THE DANCE RECITAL

A success. Noodle was beyond adorable in her red tutu, and the kids all had a blast. Despite what it may imply to the uninitiated on my Facebook description of the event, Noodle's dance class was more about fun and staying active than it is about ballet.

We may re-visit it in the future, but mid-winter mid-week late-afternoon schleps to Kingston are not cutting it in anybody's long term schedule for now. The Red Hook schools have some great after-school programs for kids on down to kindergarten, and Noodle's in one of those now. Either yoga or cooking, I forget which. At this hour you could tell me she signed up for a class in arms smuggling and I'd give you 20 seconds on how cool it is she's taking an interest in international relations (and would sail through those confirmation hearings today).

HOT DIGGITY, I GOT A DATE

For the first time in the five years since Her Awesomeness was carrying Noodle around in utero, we're going to a concert next weekend - Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt at UPAC in Kingston, which is going to be undergoing several months' worth of renovations later on this year. The Amazing In-Laws will be taking care of Noodle and Beast while the missus and I experience the joys of trying to find a parking spot in midtown Kingston.

I've been practicing the old fake-yawn-stretch-arm-around-my-date move, because I'm rusty.