1) Mercy goodness, I know the Oscars are on tonight, and I just can't bring myself.
2) My second floor neighbors, who are moving at the end of the month, held their farewell open house this afternoon and were kind enough to include me in the invitation. Since this was a writing day, and since I knew I wouldn't know many people, I expected to stay about half an hour and then creep back downstairs to Get On With the Day. Imagine my surprise when I learned I'd been there three hours! Good conversation with a whole collection of parents I didn't know, and the new neighbors who will be moving in just before Easter, and of course the children everywhere: getting costumes out of a dress-up box, drinking juice boxes, marching in circles singing "Yellow Submarine." My mother loves little children, and she would have loved to see this collection.
2a) One couple I met for the first time have been living across the street for the last seven years in the home of an Old Friend of Mine. They had heard about the legendary jungle mural he'd painted in the bathroom (long since removed by the intervening owner), and they confirmed for me that his beautiful Venetian sconces are still there. After this nice conversation, how ironic to learn that they are moving away themselves later this spring!
3) So I didn't come close to completing everything on my list this weekend - I really do need an unscheduled day if I'm planning to write, but I couldn't miss this open house - but I still managed to get some good work done before 11 AM, and I still published a columni this evening. I feel good about that.