather was perfect, just like summer in Oregon, and it was longer and more informative than I thought it would be. So glad that we got to see the cemetery that way.
That night they came over for roast lamb, popovers and a berry tart. We all had a great time talking and laughing.
On Saturday, we toured Hillwood Gardens, the home and gardens of Marjorie Merriweather Post, which I had deliberately not done until I could see it with them. Rachel was somewhat impressed with the lavish interior -- Post was quite a collector -- and then we had a great time touring the outside. Rachel really impressed Drew and me with her insistence on pushing Grandma's wheelchair, holding her purse when needed, etc. It's as if she grew into the role of junior caregiver by knowing instinctively that she had to step up. What can I say? It was astonishing to watch.
We had arranged for a babysitter Saturday night, which Rachel was very happy about -- she occasionally urges us to go out on dates -- and then Mom, Dad, Drew and I went to the Oval Room, a fancy restaurant near the White House, and then back to Arlington to Buzz Bakery, our favorite cupcake place. It was great fun insisting that Mom and Dad take cupcakes back to NY with them.
On Sunday we met them for a Father's Day brunch at the hotel. Rachel wore a very grown-up maxi-length tie-dye dress and sandals, and snuggled in Drew's arms for most of the brunch. Then we said our goodbyes, with Rachel pushing Grandma in her wheelchair yet again.
Altogether, it was a lovely weekend.
End-of-year report card
Here is what Rachel's teachers had to say:
--Ms. Burke: It was a pleasure watching Rachel learn and grow this year in second grade! She has shown great growth both academically and socially. She is very responsible and always eager to learn. Rachel is reading above grade level and successfully participated in literature circles. While I know she is a voracious reader, please continue to encourage her to read independently over the summer. Rachel demonstrated mastery of second grade math concepts and showed an improvement in her perseverance when given challenging material. She also learned the basics of multiplication as well as various strategies for solving multiplication problems. This is a skill that students are expected to master in third grade, so practicing her times tables up to 5's over the summer would be a great way to keep those skills fresh. Rachel had a great end to a wonderful year and I have no doubt that she will continue to thrive in third grade!
--Mr. Aubrey (phys. ed): Rachel worked well with her peers this quarter. She was creative and competitive during our Bean Bag Bocce unit. I look forward to watching her improvement next year.
--M. Mautawalli (art): Rachel is doing a wonderful job in art class expressing herself effectively. I really liked the tin can flower pot Rachel created in art class.
--Ms. Burke: It was a pleasure watching Rachel learn and grow this year in second grade! She has shown great growth both academically and socially. She is very responsible and always eager to learn. Rachel is reading above grade level and successfully participated in literature circles. While I know she is a voracious reader, please continue to encourage her to read independently over the summer. Rachel demonstrated mastery of second grade math concepts and showed an improvement in her perseverance when given challenging material. She also learned the basics of multiplication as well as various strategies for solving multiplication problems. This is a skill that students are expected to master in third grade, so practicing her times tables up to 5's over the summer would be a great way to keep those skills fresh. Rachel had a great end to a wonderful year and I have no doubt that she will continue to thrive in third grade!
--Mr. Aubrey (phys. ed): Rachel worked well with her peers this quarter. She was creative and competitive during our Bean Bag Bocce unit. I look forward to watching her improvement next year.
--M. Mautawalli (art): Rachel is doing a wonderful job in art class expressing herself effectively. I really liked the tin can flower pot Rachel created in art class.
Sydney, Part 2
So, while I was still upset over the whole Sydney/end-of-the-year party incident, Rachel did something that I thought was pretty remarkable.
She told Sydney, or Sydney somehow found out, that Simone would, in fact, be coming to her party. She demanded of Rachel, "Why did you invite her?"
"I didn't invite her, my mom did," Rachel said.
"Tell her not to do that!" Sydney said.
"No," Rachel replied. "Simone is my friend."
"Oh, FINE," Sydney apparently said, and stomped off.
