The Opposite of Mean Girls

Over the weekend, I schlepped my eldest daughter and several of her friends out into the wintry wilds of Alaska to sled. They were giddy with excitement at spending the day with each other—away from school and their parents and civilization—and I was highly entertained by their actions. Not that I've ever been around a bunch of 13– and 14-year-old boys, but I'm willing to bet that they behave much differently than their female counterparts.

My daughter and her friends are, for lack of a better phrase, downright lovey-dovey. They hold hands as they dance up the hill together. They tell each other how pretty the other is and shout that they love each other and shriek about how much fun they are having.

They happily and without shame pile on top of each other to see how many of them can stay on a toboggan; when they crash, they roll around together laughing hysterically, then pause to lay back and stare at the sky, remarking on the beauty and stillness of the evening air.

This window of innocence and friendship is about to close. These girls will enter high school next year, and priorities will change. But for now, I will cherish their sweet, funny, undying devotion to each other.


Dinner last night: ravioli

Camouflage

If you've ever wondered what it might be like to spot a moose as you're walking up the road, it goes a little something like this:

What is that?

 Oh. It's a moose.

Bah.

Hey, I never promised excitement. Just moose.



Dinner last night: fettucine alfredo with shrimp

Exactly two years ago:

Finally, a Place to Smoke Cigars and Sip Brandy

Snow, Snow, and More Snow

March is often the toughest month for me . . . winter feels awfully long right about now. If you believe in doppelgängers, mine probably lives in Savannah, GA, and is sitting on her porch this very minute—in cute shorts and sandals, sipping lemonade, and sketching her garden ideas in a pretty notebook with a paisley cover—while my nose is pressed up against a frost-covered window pane looking at 10° on the thermometer.

This winter is looking to break some snowfall records. We are buried literally up to our windows in the white stuff.

Did I mention that it's also quite chilly? I'm scared to walk outside.

Mutant icicles might fall on my head.

Dinner last night: lightly-battered cod fillets

Exactly two years ago:

Saturday with Sterling