Friday, January 30, 2009

Jacob and patience, and a wonderful evening

Jacob is teaching me patience. He arrived in a bad mood tonight, though his mother said a little food would brighten him up. But he simply wanted to stand by the front door and watch for Mommy. We talked, he grinned a bit, but he was essentially solemn. So there I sat for at least 20 minutes. We finally went and listened to the monitor in my office--he could hear Elmo on the family room TV--and got "Juju car" from my office, and he went back to the family room so I could reheat his supper. He ate two helpings of chicken breast and all his broccoli, so I gave him a "sprise"--a small ice cream cup. Then twice during the evening, when he alternated between watching a DVD and playing with his toys, he wanted to sit on my lap. So I put aside what I was doing, and we sat and loved for long times. Then at bedtime, he tried every stall technique he could, until I finally told him the dog, the cat, and I were all going to bed, and I was going to get his stool so he could climb into his bed. That wouldn't do, and he went and got the stool, positioned it very carefully, and climbed into the pack-and-play by himself, with me standing by with a watchful hand. This may not be the best thing I've ever taught him. But I know when my own children were little, I had far too many things on my mind to sit by the front door and wait for their mood to change or to cajole them into bed (I do, I hope, remembering sitting for long times with them on my lap). But Jacob is teaching me a much-needed kind of patience, and I'm grateful
Last night I was too wound up and too tired to blog We had the First Annual Bookish Frog dinner. The Bookish Frogs are a community group of people who support the press. For modest annual dues, they get dinner once a year, a free book (one of our spectacular ones) and a chance to participate in various press activities. We had 42 people for dinner last night, which I thought was great--and they were all warm, happy, interesting people. From all reports I've gotten they enjoyed the program--about the featured book we were giving away, which is Phil Vinson's photography book, Fort Worth: A Personal View--and they enjoyed each other's company at dinner. The food was good, the program just the right length, and all told it was a successful evening. I emceed and managed not to trip over my tongue too often. What struck me, too, was that most of the people who came into dinner were people I wanted to greet with a hug, people I've known and cared about over the years. I was so grateful for their support. As I told them, I've worked at TCU Press for 27 years and seen it go through some lean times, but I always believed that just as TCU has a community interested in sports, it has a community, maybe a bit smaller, interested in books. Those people made my dream come true last night, and I am still walking on air.
I ate lunch with Jeannie and Jim Chaffee today at a vegan restaurant where they say they sometimes eat twice a day or go for lunch and then bring home dinner. For a newcomer, it's hard to know what to order. There were salads I would have enjoyed or veggie burgers, but Jim said--and rightly--I should have something I can't get in other restaurants. So I had a chicken salad sandwich (made with seitan--sometimes called wheat meat). It was good but difficult (as in sloppy) to eat. The potato salad was great. But I don't think being a vegan is for me. I'll go back to the Spiral Diner, but not as often as Jeannie and Jim.
At the grocery yesterday, the sack lady asked if I was all set for the Super Bowl, and I said I was not much of a fan. Truth to tell, I resent that it takes over the TV schedule (not that I watch that much, but I think Meet the Press is cancelled). I have lots to do this weekend, so it will be good to stay home and accomplish things.

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