That kid is headed for "mean girl" status in middle school, if not before, and I find it extremely difficult to be pleasant to her these days (although I must say that the few times she's been in the house, she is noticeably more polite that she used to be. Probably because she senses that Drew and I just will not put up with bullshit). I just hope that Rachel won't stick with her or put up with abuse because of loyalty. But her standing up for herself was a good start.
She told Sydney, or Sydney somehow found out, that Simone would, in fact, be coming to her party. She demanded of Rachel, "Why did you invite her?"
"I didn't invite her, my mom did," Rachel said.
"Tell her not to do that!" Sydney said.
"No," Rachel replied. "Simone is my friend."
"Oh, FINE," Sydney apparently said, and stomped off.
That kid is headed for "mean girl" status in middle school, if not before, and I find it extremely difficult to be pleasant to her these days (although I must say that the few times she's been in the house, she is noticeably more polite that she used to be. Probably because she senses that Drew and I just will not put up with bullshit). I just hope that Rachel won't stick with her or put up with abuse because of loyalty. But her standing up for herself was a good start.
A conversation with Ms. Burke
So, I was so upset about what had happened with Sydney and Simone that I ended up talking with Ms. Burke about it. (In addition, Kelly, the mom of one of Rachel's friends, Libby, had mentioned that Rachel and Sydney seemed to spend all their time together and that she tried to separate them at Brownie meetings because they were monopolizing each other. And, more disturbingly, that Sydney was unfriendly to Kelly and that Rachel, when she was in Sydney's company, was unfriendly, too. Kelly said that it seemed that a cloud had come over Rachel this year, which I pegged to Sydney's influence.)
Ms. Burke, who is something like 26, said she would talk to her mom, who is also a teacher, about how she had kept her daughter away from girls who were bad influences in middle school. But she clearly remembers that there was one girl that her mother forbade her to have sleepovers with (even though, Ms. Burke acknowledged, she probably could have handled the situation on her own and her father would have okayed the sleepovers because he wasn't really aware of what was going on).
She also, much to my relief, said she would recommend against Rachel and Sydney being placed in the same third-grade class next year. Drew and I plan to write a letter to the principal reinforcing that next month, just to be sure.
Ms. Burke, who is something like 26, said she would talk to her mom, who is also a teacher, about how she had kept her daughter away from girls who were bad influences in middle school. But she clearly remembers that there was one girl that her mother forbade her to have sleepovers with (even though, Ms. Burke acknowledged, she probably could have handled the situation on her own and her father would have okayed the sleepovers because he wasn't really aware of what was going on).
She also, much to my relief, said she would recommend against Rachel and Sydney being placed in the same third-grade class next year. Drew and I plan to write a letter to the principal reinforcing that next month, just to be sure.
Sydney
At the annual McKinley auction, Drew and I successfully bid on some free passes to Flight, bounce house about an hour away. We told Rachel that she could invite three friends, and she chose Sydney, Simone and Kennedy. She said she'd take care of asking all three.
A few nights before the event, we asked Rachel who was coming. She said that Simone had declined because she has a free pass to Flight and could go anytime. That seemed odd to me, especially since I had told Simone's dad, Larry, about the party during the botanic gardens field trip. (Simone has a lot of activities and family things, so it's hard to catch her for a playdate, and I was especially interested in her coming to this one.)
I emailed Larry about Simone's refusal and he said that seemed odd to him, too.
I came to learn that what happened was that Sydney had expressed displeasure about Simone coming, and Simone heard about it and said she didn't care. When Drew and I finally got that out of Rachel, I was absolutely livid. I told Rachel in no uncertain terms that from now on, Mom and Dad would be in charge of invitations. Then I marched into the study, called Larry and just plunged in: I explained the confusion, apologized for it and said we would LOVE to have Simone come. I ended up planning the timing around an event Simone had to go to the day of the party.
Larry mentioned that it was sad that Sydney was being a "mean girl" and trying to get the other kids to bend to her will, and I agreed -- and grimly resolved to myself that I would never let this happen again.
