Muffins extraordinaire, a cute story, quietude

The day opened with the Sunday Times and a freshly made latte, a la barista Tom, spread before me. Bliss.

I read until my yen for apple cider muffins grew too great; only then did I remove myself from the couch and go make some. Happy am I that I did. These muffins are the absolute yummiest. I love them. Everything about them. I love their crumb, and I love the subtle fragrance and taste of nutmeg in every bite. I love the tender apple chunks studded throughout; they manage to taste gently poached and perfectly steamed. And I love that I finally took a fine photograph of them as you may know just how long I have struggled to do so (if you need a good challenge, try to take a pretty pic of muffins; go ahead, see if you want to eat what you see in your pics!).

Afterwards, T asked if I wanted to go to the gym together. Alas, no, my love. I do not. "I am going to park myself on the couch in front of the fireplace, light a fire and get my reading on." And that is what I have done. I'm still there even though he came home and is now back out. Maybe it relaxes him to run errands on a Sunday but I do enough of that every other day, with the kids, thank you. What I never do is read on the couch in a quiet home.

So anyway, we're both happy, and that's nice. Oliver went to a good buddy's birthday party this morning (thank you carpool who picked him up and dropped him back off at my in-laws' house), and three different mothers texted/emailed me this story: after eating two slices of pizza and wiping his greasy mouth, little O, folded his used napkin up into a flower for me. I've got video and photographic evidence of this most darling act. Could you die?!

I'm starting to get very excited about seeing my munchkins though I am less excited that they don't have school until Wednesday, and during that time Jack is having two cavities filled. Hmm. I'm almost nausea-free and am tonight making T a dinner from the Gramercy Tavern cookbook: baked clams; puffed potatoes. Asparagus on the side. And German Chocolate cupcakes (he didn't want a whole cake because he is trying hard to stay on his health wagon), some for us, some for my trainer whose birthday is tomorrow. I love her, she also doesn't want much in the way of birthday dessert, so splitting a half-recipe between the two of them seems like the way to go.

Now I'm hungry again...off to make those cupcakes!