"Don't worry, Mommy. Daddy will wash the dishes tonight."
So spake my firstborn when my wife suggested that he could be a big boy and help her clean up the kitchen the other afternoon. Evidently my reputation for late-night housework marathons is not confined to my co-workers; the children have now caught on as well.
Breaking out of a years-long hazelnut rut, I just tried -- and loved -- a violet latte at the J&S on Thomas and Hamline. I got a bit of a double-take from the solitary barista when I ordered, leading me to believe that she must not make a lot of that particular permutation, but the delicious result has certainly made me eager to try other flavors going forward, even when the choices are not quite so exotic (I could have also tried lavender).
Budget permitting, of course, I am looking forward to spending some regularly-scheduled time in various coffee shops in the coming months as I work to get my writerly groove back in preparation for my upcoming adventure into an MFA writing workshop beginning in January.As the household/family routines (bedtimes, nutritious evening meals, sufficient sleep for parents, et cetera) gradually fall into place, my creative routines will, I am grateful to report, be next on the list to be acknowledged, accommodated, and encouraged. (My historical preference is to write in bars, but pints still seem to demand a higher price point than espresso drinks. Sad, but true.)