A few nights before the event, we asked Rachel who was coming. She said that Simone had declined because she has a free pass to Flight and could go anytime. That seemed odd to me, especially since I had told Simone's dad, Larry, about the party during the botanic gardens field trip. (Simone has a lot of activities and family things, so it's hard to catch her for a playdate, and I was especially interested in her coming to this one.)
I emailed Larry about Simone's refusal and he said that seemed odd to him, too.
I came to learn that what happened was that Sydney had expressed displeasure about Simone coming, and Simone heard about it and said she didn't care. When Drew and I finally got that out of Rachel, I was absolutely livid. I told Rachel in no uncertain terms that from now on, Mom and Dad would be in charge of invitations. Then I marched into the study, called Larry and just plunged in: I explained the confusion, apologized for it and said we would LOVE to have Simone come. I ended up planning the timing around an event Simone had to go to the day of the party.
Larry mentioned that it was sad that Sydney was being a "mean girl" and trying to get the other kids to bend to her will, and I agreed -- and grimly resolved to myself that I would never let this happen again.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Class blog
Yes, Rachel's class had its own blog this year. Here is what Rachel posted in mid-June:
I have never ever posted!!! I wonder why Ms. Burke doesn't let us use emojis??? Hmm. I'll come back to that one. READ THIS POST RIGHT NOW!!
She also reads news-o-metic, a news site for kids, on her iPad regularly. She calls it "my favorite app EVER."
This is why we were able to have a very lucid and enlightening conversation with her about Brexit. She knew it was about immigration, that it involved England, etc. etc. It really is a pleasure to have conversations with her at the dinner table these days.
I have never ever posted!!! I wonder why Ms. Burke doesn't let us use emojis??? Hmm. I'll come back to that one. READ THIS POST RIGHT NOW!!
She also reads news-o-metic, a news site for kids, on her iPad regularly. She calls it "my favorite app EVER."
This is why we were able to have a very lucid and enlightening conversation with her about Brexit. She knew it was about immigration, that it involved England, etc. etc. It really is a pleasure to have conversations with her at the dinner table these days.
Weekend in the city
The weekend before Father's Day, we decided to go into the District. It was Rachel's suggestion to see the Jefferson Memorial, and we decided to take a paddleboat out, too.
Luckily our boat had a canopy because it was BEASTLY hot outside. We really had a great time paddling on the Potomac. Rachel started out with Drew, but quickly got tired and asked to rest. So I switched seats with her and paddled as far as the middle of the river, then turned around to go back. I thought I'd want two hours on the water, but I quickly got tired and realized that one hour was enough.
Then we walked to the Jefferson Memorial and explored the statue and the museum downstairs. On the way back, we walked past the FDR Memorial and then the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. But that time, Rachel and I had insisted that we wanted a snack (we had bought water with us, but quickly ran out -- and we'd had a late, big breakfast and hadn't planned for lunch).
Well, the snack bars run by the National Park Service close at 6, and the closest Metro was the Arlington National Cemetery one -- and, boy, was it a hot, ugly, uncomfortable slog back. Poor Rachel was practically dead by the time we got to the Metro, but she really kept her complaining to a minimum (and apologized that she hadn't done better when I praised her for keeping her chin up).
We decided to go to Pupatella, a local pizza place, for dinner, and then got ice cream -- FINALLY -- at Carvel. Great topping to an exhausting day.
Luckily our boat had a canopy because it was BEASTLY hot outside. We really had a great time paddling on the Potomac. Rachel started out with Drew, but quickly got tired and asked to rest. So I switched seats with her and paddled as far as the middle of the river, then turned around to go back. I thought I'd want two hours on the water, but I quickly got tired and realized that one hour was enough.
Then we walked to the Jefferson Memorial and explored the statue and the museum downstairs. On the way back, we walked past the FDR Memorial and then the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. But that time, Rachel and I had insisted that we wanted a snack (we had bought water with us, but quickly ran out -- and we'd had a late, big breakfast and hadn't planned for lunch).
