1. I think we don't really need to talk about the weather do we? Everyone knows it was cold on the East Coast and Midwest this past week. Here's what I will tell you. We did everything right overnight Monday, what was forecast to be the coldest night since we've moved here, ten years ago. Let some faucets drip and turned off a lot of the power to conserve energy. I still went to bed thinking, the power's gonna go out tonight. Sure enough, around 4:30AM we awoke to the double BOOMS of transformers blowing. Five hours later the lights (and heat) were back on. It took all day for the house to recover.

2. I think as close knit as this town can be (and trust me, people are tight around here), it never comes together more than when there's a military crisis. On Wednesday, a locally-based Navy helicopter crashed into the ocean, about 20 miles off shore. Of the five crew members, two were recovered, two were killed and one is still unaccounted for. It's a heartbreaking story. Even when they're training, these men and women risk their lives doing their mundane day-to-day jobs. Please hold these sailors, their shipmates and their families in the light.

3. I think it's pretty funny that I've managed to look up at the clock at 2:17 PM each afternoon this week. I generally leave to pick Cal up at 2:30, and if it were a normal term, I'd have to freak out and rush to finish my work and get the dogs put away in order to hit the road on time. Funny how the mind plays tricks like that.

4. I think I'm finally learning that I need to ease into new routines. New Moleskine notebook and calendar, new year in my five year calendar, but all week I've been playing catch-up. Cleaning up Christmas, cleaning laundry. I'm trying to be gentle with myself about starting new routines, especially knowing that right now everything is a new routine. But I'm ready for listmaking and forward looking and to start filling these babies up.

Also. Speaking of how scattered I've been. I totally forgot to link to and describe pomegranate molasses in yesterday's recipe. Pomegranate molasses is typically used in Middle Eastern cooking; picture a sweeter version of pomegranate juice, still tangy, with the consistency of molasses. Can't go wrong, yes? You can get it at specialty stores; I got mine at our local Middle Eastern grocery, but you can also order it from Amazon. If you're feeling really industrious, you can make your own, and here's a recipe from the same woman who inspired the Persian Chicken Recipe.

5. I think this week has absolutely flown by. I can barely believe it! We've established what seems to be a nice routine, and I hope it holds. Cal's been calling us every night, late, to tell us about his day. Then, early early (my boy remains an early riser) he and I'll text a little before he surrenders his cell phone at the start of his day. We watched the live stream of the Pages being introduced on the Senate floor, and that was thrilling. It's been thrilling too, to hear about his day each day.

And people keep asking, but I'm, we're, doing great down here on our own. It's not that I don't miss him, because thinking about Cal and wondering what he's doing is a constant thrum in the back of my mind, the way your refrigerator hums without you even knowing it. But how can I be sad and lonely when what he's doing is so absolutely perfect for him? I have no doubt that we'll get bogged down in all of this at some point, but so far so great. For all of us.

That being said, I can't wait to pick him up in a couple of hours!