There’s a different rhythm to life now that the warm weather has hit Park Slope. For the past two days, we’ve eaten dinner past nine. I know that must sound shocking. But we find ourselves enjoying the weather, the sunlight, and the general feeling of giddiness that comes over the Slope when the magnolias are in bloom.

Yesterday, on the way home from my office I bought a cold bottle of Italian white wine at Shawns. When I got to my building my downstairs’ neighbors were eating dinner on the stoop. "Can you bring out your corkscrew and some  plastic cups," I asked. We drank the entire bottle of wine (with our husbands) while our children made chalk portraits of themselves on the sidewalk.

It was after eight before we went upstairs, made a quick dinner, and rushed through homework, baths, and bedtime reading.

Tonight, my daughter and I went out at five to check out the new children’s store that took the place of Fidgits. We even managed to buy a really cute black skort and top there. We then found ourselves in the PS 321 playground and discovered that there was a special event at the school in honor of "Annual Turn Off Your T.V. Week," an event that featured charades, hopscotch, chess, science experiments, and a wonderful sing-a-long in one of the kindergarten classrooms.

Afterwards, we hung out in the playground again; in the dark, I talked to a mom while my daughter played on the slide. We then went to Pinos for take-out pizza and to Met Food for breakfast basics. It was 9 p.m. before we were home. Again a speedy dinner, homework, and to bed.

Yup, I’ve just outed myself: on these first warm days I’m letting the routines slide. We’re doing things a little bit differently, infused as we are with the wayward spirit of spring.