Well, the snack bars run by the National Park Service close at 6, and the closest Metro was the Arlington National Cemetery one -- and, boy, was it a hot, ugly, uncomfortable slog back. Poor Rachel was practically dead by the time we got to the Metro, but she really kept her complaining to a minimum (and apologized that she hadn't done better when I praised her for keeping her chin up).
We decided to go to Pupatella, a local pizza place, for dinner, and then got ice cream -- FINALLY -- at Carvel. Great topping to an exhausting day.
A note to Mom and Dad
Rachel wrote this to us about a month before her birthday:
Dear mom & Dad, I know you will proboly say no to this but can I redecorate my room? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEESE say yes! If you do, on your right is what my room likes like now, on your Left is what I want my room to look like. I hope you say yes!!
Your responsible & Loving daughter,
Rachel
P.S I also want to turn the wheel thing by my desk Into a...Nightstand!
Dear mom & Dad, I know you will proboly say no to this but can I redecorate my room? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEESE say yes! If you do, on your right is what my room likes like now, on your Left is what I want my room to look like. I hope you say yes!!
Your responsible & Loving daughter,
Rachel
P.S I also want to turn the wheel thing by my desk Into a...Nightstand!
An autobiographical poem
Rachel and her classmates were assigned to write autobiographical poems in class. Here is what she had to say:
Rachel DeSilver
smart, funny, caring
Daughter of Drew and Lisa
Who loves Books. chocolete and cupcakes
Who feels passanite about The mets
Who needs a good Book, friends, and more chocolete
Who gives Hugs, Smiles, and laughs
Who fears Tornados, Hurricanes and Brussul Sprouts
Who'd like to see the great wall of china
Who dreams of traveling the world
A student of Ms. burke
Rachel
Rachel DeSilver
smart, funny, caring
Daughter of Drew and Lisa
Who loves Books. chocolete and cupcakes
Who feels passanite about The mets
Who needs a good Book, friends, and more chocolete
Who gives Hugs, Smiles, and laughs
Who fears Tornados, Hurricanes and Brussul Sprouts
Who'd like to see the great wall of china
Who dreams of traveling the world
A student of Ms. burke
Rachel
Outdoor Shabbat
Our new synagogue here does what our old synagogue in Portland used to do -- holds services outside. On June 10 they had a "Hot Shabbat" service with fajitas, adult beverages and drinks for the kids, a bounce house, and a service in a wooded part of the property. We went last year, but it rained as we were eating and so they moved the service to a part of the property that was covered by an awning.
This year, the weather cooperated. Rachel disappeared into the bounce house after we arrived, then ate only a tiny portion of chicken and then disappeared again. I started getting upset, anxious and angry and then decided I'd just have faith that we'd find each other. Sure enough, we did, and we set up our seats within reasonable distance of the service. Rachel went off to explore part of a creek with some other kids, but came back and sat next to me toward the end.
I took a few photos of her sitting next to me, her rapt, glowing face taking in everything around her. It was a lovely night, not too hot or buggy, and I thanked God that we were there, in the moment, enjoying the relaxing night.
Eventually Drew showed up and took Rachel off to play while I lingered. As it got dark the bugs came out, and we collected up the chairs and then chased Rachel near the bounce house. It really was a magical evening.
This year, the weather cooperated. Rachel disappeared into the bounce house after we arrived, then ate only a tiny portion of chicken and then disappeared again. I started getting upset, anxious and angry and then decided I'd just have faith that we'd find each other. Sure enough, we did, and we set up our seats within reasonable distance of the service. Rachel went off to explore part of a creek with some other kids, but came back and sat next to me toward the end.
I took a few photos of her sitting next to me, her rapt, glowing face taking in everything around her. It was a lovely night, not too hot or buggy, and I thanked God that we were there, in the moment, enjoying the relaxing night.
Eventually Drew showed up and took Rachel off to play while I lingered. As it got dark the bugs came out, and we collected up the chairs and then chased Rachel near the bounce house. It really was a magical evening.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Field trip!
