Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. My mother’s older brother died last weekend after a fall, a week short of his 78th birthday. When I was born, he drew up a complete astrological chart for me. He aspired to be a good uncle, giving me all sorts of fun gifts when I was a kid, including my first dictionary, my only football swag (a balaclava for the Miami Dolphins, the team he supported when he lived in Florida) a microscope, and a magic kit. He had a black dog named Telly, whom we all loved only slightly less than our own dog, Obe. He took my grandmother and me to New York City to see the ballet at Lincoln Center and my brother and me for ice cream when we spent the night with him and my aunt when I was in middle school.

Uncle David was having a challenging battle with Alzheimer’s, so ultimately this may have been the kindest death we could have hoped for, with my aunt and my cousins and my mom all getting to say goodbye.

2. After having to postpone multiple times because one or all three of us were sick, Sarah finally got to come over to meet the kittens. They took to her right away and were happy to be picked up and cuddled, which isn’t always the case, so it felt like the delay gave us the perfect moment in time.

3. Rudi and I went to see The Art of the Brick, a Lego exhibition by Nathan Sawaya. The pieces ranged from scale replicas of wild animals, sculptures, and interpretations of great art from around the world, including one of the heads from Easter Island, which required more than 75,000 Legos to complete.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. The team lost last week, so didn’t have a game, but we gathered for dinner and drinks tonight to celebrate Sergio’s impending second baby and, it turns out, Katie’s new job and new house.

2. Our new season of volunteering began this week and, for the winter, I’m coaching basketball with Aroush and some other folks. We had about 25 kids (ages 5–13) show up, which ran us a bit ragged for the hour, but it felt good to be back on the court with them.

3. Rudi and I caught Better Man before it left local theaters this week. I really like Robbie Williams’ music so was happy to spend a couple hours listening to it, the cgi monkey was an interesting symbolic move, and the script did a very good job of depicting imposter syndrome and depression.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Rudi returned home after spending a week of caregiving. The cats and I are very glad to have him back.

2. Chris and I manage back-to-back weeks of multiple nights of pickup volleyball. Tonight was the last day this week, with most of our team being able to join us.

3. Aroush is able to join the team this upcoming season. I love when I’m able to bring together the people I like playing with best. (Rebecca is my next recruit when her class schedule allows.)

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world this week?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. D.C. gets about half a foot of snow. Rudi does the first pass at the sidewalks, after his flight is delayed until the afternoon, which means I only get stuck with about half the shoveling, rather than all of it.

2. Rudi’s delayed flight does mean he gets to accompany me to the snowball fight at Malcolm X Park:

3. Winter weather means winter foods — grilled cheese and tomato soup and paninis and cookies. Yum!

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. The kittens were so excited to have me return home after nearly a week away.

2. My folks and I make plenty of Christmas cookies, enough to keep them settled for a few weeks.

3. With Sarah unavailable this New Year’s Eve, Rudi and I wing our movie marathon. We expect to see both represented at the Oscars. Emilia Pérez is an oddball Spanish-language musical drama about a young Mexican lawyer who helps a drug baron transition to a woman and stars, among others, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. But even better was Flow, a wordless Latvian animated film about a cat who must work with other animals to escape a catastrophe. It’s about cooperation and found family and climate disaster — and if you can find it, you should definitely watch it.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?

Three beautiful things from my past week:

1. Jasen sent a Christmas card saying how much he values everything I do for the team and a gift for the kittens.

2. Sunday afternoon, I run across town in a desperate bid to finish my Christmas list. I am delighted to discover that Sarah, who’d been ill, is up and doing one final shift at her old job to help them out with the rush. She helps me with my shopping, and since she won’t be back in time to join us for our New Year’s Eve tradition this year, it feels particularly good to see her one last time in 2024.

3. Christmas was lovely, with a slow start to the day after Mum & I were up late wrapping. I think everyone liked their presents, the dinner was delicious, and we finished the night with The Bishop’s Wife, most of which Mum & I dozed through.

How about you? What’s been beautiful in your world lately?