alive and present

I found myself with some overripe bananas and felt tired of banana bread, so last night I looked up recipes for banana cookies and decided to try the first one google gave me. Guess what--my cookies taste just like banana bread. What the heck? I got smart and added some carob chips to the last few.

Today we worked outside the home. I have nothing much to say about it: catered lunch was fine. Socially I survived. L said hi to me (he calls me Laura--I let him) and shook Erik's hand. Mostly I avoided everyone successfully. Tomorrow we should be getting out early.

My friend A was in town today, with her husband and two little girls. She had to go to Davis for a pre-op for some surgery she's having next week. So we went out to Indian food for dinner. I had mali kofta. There were funny moments, like when the younger daughter was pretending a paneer pakora was a little dog and making it bark. Anyway, it was good to see A and interact with her in the regular world, to hug hello and goodbye, to see her beautiful hair and beautiful glasses. It's an honor to sit at a table with her and her family. I liked watching the little one tickle her dad, saying "tickle tickle tickle," and see her dad make a cute little motion, pretending that her tickles were effective. And I like the older daughter's quiet way of talking and when she says "aparently." Children are so alive and present. I want to be that way too.