The last field trip of Rachel's school year was to the National Botanic Gardens in D.C. on June 8. (It had been scheduled for a week earlier, from 10 a.m. to noon, and all the parent chaperones got there...only to find that NO ONE HAD ORDERED THE BUSES, so we had to turn around and go home. I ended coming back and taking a nap because I had gotten up extra early after working a late shift the night before.)
Anyway, I carpooled in with the same group of moms. Rachel and three of her classmates and I had to go around and identify their favorite plants/flowers, the tallest, the shortest, etc. I told everyone to stay close to me but of course they all ran ahead, and for a while I thought I'd lost them for good. I was upset, and seeing my distress Rachel chased all of them down and was VERY STERN with them. I had to take her aside and say that it wasn't her job to tell them what the rules were; it was my job, and I should have outlined the rules at the beginning. One of the kids, Olivia, annoyed me to no end by trying to nail me down on exactly how far away she could be from me -- a foot length? Arms length? I finally told her that I thought she was smart enough to figure out that she needed to stay close by and that I would refused to give her an exact length. Since there were only 15 minutes left at that point, she managed to follow my directions.
We all had a picnic on the lawn, and Rachel really wanted me to play tag with her classmates. I said no. She was also upset when I wouldn't hang out at the nearby fountain with her because the kids were gathering at another place to take a group photo. "Well, if you don't want to spend time with me, FINE," she said, stomping off.
I guess that in a couple of years, it's ME who'll be saying that. Sigh.
Anyway, I carpooled in with the same group of moms. Rachel and three of her classmates and I had to go around and identify their favorite plants/flowers, the tallest, the shortest, etc. I told everyone to stay close to me but of course they all ran ahead, and for a while I thought I'd lost them for good. I was upset, and seeing my distress Rachel chased all of them down and was VERY STERN with them. I had to take her aside and say that it wasn't her job to tell them what the rules were; it was my job, and I should have outlined the rules at the beginning. One of the kids, Olivia, annoyed me to no end by trying to nail me down on exactly how far away she could be from me -- a foot length? Arms length? I finally told her that I thought she was smart enough to figure out that she needed to stay close by and that I would refused to give her an exact length. Since there were only 15 minutes left at that point, she managed to follow my directions.
We all had a picnic on the lawn, and Rachel really wanted me to play tag with her classmates. I said no. She was also upset when I wouldn't hang out at the nearby fountain with her because the kids were gathering at another place to take a group photo. "Well, if you don't want to spend time with me, FINE," she said, stomping off.
I guess that in a couple of years, it's ME who'll be saying that. Sigh.
Turner turns 1
Our across-the-street neighbors, both of them, had kids within the past year. Margo and Turner were born within a few months of each other. Turner's birthday party was June 4, and after a morning family bike ride, Rachel and I dropped in to see the birthday boy.
He was sooooo cute -- Rachel drops everything at a "Turner sighting" and races outside to say hello -- and she hung around him as much as she could. At one point his parents told her to move aside so they could take photos of him eating (smooshing) his birthday cake with a single candle in it. He was so neat; he barely made a mess. Rachel meanwhile, wandered around his house and, apparently, talked to several adults there. One of them came up to me as we were about to leave and said, "Your daughter is so friendly and...(she searched for a word)...well behaved."
"Thank you!" I said. "We work hard on that."
He was sooooo cute -- Rachel drops everything at a "Turner sighting" and races outside to say hello -- and she hung around him as much as she could. At one point his parents told her to move aside so they could take photos of him eating (smooshing) his birthday cake with a single candle in it. He was so neat; he barely made a mess. Rachel meanwhile, wandered around his house and, apparently, talked to several adults there. One of them came up to me as we were about to leave and said, "Your daughter is so friendly and...(she searched for a word)...well behaved."
"Thank you!" I said. "We work hard on that."
Gifted
We received a letter in the mail that Rachel qualifies for gifted services in language arts after we filled out a form explaining why we thought she deserved/needed that designation. We met with the gifted services adviser, Kevin Trainor, to hear his assessment.
