I spent the last week going over the edited manuscript for the new book. It might be the part of the process of writing that I enjoy the most. It dovetails nicely with my “fix-it” brain. See a problem, evalaute a problem, fix a problem. It’s a lot easier than the actual writing. Very few writers like that actual writing. They like having written.

But this fix-it mentality is a double-edged sword. Writing, or parenting, or life in general comes with expectations. Trouble can start when the expectations don’t match up with reality.

That stress between how we thought something would go and how it actual plays out can either make us or break us.

There is certainly possibility in that friction especially when you are trying to be creative but if you are parenting hanging on to those expectations will often lead to frustration.

I am trying very hard these days not to be quite so inflexible about those visions in my head and rather to pay attention to what’s in front of me and the possibilities of what I can do with it.

As February is wrapping up(!), it finally feels like a proper winter here in Boston. For the second time in a month, the Saturday group run was postponed due to the pre-dawn temperatures.

Temperature is rarely an issue in virtual biking. So I hopped on and road for an hour and watched the last episode of Netflix’s Full Swing.

Our family is not one for the ski slopes. Neither Michelle nor I ski.

Michelle is constantly threatening to learn how to ski but hasn’t done it yet.

We are not immune to a good sledding hill however, especially a professionally groomed one.

Despite the low temps, we headed out to a small, local ski area that offered tubing.

Biggest takeaway from the day?

The hand warmer technology has made big strides since I last used them in the 90s. Those little bags stayed hot for a solid twelve hours.

Tubing was also fun.

I think all the meteorological doom talk about the sub-freezing temps kept the crowds away.

The only time we had to wait was when the attendant at the top, from the Caribbean and playing island jams on a speaker hooked to his belt, sort of… spaced out.

Something that did not go unnoticed while planning this little adventure? It was only 15 minutes from one of our favorite pizza places in Worcester.

The Donohue version of après-ski: Peronis and pizza.

And we didn’t stop at just pizza pies. Worcester is also home to the Table Talk pie company and their pie outlet store still has some steals even in this economy.

We left with a ridiculous amount and variety of pies for $11.

Tubing and après-ski can take a physical toll. Recovery time on the couch was necessary.

But then a twist! An unexpected rally. A compulsion to wring every last ounce of heat from those hand warmers.

A hike to the top of nearby Noon Hill.

Then it was back to the couch. For good this time.

We watched the surprisingly good adaptation of Dahl’s Matilda musical on Netflix. Emma Thompson was nearly unrecognizable and the girl that played Matilda was great.

It just wouldn’t be a Donohue Saturday without pizza and a musical.

I tried to talk to the girls about the recent Dahl controversy around editing, censorship, and copyright but they kept shushing me.

One place where the expectations in my head clashed with the flavors of reality? Key lime M&M’s.

I definitely wanted to “fix” these. Buyer beware.

Have a great Sunday!