Saturday

A pit stop for ice cream sweetens the prospect of running boring errands all morning:

Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream

While we were running around all over town, my husband finally got to do something he’s always wanted to. He spent the day volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, putting up drywall at this house:

I used to take my professor husband’s princely soft hands into my own calloused fishwife’s hands and jokingly hmph, “It’s clear you‘ve never done an honest’s day labor in your entire life.”

I guess I can’t do this anymore. Instead, the kids and I have been serenading him all weekend at the top of our lungs with: “BOB, THE BUILDER! CAN-HE-FIX-IT?! YES! HE CAN!!!”

I think he kind of likes it.

Sunday

In the morning I gave a presentation on “Adjusting to Life in the U.S.” for some new international students. I used this slide to illustrate culture shock:

In the afternoon, my family went to see a performance of Puccini’s tragic opera Madama Butterfly at the Paramount:

We did not experience tragic consequences in pursuit of this photograph:

As we drove back home I could hear Adventure Time playing on the DVD from the backseat, where the two youngest were sitting.

“Remember when you used to sing the Adventure Time song?” I asked my oldest son with fond nostalgia. I used to love it whenever he would sing the theme song with sweet and artless enthusiasm.

“Ugh. I did a lot of cringeworthy things back then,” my fifteen-year old replied ruefully.

“NO! I LOVED listening to you sing that song. I was so sad when you stopped,” I said.

“I’m going to tell you a sad truth about life,” my husband interjected, “Whatever you’re doing right now…in three years’ time – you’ll think is cringeworthy.”

I had to laugh, but I really hope that’s not true.

For now, I’m just going to enjoy the hymn of this lovely night: the thrum of crickets, the hum of the dishwasher, and the soft snoring of dogs at my feet.

Oh, lovely night! Stars unending! Never have I seen them so beautiful! Throbbing, sparkling, each star in heaven, like a fiery eye is flashing. Oh! how kindly are the heavens, Every star that shines afar is gazing on us, lighting our future for us…Ah! Lovely night! Thy perfect calm is breathing love near and far!