Strong Jawline and I were running along the bay yesterday morning, just leaping like gazelles with no stiffness, pain, perimenopause, or plantar fasciitis.
No, we weren’t. That was Strong Jawline, huddled under a blanket on the couch for three days after throwing his back out gardening, and that was me, buying three bottles of rosé in one week because it’s SUMMER BITCHES.
Read MoreIt's January in Mendocino County. I know this because I'M IN MENDOCINO COUNTY BITCHES. It's rainy, I'm alone, I brought so much kale, chard, parsley, cilantro, and dill they put it all in one paper bag at the grocery store, I took a walk on a country road where the only thing I heard were my footfalls. It's ME TIME FOR THE MIDDLE-AGED.
I'm out here because a couple months ago I hit the wall like REALLY hit the wall and asked SJ if I could go away by myself for more than a week. This guy. Immediately he says yes. Hugs me. Says it's a great idea. We have TWO KIDS but more importantly TWO CATS – the kids have redeeming qualities at least. Right after I left, everyone got sick, including one kid puking, plus it was a holiday weekend, which to anyone who doesn’t know means NO SCHOOL which means NO CHILD CARE. SJ is having NOT ME TIME.
Read MoreIt's January in San Francisco. This used to mean a lot of drizzle, but these days it means dazzling sunshine or torrential rain. A few days ago I parked outside our house and asked SJ to open the front door so I could run from my car (through torrential rain, not dazzling sunshine). This is not normal (torrential rain is not normal, obnoxious requests are de rigueur).
Read MoreI’m upstairs with Gargantubaby — who, now age 6, needs a new nickname (perhaps Gargantufirstgrader) — setting him up to do art. It’s warm the way it always is up here, so I grab one of his bigger books to prop the door open.
Mommy, he says, you can’t do that. You didn’t get my permission.
You’re right, I say, surprised. May I have your permission to use one of your books?
No.
Um. What should I use to prop open the door?
He shrugs. You need to figure that out, he says.
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