I've been slow to post this week, so here's a collection of highlights:

It's been a gray and rainy week, but a week ago Saturday, it was beautiful day, and I was pleasantly surprised when Alison agreed to go with me on a walk. I exercise because I have to, not because I crave it, and I prefer to walk with a purpose -- meaning run an errand if I can

I wanted to go to the bank in person because the online functionality wasn't functional. I called down to Jeff that Ali and I were taking a walk. "I'll come, too," he says.We get going and I tell them the destination and both of them falter.

"It's not that far," I said. "Come on. You said you'd go for a walk!"

They grumble. We have barely turned the corner heading north when Ali suggests a race to the stop sign. I tap out. I don't run unless bears are chasing me. Jeff initially declined but then agreed and off they went.

"Um, hello!" I said to no one in earshot. "What happened to walking?"

I caught up with them as they waited for traffic to clear. For reasons I don't understand, the pair of them would rather cross a four-lane city street than walk an extra block back to the closest path to the Monon Trail, which safely crosses over said street.

We played a little human Frogger, but survived the crossing and keep going. It turns out that Jeff needed to be at the bank in person to be added to my business account, something we'd long talked about but not done. Rather than have Ali wait for this additional chore, I sent her to the nearby CVS to pick up an item for me. Jeff had a request that required a phone call and us going over to the store, but we eventually meander back home.

I later spent an hour driving Alison to a friend's house for an overnight and the weather turned, making it too cold to walk to date night dinner. Thanks to our morning walk, though, I had my steps in and all was good between me and my FitBit.

***

Alison was doing homework, and the day before, I'd told her it was Taco Week. Not just Taco Tuesday, but Taco Week.

Jeff was playing basketball so it was just she and I. She suggested Taco Bell for dinner. I suggested that it was rainy outside and we had other options. She went back to homework.

A little while later, she came out again, suggesting a Taco Bell run. I suggested she accompany me. She suggested she had a lot of homework. I shook my head.

"But it's Taco Week and we haven't celebrated," she said.

"Come with me and we'll do it," I said.

She reminded me of the homework. And then she hugged me and said, "You know most kids my age are either pregnant or smoking weed."

A. That's not true. But B., as far as I know, she's guilty of neither. And C, I didn't want to cook.

***

Thursday, I was just about to do something -- don't remember what anymore -- and Ali came out carrying the nail polish kit. "Will you help me?"

Winter formal was the next night. She'd declined to go shopping. "I have plenty of dresses I never wear," she said. I painted her nails -- black.  She's not goth, but sometimes, she likes to dabble.

***

Friday, she was off to the dance and Jeff and I cashed in an anniversary gift for another dinner out. It was tremendous. We finished well in time to pick Ali up from the dance. She'd gone with friends, and I hadn't seen her since she left for school. She'd promised to send me pictures, but my phone was empty.

She comes in. I'm in bed watching television. She collapses on the bed with me, still in her dress she's rapidly getting too tall for. (I'd insisted she wear her old volleyball shorts underneath as she is prone to twirl as if she's still 4-years-old.) We stayed there for an hour or so. Here's what I got as my report from the dance:

 "It was fun."
"We danced."
"I'm so tired."
"I did the tango with Owen."

***

Saturday morning, Jeff set off to a beer thing and I stayed in bed. Ali came in, dropped her books and phone on the bed, leaving to get the laundry started.

She came back to bed and we stayed there until early afternoon, getting out only to get food, move laundry and go to the bathroom. It was glorious.

I finally got some dance photos. They don't show off how cute she looked in her dress, but she did seem to be having fun.