Family News

The children are “ice skating” to their self-created music in the nook normally used as the dining area.
Jay is filling out some huge survey, occasionally trying to engage me by asking questions.
I am trying to cruise through my reconceptualized novel despite the activity, and Jay reads from the survey:
“Do you have trouble concentrating or making [...]

This has been the most peaceful trip Jay’s ever been on.
And that was with the 7-years-old birthday party with crafts, donuts and snow-in-the-house.
I can’t imagine it being this peaceful if we had to keep a schedule with the outside world (school, outside work, playdates), but slowing down and doing everything with less intensity.
We’ve gone to [...]

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve written here.
A lot’s been going on, but I’ve waited because none of it “stable” enough for me to write about it; to set in stone as “reality.”
But now I figure if I wait till it’s all at that level I might not remember enough to record a bunch [...]

That’s how long it took me to get from I’m *freezing*! How will I survive winter missing 20 lbs. of insulation? to  *Man* it’s been a long time since I went walking! When’s Jay going to be home?
I took the dog out for a walk to Cold Spot Feed for a pair of oddments, and [...]

A long time ago I wrote about how I was careful to change the way I told Cinderella to clarify that work is not abuse. (I was not going to train any attitudes to a false martyrdom. Yuck.)
Anyway, when we watched the R&H Cinderella last week I was delighted when one of the girls leaned [...]

I am the regular lawn-mower at our house.
I used to think of it was a man-job, and didn’t really consider doing until my mom asked, somewhat scandalized, why I let Jay keep mowing the lawn when it attacks his allergies so badly.
He had this whole system of putting on long pants, tucking his cuffs into [...]

Got a bunch of books yesterday, and sat a while reading the new ones to the kids.
One really cute one is Lingingstone Mouse where the little critter is searching for China, where he wants to set up his new nest after leaving home.  The first time we read it I had just said the bit [...]

I went and auditioned last night for a play I know next to nothing about.
It felt a bit like an ethical quandary, truly:
Is showing up like an eBay bid, where if you “win” (are selected) you are bound to follow through and roll with whatever’s given you?
I resist being bound, but understand the thinking that [...]

We took the kids to a playgroud last Saturday morning. There was a family of three kids already there, the oldest brother (maybe 10) seemed to be vaguely in-charge and eager to converse with an adult (hey, that’s me!).
He asked if that school was where my kids went. I said they weren’t old [...]

(Extra points for anyone who recognized that line from Mad About You.)
I don’t know if anybody really uses the “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free” line, just like I don’t know anybody who uses the “If all your friends jumped off a cliff would you?” line, but I just [...]