Mercifully, though some schools went for the two-hour delayed start today, the boys are back and I am more in love with their school than ever for commencing this Thursday on time. Also, after we finished watching Captain Phillips last night (average), T suggested I sleep in the basement so that I could get some real rest and he would take care of the boys this morning and bring them to school. I did not stir until he peeked in at 8am. BLISS. My mom arrives in a few hours so I don't have much time now, but did want to say hi to you, get back in the saddle (feels like sparse posting lately), and share another month in review.

THE BEST OF EM-I-LIS: FEBRUARY 2013

I took my second class of 2013, this time Introduction to U.S. Food Systems via Coursera. The instruction was unbelievably dry but I learned some fascinating things and became more committed to eating off the food-industrial complex grid. For a recap, click here.

As you may recall, the Goats Who Yell Like Humans videos went viral, and I was an A1 obsessive. Watching those goats, especially the one in "dialogue" with the Spanish reporter, brings me to hysterical happy-tears. Try it, you'll see.

There were charming highs and lows in my life as mother. See Oliver and the Pompano, Jack and the Ravens tribute (I'm still sad they never wrote him back), and A Pit Day in Parenthood.

Looking back, I loved again this post on all that writing means to me, and I feel those sentiments even more acutely now.

And, it was VALENTINE'S DAY, one of my all-time favorite days.

Some of my favorite photos:

I spent a memorable day, quiet in my kitchen, thinking back over my Aunt Da, one of Nanny's older sisters, while reimagining her tea cookies.

And lastly, I took a very cool cooking class with some friends at a Spanish restaurant downtown. We made various stocks (hence the Pompano above) and loads of paellas. Love this picture of the stocks in prep: