Like most people, I have an idea of the perfect weekend. Like many people, my idea falls somewhat short of the reality. The number of weekends in which I do mountains of laundry, cook, and catch up on errands is far greater than the number of weekends in which I see a good movie or stimulating play, take a long walk (and NOT in today's snow), or have a really good dinner. This weekend is one that falls short although it is not a bad weekend. It's just--a weekend. Is recognizing that this weekend is typical giving up on dreams or just facing reality? If I were a scorekeeping woman....

Take yesterday, for example. Fogieknight had a meeting and then wanted to attend a stamp show on his way home. Knowing that, for Fogieknight, attending a stamp show may very well be a part of his ideal weekend, I told him that his plans were fine with me. So, off he went. First missing quality of my ideal weekend: Fogieknight. Score: ideal weekend 0, ordinary (or slightly subpar weekend) 1

My Saturday tradition is that I speak with my parents. I got up early (again not the ideal but reality) because Fogieknight leaving without waking me is almost impossible anytime after 5:30 a.m. and Fogieknight could not achieve it yesterday. I decided to get all the way up, shower, and dress early so I would have plenty of time to speak with my parents before driving Miss Day to the dance studio. My parents are always up early and usually call at 9:00 so, when 9:00 rolled around, I called them. But my mother was not up and I woke her (although she pulled herself together much more quickly than I ever would have. Let's hear it for morning people.) Waking my mother is definitely not part of my ideal weekend. Score: ideal weekend 0, ordinary (or slightly subpar weekend) 3.

I took Day over the to dance studio and chatted with some of the moms there, including her guidance counselor. I wandered off and did an errand and then I returned. Day and I decided to go to lunch and then to get her new pointe shoes. We headed for Jonathan's. Saturday tradition requires bagels from Jonathan's, eaten either at Jonathan's or at home. The force was not with us. They only had whole wheat bagels left. I'm not crazy about whole wheat bagels but I would have eaten one. Day would not consider it so we left and went to a local pizza place. Score: ideal weekend 0, subpar weekend 4.

I should have known about the pizza place. The pizza place always has been disorganized. It has high turnover and often is staffed by those Fogieknight once dubbed "refugees from the home for the hopelessly confused." Of course the place had no plain cheese slices. Of course the place had no garden slices. Of course the place would bring them out to us in five minutes. Of course it took closer to fifteen minutes and we had downed our breadsticks and soda in the meantime. Score: ideal weekend 0, subpar weekend 5.

After lunch, we headed to the dance store for new pointe shoes. We had bought Day's first pair there a few months ago. But they had brought over shoes from their other store then for a major fitting. They did not have the shoes we needed. We would have to head 35 or 40 minutes west. The drive would have been only 20 minutes or so but the highway is under construction and there was no good way to get there. Out to the farther store we went and..... They had 4C Sonatas and they had 4 1/2 D Sonatas. Unfortunately, Day needs 4D Sonatas. They could (and did) order them and they should be in next week. So, we will have to trek out there again. Score: ideal weekend 0, subpar weekend 6.

Not everything went wrong. Day was invited to spend the night with her best friend and Fogieknight (who eventually returned from the stamp show and did not spend all of our money--score: ideal weekend .5, subpar weekend 6) and I went out to a very good Chinese restaurant. It was not "our Chinese restaurant," the one with good food where they know us by name and ask after the children, but "our Chinese restaurant" closed a few weeks ago. We chatted (although I ignored my urge for a rum and Coke, mainly because I have been avoiding caffeine--which strikes me as a very middle-aged reason) and had a good time. Score: ideal weekend 1.5, subpar weekend 6.

And there is still tonight. It is snowing and Fogieknight will be taking Day out driving as soon as he is home from the grocery store. He is, after all, doing the shopping (thank you, love) and life doesn't get much better than that. Current score: ideal weekend 3.5, subpar weekend 6.

I am a realist. If I can get to a tie score, I'll face reality. This is my life---and it's only half bad.

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