Can you hear me now?

We put a man on the moon. Why can't we make machine-washable cell phones?

My recent return to a career as a full-time domestic goddess is off to a rocky start. Though I did vacuum the whole house, clean one bathroom, weed and de-thatch the front garden, and make some very tasty biscuits to go with the seafood chowder I picked up from Petey's for dinner last night.

All good works cancelled out, financially and emotionally, when I didn't check the pockets of my husband's pants before doing the darks this morning.

Anyway, the dinner was good. John was just home from a three-day with layovers in Venezuela and New York City and Laura got home from a lacrosse victory in Merrimack. I think it is nice to come home to a clean house and good, warm food. Their pleasure is mine. In a weird vicarious way.

I thought about going to watch Laura's game, but it was pretty far away and it just seemed like excessive effort. I want to be a supportive mom, but not a stalker mom.

Laura scored the first two goals, she said, then assisted several others – a repeating pattern of achievement.

I love to watch her go to goal – dodging, adjusting vs. the defense, thinking, setting herself up for a good, well-placed shot. She is not quick, but neither is she slow. She is not unpredictable, nor is she completely predictable. She is simply, when moving in the direction of the goal, with the thought balloon over her head that reads "it's time for me to score," inexorable.

ADJECTIVE: Firmly, often unreasonably immovable in purpose or will: adamant, adamantine, brassbound, die-hard, grim, implacable, incompliant, inflexible, intransigent, iron, obdurate, relentless, remorseless, rigid, stubborn, unbendable, unbending, uncompliant, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding. Idioms: stubborn as a mule (or ox) . See RESIST.

Hm. Her personality, actually.

I do plan to stalk on over to UNH this Sunday for Anna's last concert choir performance of the year. They are too good to miss. The conductor is a bit of a mad genius, from Australia.

At dinner I tried another riesling. Lately I've been sampling. I thought I only liked red wine, but suddenly I'm in a May mood for the cool, aromatic, Northern white. So far my favorite: J. Lohr White Riesling Monterey County Bay Mist 2006.

Aromas are like a blossoming peach tree and the stone fruit and mineral flavors are easygoing and lively.

Bonus: it is mildly effervescent.

A favorite writer and domestic goddess just won three National Magazine Awards. Go read anything by Caitlin Flanagan.

Parents, got some kid piano recitals coming up this month? Watch this first and imagine how much fun it could be: Monty Python Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1.

Comments

[R. Sherman]

I've always like Flanagan -- no nonsense. Oh, and you're not alone. My wife washed our son's cell just last week.

Cheers.

[Amy]

See? They fit in pockets now, so they should be machine-washable.

[Marie]

Word up? Cell phone insurance. For the price of fifty dollars, my daughters can replace their lost, dropped, drowned cell phones as well as restoring their beloved contacts. They are pros at cell phone replacement.
BTW--love this post!

[Lara]

I've recently become a fan of the Urban Reisling. I tried it during a tasting at On the Vine a few months ago. In addition to being tasty, it's a twist off, which makes my life easier.

[Amy]

Lara, I've only visited On the Vine in Exeter once, because I forget it's there. But I really want to go back. Maybe I'll check out a tasting sometime. Twist off, nice.