Mr. Magpie and I took a train down to D.C. for the day last Friday to look at a few houses. It was the first time we had been away from our children for more than a few hours and the second time we had been outside of Manhattan since the dawn of the pandemic. It was — good. Though we spent most of the time in staccato conversation with one another, examining the houses, their neighborhoods, and their selling points and demerits in recursive, iterative circles of chatter, it felt restorative to be on our own for the day. Aha! This is what it is like to be adults, navigating the world on our own! It was a blessed thing, to chase our musings to the full extent of their reach. To look out the window, to idle in front of Union Station, to sip glasses of wine from little plastic cups and nibble on the provisions we purchased from Black Salt as we reflected on various observations about the homes we’d seen, to sometimes permit ourselves to do nothing at all for strings of two or three or four minutes. It was strange to realize how circumscribed our lives have been, how few and far between the errands and elapses between us and our babies. I realized that when I am not with my children, I am on my way back to them. Even hair appointments and the handful of dates outside the home have felt more like blips than breathers. But I do not say to this to complain. I also dabbed at a tear later that evening replaying a video of my son blowing me kisses goodnight, and felt my heart twist when our wonderful caregiver told me that mini had crept out of her bedroom three, four, five times in my search before peering out the window and saying, “I bet they’re on the 1 train. They’ll be home soon.” My little four-year-old, reassuring herself of our imminent return, plotting our whereabouts, calculating the distance between us. Still I find it worthwhile to say that I see all of you parents who are still struggling your way through various restrictions and responsibilities at the hands of this virus. I have several loved ones who have left the workforce and put off their own ambitions to homeschool their children. I have friends who are still attempting to balance full time jobs with full time care of children at home. I see all of you, and I wish you many quiet day trips on Amtrak (and much more glamorous iterations), or at a minimum, in the solace of a cloistered bedroom, in the near future.
Post-Scripts.
+How do you make time to read?
+This top is trendy and super-fun.
+I’m in love with this indoor mat — perfect for a high-traffic area like a kitchen or entryway. The pattern is so fun and interesting and it can be wiped clean!
+Classy pitcher for cocktails, lemonade, water with cucumber and lemon.
+Love this rattan headband for spring.
+I straight up love this statement ceiling pendant and hope to find a place for it in my new home.
+Adore a white eyelet blouse like this. Would be adorable with jeans or with a white skirt like this.
+These Sister Parish pillows are fantastic.
+I love a good striped sweater, and this investment Toteme is la creme. I also covet the ones from La Ligne. I mean, a striped crewneck will just never go out of vogue.
+Speaking of La Ligne, this LBD is everything. It has a Gwyneth-in-Emma vibe but in slick black. Very into it.
+These stepladders come in great colors you won’t be embarrassed to have out. (Also come in a three-step and four-step variation.)
+More pastel kitchen/home finds here.
+So many interruptions this past year…my biggest lesson has been finding small ways to set boundaries.
+These heels just make me happy.
+Melamine dog bowls — ideal for outside!