I started to tell you about my work week, but, honestly, it’s exhausting to think about and you have your own work week you’re escaping. You don’t need to run into my monsters as you’re trying to beat your own.

I will say that it’s raining out tonight. It’s supposed to rain in the morning and some (possibly much) of Sunday, as well. I’m planning on spending those parts inside, possibly with my book and knitting and possibly trying to get some stuff cleaned and put away. Even small steps will help. There may also be baking.

Tomorrow afternoon and maybe some of Sunday’s will see some drier weather. That’s when I need to lace up my boots (or pull on my galoshes) and head outdoors. My volleyball teammates have indicated they’d like to play this spring, which means I need to think about being able to spend an extended period of time being active within the next six weeks, and being active with 30-somethings to boot. First part of the plan: getting in 7-10 thousand steps every day or spending 45 minutes out on the bike. Second part of the plan: unknown. Third part of the plan: fame and success (or, at least, not letting the team down when we’re back on the court). I’ll let you know how it goes.

This handsome fellow came home yesterday afternoon, which was absolutely lovely. Because he was out of state, obviously, we need to keep mostly to ourselves until after he tests negative later in the week, but the sun just made it too impossible to stay below ground. So we ventured forth to the Georgetown to the waterfront, double-masked except for when we were far away from others and drinking/eating.

We had saved the final To All the Boys movie for Rudi’s return, which was both a satisfying end to the trilogy and also a perfect February Saturday date night. And tonight we watched some lovely season finales to Miss Scarlet and the Duke and All Creatures Great and Small.

We replenished all the batteries on the fairy lights and ate lots of cookies (thanks, Mum and Dad!) and doted on the cat and generally just enjoyed being under the same roof again.

These daffodils are from before the winter storm passed through, so I’m not positive whether they’re still standing. But spring bulbs, like people, tend to be remarkably resilient when faced with adversity.

Either way, the equinox is a month from today. Daylight savings kicks back in in three weeks.

Hold on, everyone. Change is coming. It’s just hard to tell from where we’re standing.

It’s good I had managing expectations down on my list of ways to celebrate my birthday weekend. Rudi was forced to deviate from our plans in order to fly out to Utah on Monday to help his mom move into assisted living today. This will be a good decision for her health and independence, but the accelerated timeline and pandemic protocols made it particularly fraught in the short term. I’m incredibly proud of both him and his mom, because I know this wasn’t an easy step.

I did get to do some celebrating in between that and the ice storm. On Saturday, I attended a virtual author event held by one of my local bookshops with four authors who had romance novels coming out this month, including a mother-daughter duo who wrote their story from the perspective of a couple’s dog. I also gave myself a Galentine’s Day treat and made waffles for supper, knit on my sock, and watched the animated Beauty and the Beast movie.

On my birthday proper, I hit up the farmers market (where my order from the bakery included heart-shaped baguette and cookies, a loaf of cherry chocolate bread, and my favorite of their jams, red berry rose). I did some reading, and when Rudi got home from coaching, he and I went to pick up some free birthday doughnuts and ice cream. I chatted with my parents, we ate pizza from my favorite pizzeria, and we ended the evening with Miss Scarlet and the Duke and All Creatures Great and Small.

Yesterday, we slept in a little and then had some birthday treats my parents had sent before diving into virtual tours of assisted living facilities. I took Rudi to the airport and returned home for a long chat with a friend from college.

Today, I slept in very late to celebrate taking the day off from work. The rain had ended during the morning and while I didn’t want to drive all the way to the ocean on my own, I decided to head to the Chesapeake Bay instead. To be honest, while it looks not dissimilar to the Long Island Sound, which I grew up on, it’s more like a lake and is hugely disappointing as a substitute for the ocean. It doesn’t really get waves and it doesn’t smell remotely salty. But I made an effort, and it was the longest I’ve been outside in ages without a mask, since I only saw a handful of people from a great distance. Plus, the Universe seemed to accept the apology I offered the Bay before leaving for just being itself and not what I wanted it to be, since it allowed the sun to peek through the omnipresent clouds. When I got back to D.C., I spent the evening with a friend, eating pizza and King Cake and petting her cats (and wearing masks when not eating, just so you don’t think us irresponsible).

And, now, forward! On to a new year! (And a new, short workweek!)

Every year Rudi’s and my alma mater sends us a Valentine’s Day postcard to celebrate our being a Camel (our mascot) couple. Every year it’s adorable, but I think they particularly outdid themselves this year:

What’s a girl to do on a four-day prime number birthday weekend? Hopefully some of fun things:

• Spend some time outside. There won’t be sun, but there will be fresh air.
• Take part in a virtual Galentine’s Day romance author event hosted by one of my local bookshops.
• Read! I am enjoying my current book a lot, and I have a bunch more promising titles queued up in the physical TBR pile. We’re expecting an ice storm tomorrow night, which means Rudi might not be able to make it home until Sunday evening.
• Finish a sock.
• Chat with friends and family.
• Watch tv shows and movies I like. If Rudi doesn’t make it home tomorrow night, I’m thinking the Colin Firth version of Pride and Prejudice or Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants may be in order. If he does, I’ve put in a request for the final Lara Jean movie on Netflix. And Sunday night has good PBS shows and Queen Latifah (all of which can be watched a later night if I get to spend the night talking to friends instead).
• Eat pizza for my birthday supper!
• Go to the beach. I’d love to make this happen Monday or Tuesday, but it’s not a trivial adventure and so depends on a number of variables. If it can’t happen, I’m voting for a dvd-and-baked goods marathon.
• Paint my nails.
• Sleep in on a weekday!
• Collect birthday freebies. (There are a surprising number of loyalty programs at local restaurants, ice cream shops, and bakeries I enjoy that offer you free goodies on or around your birthday. I’m absolutely cashing in!)
• Manage expectations. I love birthdays, which sometimes means it can be a bit of a letdown when real life interferes. It’s a pandemic year. Life is hard and different, and comparing Sunday to any other year (or my hopes for an ideal one) will only lead to tears. I will assume that none of the above things will happen and will strive to be grateful if some of them do. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

What’s on tap for your weekend?