Busyness

Would you believe I have not taken one picture this week? Me of the 30 per day only a year ago. Oh well, the semester is almost over and then I'll get back into the swing. This photo was taken one year ago at Nana & Gampy's house. He's a lot bigger now. And sassier.

I don't have much steam tonight after having spent the day finishing up my application for the Procrastinator of the Year Award. I have now completed my Database of Names/Addresses of Family/Friends and have successfully merged it into a Word document with an Avery labels template to create address labels for our Christmas cards, which arrived today. That's part of my application too. Anything for an award. Anything to avoid grading 25 argumentative research papers with titles such as, "To Spank or Not to Spank" or "Pre-Arranged Marriage: The Bane of Civilization" or "It's Not Your Credit Card That's Bad, It's YOU: The Upside of Easy Credit." On the one hand I am thrilled not to be reading about the same old same old topics of abortion, legalization of marijuana, and the like (all of which I banned this year), but on the other hand it just seems wrong not to be doing more baking or shopping or tree trimming.

Meanwhile, in Gooseland ...

Last night we took our old babysitter (one of B's former students) out for pizza since she came home from her first semester of college with a 4.0! While there The Goose entertained himself with a section of pizza dough and an empty salad dressing bowl. Put in a piece of dough. Take out the dough. Put in the dough violently. Take out the dough violently. Listen to Mama remind you about being gentle at the table. Put in the dough gently. Take out the dough violently.

Finally -- since we were seated in the PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN section -- another family came with a kid his age. Little girl, pink jacket, baby brother, they brought crayons. The next thing we knew he was "ALL DONE!" and "Wanna get down go see that girl." So off he goes. Pulls out a chair, climbs up, grabs a crayon. I go over, clear it with the mom. Five minutes later, I'm engrossed in conversation, basking in the bliss of his being entertained by something other than me singing "Jingle Bells" or the "Bob the Builder" theme song repeatedly. Then I hear Brian say, "Uh, Kim, I think he just ate one of their chicken wings."

Verdict: "It's HOT. Too hot. Nose run! Eyes. Hurt eyes."

What will he be if not a politician?

That's all I've got for now. Tune in next week for the recap of all our various last-minute Christmas parties and possibly a description of my two root canals which are now OVER and that's all that matters. For two hours on two separate days I was in a nitrous oxide haze and you know some good stories can come out of that.

Check your mailboxes!