So I've come to the computer any number of times, telling myself to update my blog.  But, what to say?  I guess I've been in the blahs.  Our weather, with the exception of an outstanding weekend, has been awful -- often the only thing Washington can agree on.  For a  couple of days last week I just had to give up on any kind of forward momentum, just succumbed to the gloom.  I know what a luxury that is, and I remember dragging myself into work on those days when I didn't have even a spark of ambition.  It's not depression, or a lack of health, but just a need to meet the crummy weather in kind.  Becoming one with my environment!  I guess it means that I am more in tune with my surroundings now.  

But I have done a few things.  Kate and I are working on the planning of a couple parties, and if you would have told me any number of years ago that I'd live near my kids (Emily soon) and that Kate and I would host and plan dinner parties together, I'd have thought that was too much to even imagine.  Nothing could bring me more joy.  In the next few weeks we'll have an engagement party for Brian and Amy, and then a beer-tasting party for another group.  

And, if you had told me that Kate and I would work together for Amnesty International, I'd have thought that was just perfect.  We are part of the same group in Arlington and do things together for that, but we both also have other positions that take us different directions.  But I tell you, I don't go anywhere in Amnesty where people don't know Kate and rave about her work.  So I get to be her colleague AND proud mom...  Last night I read an email from Kate to our Arlington group and she talked about a lawyer her husband knew who might be a speaker for us, and it took me a minute to realize she was talking about Rob -- just reading this email where she said "my husband" gave me such a kick.

For me, I'm so glad to be a part of her life in this way -- I get to be a doting mom, but also the mother of an adult.   I guess that's what every parent wants, and often wonders if it's possible.  

I mentioned that we did have a few days of good weather.  The weekend was beautiful, and Monday was the last day before the gloom set in again.  Though I have this little schedule of domestic tasks that I try to follow, good weather trumps all, and I called Mom to see if she'd like to go to the zoo and walk the outdoor trails.  We took the Metro and had a great afternoon outdoors.  A number of animals were up and about -- the big cats were out in the sun, sleeping some, but also walking around; a family of orangoutangs walked over the suspended wires that weave over zoo paths; two otters were lively; one of the pandas was in an outside yard...and I'm sure we saw more than that.