Monday

If there is a winter normal, then we are close to it again. For one thing, Ed is sleeping in the hours people usually reserve for sleeping, and joining me at the breakfast table, even though I'm eating early today. Too, he's being superbly helpful, perhaps making up for time lost in past weeks. 






There is a threat of tough winter weather, but of course, winter often has a threat of difficult conditions so this is quite normal as well.

Within that winter normal is a regular old Monday, too: Sparrow comes, stays, returns home, Snowdrop comes, stays, returns home. A regular routine.

Here are the kids, filling my Monday daylight hours. First Sparrow:






(Little hand, big hand...)






Since Snowdrop isn't here, I take the little guy on a tour of some of her favorite play spots.  Looks to me like he'll be ready for her tea game soon. She is very much a take charge tea server. I predict that his calm approach to life will serve them both well someday.






Not ready for a hike yet, but his upright strength has doubled over the last few weeks! Ready to climb the highest peaks! Or at least scale the brick red couch cushions!






(Sparrow loves his spoon. Especially when it has no food on it!)






And now it's afternoon. Regular old Monday afternoon. Snowdrop bounces spins, flies, runs...






Then quickly settles into a reading marathon...






This revives and inspires her.







... and she starts the usual spin through her tales of woe, of joy, of work, of family...






As often is the case, the fantastical enters in, this time adorned by silk scarves and a crown...






So a Monday like all the rest, right?

Well maybe. Though is there ever such thing as a regular morning, a regular week, a regular post-season run through January days? Isn't there a touch (or a blast!) of uniqueness to every chunk of time? Sometimes I think that I'll look back on some seemingly inconsequential day and say -- really, the great transformation began on that innocuous Monday in January, where everything at first glance seemed so exceptionally normal...