A Bit of April

It has been a week of sinister skies, shrill sirens and a constant cascade of rain. The river is as high as I can remember in the 20 years we've lived here, and moving at a dangerously swift pace. The clock is clicking away on April as well.  It's true that time and tide wait for none.

Life is good. I'm good. We're all good.

Easter snuck up on me. We hosted brunch for the fam who were in town. It was a fine crew and a good menu. Good as in tasty and also well planned. I made quiche, which is make ahead and easy, and patatas bravas, which are last minute and fussy. I tried a new spring salad with baby greens, strawberries, mozz balls and candied pecans dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. I've had a sweet tooth lately so I made chocolate ganache cupcakes with marshmallow butter cream and a much loved almond tart. Oh and an adorable baby three layer carrot cake for Ted. I badly burnt one of the quiche, picked out a pineapple that was so green I couldn't get a knife through it, Mike's deviled egg filling was broken, and Manny and Hazel made it their mission to rearrange the floral arrangement that was on the beautifully set table, but after a bloody or a Bellini, it didn't much matter. I long ago forbid perfect from ruining good.

 

Then my cousin came for a visit last weekend. It's always a gift to spend time with him. He was last here for Thanksgiving. Getting to see him twice in six months was a bonus. He has so many great stories because he is a traveler and an adventurer. He's also wicked smart with a huge heart. We didn't do anything especially special and yet it was perfect just taking it easy, being together come what may. We ended up at the Public Market the first night where we had drinks while we shopped the stalls for dinner. Friday we visited the cemetery at TJ's suggestion to check in on the grandparents. We said a few prayers and shed some tears and had a couple chuckles too. We met my brother and sil at a speakeasy for boozy drinks before getting the perfect Milwaukee meal of fried cheese curds, buffalo wings and burgers and beers. We pulled the plug on the jazz club opting to go home and get in our jammies for not one, but two movies.

I'm looking forward to Cousin GiGi's visit next week, a storm-free window for a walk after work, Candace's art opening tomorrow and the theater on Saturday for a little Shakespeare. If I take things day by day, I can trick my brain into believing time is long and lingering