The Weekly Wrap #269
06.21.2026
This was an odd week.
Monday was a plain old workday.
I took Tuesday through Thursday as annual leave to handle the weirdness that was the rest of the week.
Tuesday, schools were closed for the DC primary elections. (Many of them double as polling places.) Kiddo and I ran errands in the morning, and went to the pool in the afternoon.
I took Wednesday off because it was supposed to be the last day of school (they usually close early), so I figured I'd be squiring the kiddo around. But thanks to snow days earlier this year, an extra day got added to the calendar. Wednesday, instead, turned into "deep clean your cabinets while the kid is at school" day.
Thursday ended up being the actual last day of school. I pulled the kiddo from after care early (they were closing ahead of schedule anyway) so she could make it to a neighborhood party.
Friday was a holiday, but the husband had to work, so the kiddo and I had a full day together.
Oh, and it's Father's Day weekend so our rhythm of who wakes up with the kiddo is all thrown off.
My brain is confused.
At least camp starts tomorrow. That will bring some semblance of routine back into our lives.
A third of the way through Into the Drowning Deep the action pops up. No one writes the build up like Grant. She is so skilled at making moments of nothing feel full of tension. You know the jump scare is coming, you just don't know when. I stayed up too late reading one night because I just had to get to the moment where the plot takes off. I have no idea how this book is going to end, and that's a good thing.
*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org
The allure of home cooking. [Taste]
The marshmallow test is probably meaningless. [The Atlantic - gift link]
And people wonder why women get the “speak with the manager” haircut. [Men Yell at Me]
All moms need a break - even tigers. [PetaPixel]
Adults can earn stickers too! [The Guardian]
An interview that shows why Steven Spielberg is so good. [The Daily]
As someone who works in education, we cannot accept ed tech blindly. [The Daily]
Fatherhood tips for the modern era. [Life Kit]
I was disappointed by 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. While it expanded more on the “life” of the zombies, it was a bit too gory for my liking. It felt far bloodier and more violent than the previous entries. I wish the plot focused more on the Ralph Fiennes side of the storyline. The parallel story with the Jimmies just felt like gratuitous pain. [Netflix]
In a weird for me move, we’ve been watching a lot of the World Cup. I like soccer but it’s not something I put on to watch that often. There’s just something about the World Cup. There is joy in the fandoms. I’ve been watching a lot of social media videos about the fan experience and every single one is charming. [FIFA]
I turned roasted shrimp and pea couscous salad into an entirely stove top dish. I ended up boiling the pasta in a pot and tossing everything else in a sauté pan. Then it all got mixed together before we dove in. I thought I went over board with the dill, but it worked out fine in the end. Feta would have been a nice addition. [the kitchn]
Quesadillas really are a cheat code for getting our kiddo to eat other things. Spinach, black bean, and chipotle quesadillas was an easy vegetarian dinner. I omitted the chipotle from the kiddo’s mixture, but the adults enjoyed the smokey heat. Also, I think you only need sour cream for this. Salsa would have gotten lost in the adobe flavor of the peppers. [Serious Eats]
Kiddo requested pizza bagels for dinner. No recipe - we just topped bagel halves with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. Then baked everything at 400 for about 15 minutes. I found the bagels a bit sweet, but that could have just been the brand of bagels we used. We added a salad on the side.
This image of a duckling swimming through the algae on the Reflecting Pool looks remarkably like an impressionist painting. [The Atlantic - gift link]
If you’re into trivia, Obscure Islands is a fun website to explore.
I’m jealous that my kiddo gets to go to a fun camp this summer. Take me with you!