He said that Rachel thinks globally and makes connections that are very unusual for someone her age. Most kids can maybe connect what they read to something else around them, but Rachel thinks very widely, he said: "It's almost like she's an Old Soul."
I replied, "People have been telling us that since she was really little."
He suggested that during the summer she do puzzles and math games, including memorizing her multiplication tables (because that's what the kids are doing in 3rd grade) and gave us some books. Drew makes sure that she does some multiplication almost every day, and so far she hasn't resisted.
The gifted designation stays with her at least through middle school. Which is good, because we both want the school system to challenge her as much as possible.
He said that Rachel thinks globally and makes connections that are very unusual for someone her age. Most kids can maybe connect what they read to something else around them, but Rachel thinks very widely, he said: "It's almost like she's an Old Soul."
I replied, "People have been telling us that since she was really little."
He suggested that during the summer she do puzzles and math games, including memorizing her multiplication tables (because that's what the kids are doing in 3rd grade) and gave us some books. Drew makes sure that she does some multiplication almost every day, and so far she hasn't resisted.
The gifted designation stays with her at least through middle school. Which is good, because we both want the school system to challenge her as much as possible.
Catching up
Reaaaaallly long break from the blog. Sorry, people: A lot has been going on.
Let's start with Memorial Day. We had a great time with Auntie Rachel -- she graciously agreed to watch Rachel while Drew took me out for a fabulous anniversary dinner (our 19th) at Fiola Mare, a fancy restaurant I've been dying to try. It was fabulous -- they kept giving us free things: gazpacho, champagne, little dessert candies and a card written in calligraphy for the occasion. Can't wait to go back.
We saw "Love and Friendship" afterward, which I thought was pretty bad. When we got home, Rachel told us she and little Rachel had watched "Frozen" together.
On Saturday, I was scheduled to attend a picnic for a story I'm working on. It got canceled at the last minute, which was fine because I really would have preferred to spend it with Drew and the two Rachels. So...I got to grill mustard-covered chicken (actually, Drew grilled it and it came out PERFECTLY), make popovers and salad, and then had dessert. It was lovely sitting outside and eating without being bitten to death by bugs or fainting from the heat.
On Sunday morning, Rachel invited Rachel and I to an all-female brunch with a friend of hers, Jamila, who lives in the District. Little Rachel got bored halfway through, so we played Scrabble until I told her that we really had to rejoin our hostess. Jamila was so kind; she gave Rachel some books and a bag of pure vanilla beans. I made it to work just in time for Drew to pick Rachel up (and, we found out later, he unfortunately got a speeding ticket on the way there).
Let's start with Memorial Day. We had a great time with Auntie Rachel -- she graciously agreed to watch Rachel while Drew took me out for a fabulous anniversary dinner (our 19th) at Fiola Mare, a fancy restaurant I've been dying to try. It was fabulous -- they kept giving us free things: gazpacho, champagne, little dessert candies and a card written in calligraphy for the occasion. Can't wait to go back.
We saw "Love and Friendship" afterward, which I thought was pretty bad. When we got home, Rachel told us she and little Rachel had watched "Frozen" together.
On Saturday, I was scheduled to attend a picnic for a story I'm working on. It got canceled at the last minute, which was fine because I really would have preferred to spend it with Drew and the two Rachels. So...I got to grill mustard-covered chicken (actually, Drew grilled it and it came out PERFECTLY), make popovers and salad, and then had dessert. It was lovely sitting outside and eating without being bitten to death by bugs or fainting from the heat.
On Sunday morning, Rachel invited Rachel and I to an all-female brunch with a friend of hers, Jamila, who lives in the District. Little Rachel got bored halfway through, so we played Scrabble until I told her that we really had to rejoin our hostess. Jamila was so kind; she gave Rachel some books and a bag of pure vanilla beans. I made it to work just in time for Drew to pick Rachel up (and, we found out later, he unfortunately got a speeding ticket on the way there).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)