Thursday already — time for three beautiful things from my past week:

1. At Sunday afternoon’s Nationals game, we trail into the bottom of the eighth, when Mike Morse ties the game before a stupid baserunning error derails the inning. The Marlins come back to take a two-run lead in the top of the ninth, at which point half the stadium gets up to leave. But the Nats aren’t done yet. Willie Harris hits a solo homer into center field, and Cristian Guzman singles to put the tying run aboard. And then Ryan Zimmerman, the franchise’s star third baseman, strides to the plate and swats a ball into the seats in left center. The stadium erupts with cheers from teammates and fans alike as the Nats rush the field to celebrate our victory.

2. A shiny pated man and a woman with a halo of hair that reaches to her waist stand together to snap a self-portrait.

3. Three teen boys ride past us. Two are on unicycles, one of whom has been riding on the wooden guardrail along the sidewalk. When he gets to a break in the rail, he effortlessly and without stopping hops his unicycle to the street and keeps riding.

What beautiful things have you noticed this week?

Soooo tired! Must type Three Beautiful Things and then fall into deep sleep:

1. Tonight, Rudi, Julia, and I joined 150 or so other bike riders for the monthly full moon ride sponsored by the local bicycling association. September has the Corn Moon, and it starred in a beautifully clear night sky — perfect for riding along the Potomac and up to Chevy Chase, Maryland, where we stopped for a barbecue before retracing our steps. Julia and I saw a buck just off the path on our way up, and Rudi pointed out a small herd of does as we chatted and pedaled toward home. It was a really nice way to spend an evening, even if we were among the slowest riders there.

2. The office roof deck gets morning and early afternoon sun. At this time of the year, one corner stays sunny until almost 3, giving me just enough time for a few chapters of my novel and a sandwich during my late lunches.

3. As I was heading to the Metro yesterday evening, I passed Helen Thomas. I just refrained from stopping to thank her for her terrier-like qualities in the White House Press Room (particularly during the recent Bush years). Sometimes life just reminds you that you live in a pretty cool place.

What’s been worth noting in your world recently?

We’ve got company coming over tonight, which means we’re up early to run around, chicken-like, before work. But I don’t want to forget about TBT in the exhaustion that will inevitably spread over us after our friends head home; really, we’ll need all that memory to recall that Rudi’s mom needs a birthday phone call. So I’ll post now to free up some brain space.

Three beautiful things from last week:

1. There’s a new puppy in the neighborhood. The day I meet her, Rocky is learning “Come,” and there are treats involved. (She’s either a golden retriever or a yellow lab, is 10 weeks old, and has a person, whose name may or may not be Jim.)

2. Torrential rains delay Friday night’s baseball game, but let up after a bit so the game can finish. Fireworks set to painfully transitioned Beach Boys tunes are the highlight of the night, but the puddles on the way out are nearly as good. Apologies to the man in the pink shirt whom I splashed… I didn’t realize the water would go that far…

3. Karen sends me a photo and a video of Marshall (who is growing so fast!), and Jessica emails photos of her newly arrived daughter, Hazel. I love when friends share pictures of their children.

It’s Thursday. Really? I mean, I know the calendar says it’s Thursday… But that isn’t right… is it?

Oh, all right, fine.

But if it’s Thursday, that means it’s time for Three Beautiful Things from the past week:

1. Monday evening after work, I’m tired and grumpy and have decided to pass on a planned trip to the pool. But when I call Rudi to tell him so, he raves about how nice it is. I head down for a quick dip. The water is cool and refreshing — and exactly what I needed.

2. I borrow Bride and Prejudice, the Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austen’s famed novel, from the library. It’s amazing how well an 18th-century author’s work holds up to the addition of saris and song-and-dance numbers. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to identify each character as they appear on screen.

3. Peaches are at the height of their season right now. I eat them in the mid-afternoon. The juice draws lines around my fingers and drips onto my desk.

What’s been beautiful in your world?

I missed writing Three Beautiful Things entirely last week for the first time ever, I believe, during its run on my blog. While travels may have gotten in the way of my posting schedule, it did not slow down beautiful things from happening. Here are three beautiful things from two weeks ago:

1. The Starbucks in Union Station is open early enough to permit me a tea and fritter to take aboard my 4 a.m. train ride.

2. Kate, one of the dyers of Woolarina Yarns, answers my email tale of woe of a second sock without enough yarn to finish. She doesn’t have an exact match, but has something she thinks maye work — which she generously mails to me for free.

3. Shelley and Mike are our easy friends from back in Connecticut. They’re very laid back and everything you suggest is almost always good. They and their kids, Daschel and Irisa, passed through D.C. two Saturdays ago and came into the city to spend the day. We walked and played a lot — on a very hot August day — and I introduced them to a couple of my favorite Asian restaurants (Teaism and Saigon Bistro) as well as to our awesome ice cream shop. Their go-with-the-flow attitude was refreshing in a region that’s not noted for that kind of relaxed approach to life.

I came home from Sock Summit with a lot of new yarn, tons of memories, a collection of tips and techniques — and a cold. Today’s three beautiful things may reflect that last bit the most:

1. A frozen coconut popsicle that numbs a sore throat.

2. Puffs Plus tissues with aloe that don’t rub your nose raw.

3. A sweet partner who goes out at midnight to buy you cold meds and ice cream when you have neither in the house.