Total and Unadulterated Avoidance

Okay, I'm overwhelmed.  That's why I'm sitting here instead of packing.  It's called avoidance and I'm knee-deep in it.  I've been following the 10-day weather for our port cities and it seems this time of year is transitional -- most of the day time highs will be in the mid-sixties w/ lows in the 40s.  So maybe that means I should just pack everything?

One thing is for sure:  I NEED TO CLEAN OUT MY CLOSET!!  There's a lot of stuff I never wear in there.   Since I retired I tend to wear the same things; I dress for comfort.  Who am I kidding?  I dressed for comfort when I taught, too.  Focus, Kathy, FOCUS!

Last night the baby joined us for dinner while her mother went to the gym.  She was a whirling dervish alternately eating bow tie macaroni and climbing all over her chair.  At one point she picked up a dinner roll, put it to her ear, and said, "I hear waves, Poppy.  Listen."  Richard and I can't remember what we ate.  Or if we ate.  We told her she needed to sit on her chair -- several times -- and said if she didn't she'd have to do a 'time out.'  She said happily, "Okay!" and ran to the time out spot, from where she smiled and waved to me and called, "Look, Kath, I'm in time out!"  Richard looked at me; I at him, and he went and got her.

I want to say  hello and get well really soon to Maggie at Postcards . Stop by her blog and give a wave if you can.

Okay, ENOUGH!  Back to the closet/suitcase.  Or maybe I'll make myself a cup of tea and some brownies...Those windows could use cleaning...

A Short One on a Monday Night

A short post tonight. It's almost 7:00 PM, the sun is still up, but not for long, and I can hear an owl. I love that sound. It's not very close, but the sound of the hooting echoes through the woods behind our house. Today began cloudy and windy but turned into a glorious day -- beautiful blue sky, very windy, and about 55 degrees. Each day is just a tad warmer than the day before. We're getting there...

I spent most of yesterday and today editing reports and writing press releases. It's a wonder that I can still think straight, but knowing it's completed has energized me. And I need to kill a little time until I can check in Richard for his Southwest flight tomorrow night! Yes, the husband is OTR yet again. This is good news as the Energy Management, Residential and Commercial Electricity Cooperatives are going nicely and in this difficult economic time for so many we have a business that supports our family. Not bragging, just thankful. And hoping that things turn around for everyone else and SOON.

Daughter needs me to babysit tomorrow morning. She's taken the baby out of day care because of repeated illness -- Crusty Beef, we feel your pain!! -- but this affords me some nice time with her. She's walking now -- celebrates her first birthday on the 7th, and we think she's calling me "Kathy" :) -- I love it!

Babies

My husband and I babysat for our seven month old grand daughter. She's been playing strange and when our daughter started to leave, the baby stuck out her lower lip (not a good sign), and began an angry wailing that lasted for well over 90 minutes.
I tried feeding her. She took a couple of spoons of cereal while I belted out 23 renditions of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". Then she tried to throw herself out of my husband's arms. So we sang, we walked, we tried a bottle of breast milk our daughter had left, we upset the cat, we danced -- to no avail. Finally, Richard took her into the living room and lay down beside her on the floor. She finally fell asleep alternately sucking on her thumb and her foot. I crept in and tried to cover the two of them. Between his teeth, my husband whispered, "If you wake her, so help me God, I'll kill you." I crept out.
Our daughter returned visibly renewed from her outing. As she walked in, the baby opened her eyes, smiled and began kicking her legs. Momma was home. And I needed a nap.