Both hands, alternatively.

On the one hand, I am so excited that I'm going to see my daughter in Boston tomorrow. On the other hand, sometimes I miss the Scotlands so much it makes me a little bit sick inside.

On the one hand, I roasted a lovely piece of squash tonight with the intention of making risotto. On the other hand, by the time the squash was roasted, risotto seemed like kind of a big project, so we ate leftovers.

I find this time of year so beautiful. The early darkness, however, is like automatic melancholy.

On the one hand, I'm glad it's basketball season, but it would be nice if the Jazz weren't making me bite my nails in this last minute of the game (and then losing, dadgummit).

On the one hand, the guy who came to deliver our new-to-us retro-tastic cobalt blue sectional sofa (we can have Jazz game watching parties! board game parties! Mad Men watching marathons!), which we purchased from The Green Ant, said he's never before delivered anything out in our neck of the woods. On the other hand, he said he knew which house it was by the Obama sign.

Breakfast, passport, lunch, movie, nap, dinner, movie.

That's how my day after Thanksgiving was. I think I started the day a little hungover from food, perhaps especially the pie. Anyway, the day's timeline was as follows:

• Pie (apple) and tea for breakfast.
• Went with running son to submit passport application, expedited.
• Went to lunch (Wendy's) with running son, then to a movie (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium). Which was pretty much enjoyable for the kind of movie it is. I liked it.
• Came home.
• Took a receipt back to a store to get a "price adjustment," which on the one hand demonstrates my excellent shopping abilities (I knew the expensive sweaters would be on sale the day after Thanksgiving, and I was right, so I got the differential in cash), and on the other hand, my relative impatience--I could have gone anytime within 14 days of the original purchase. Felt the strong desire to do it today. On the other (other) hand, it wasn't too bad at the store, so I was vindicated, at least a little.
• Nap, one hour.
• Dinner (Chinese) and a movie, No Country for Old Men. Pretty great, I thought. No: just plain great. Excellent, in fact.
  

A lowkey day, but with two movies in it. Tomorrow promises to be the same--my niece, college daughter, and I are going to have breakfast, do a tiny bit of shopping, and see another movie. Then the historian and I are going to see that new Todd Haynes thing, I'm Not There. I thought I might do some work this weekend. Maybe I will, on the day that exists between Saturday and Sunday, which I will will into existence. In the meanwhile, I, like the Son of Middlebrow and Dr. Write, am very grateful for theaters, and also for long weekends.