The Toast

I admit it. I'm slacking today.  I slept until 8:45, not budging when TBG kissed me goodbye while sticking a note to my clock. My pilates instructor is on vacation, I canceled my group session because the teacher is no longer holding my attention, and there was nothing on the calendar except a morning visit to Ms. Levine's kindergarten class.  Sleeping in was acceptable, although somewhat disconcerting.

I'm used to watching the sun turn the hills pink. Today, they were brown against a blue sky when I sat here at the desk to check my email. I made a pan of brownies and headed off to school with Mousetronaut Goes to Mars tucked under my arm.  Reading aloud to the most well-behaved class of kindergarten students on the planet is a treat.  Sharing special words from my friend, the astronaut, sent especially to the three little boys who insisted that they, too, would be space travelers.... well, that was quite wonderful... quite wonderful, indeed.

We shared our amazement at Meteor's ability to save the day, and then, with Ms. Levine's encouragement and ten more minutes to occupy, we read the first in the series, Mousetronaut.  We counted down as the rocket prepared for blast-off, we cheered as Meteor saved the day, and then, with five more minutes before it was time to line up for lunch, we began to craft our own Moustronaut story.

Her name is Rosie.  She started out with one then two then three and settled on four eyes before we whittled them down to two purple ones.  She's small, she's smart, and she's brave. Those are her characteristics, and we're sticking to them.  She'll have an adventure or two, I'm sure, and we'll be certain to share them with you. For now, you and I will have to wait until the authors dream up an event or two.  It was exhausting creating just one character, after all.

And so, exhausted, heart full, body weary, I acquiesce to Elle's request on yesterday's post.  Here is the toast I offered to Amster and The Firefighter at their wedding, Monday afternoon. The details (lists.... bacon) are personal to them, but I bet you could use the outlines just about anywhere.

I'm happy to help.

I offer a toast.

A toast to love

to friendship

to admiration.

A toast to adulthood

and to parenthood

in all its delightful incarnations.

I offer a toast to knowing what's right,

and living your life accordingly.

A toast to competence

and achievement

and lists

and bacon.

To Amster and her Firefighter,

a long and joyous life together.

And now, I'm going to take a nap.