Happy to be home...

I've been on the road for two weeks for work, and it's great to be home. Of course I am a pixie, so there are some little Ws to go along with my great big AWs.

AW: dogs are happy to see me!
W: this happiness requires the puppy to try and climb me and the others to stick very, very close. Like, turn around and step on two dogs close. Hopefully the novelty wears off soon.

AW: I have all day today to move back in to my life. Laundry is done; I made it to the grocery store; and I've got soup simmering in the crockpot.
W: back to work tomorrow.

What is going on in your worlds, Pixies?

Fresh Frozen Awards

This week's ceremony is brought to you by Snowpacalype '11 and the letter F, for fireplacing freezing. Our thoughts are with those wielding snow shovels, racking up the snow days, and otherwise struggling with the weather. Passing the hot chocolate!

There Ain't No Justice, There's Just Us Award to Liz, who braved the frost to get to court, only to find that court was closed and they were alone. Bleah.

Thanks a LOT, Teacher Award to Emily, whose youngest had to make a snowman for homework. Meaning, of course, extra hands-on parenting for parents already fuzzy of brain and body from all that shoveling. The Cluestick Posse is all over this one.

Happy Birthday to the fabulous Mini Baboo, who is absolutely perfect in every way, even if she appears to be a new member of Short People United. That particular club has many distinguished and accomplished members, so she is in good company.

Good Neighbor Award to Sue, who is keeping an eye out and a helping hand ready for her elderly neighbor.

Family of Origin Vexation Award of the Week to Neighbor Lady. Much sympathy from the Pixies, who are dispatching the Cluestick Posse to deal with the situation.

Old Skool Decision of the Week Award to Sue, who went with the bangs. Yay! And congratulations on the upcoming vacation! Send postcards!

Hello? Hello? The Connection Sounds a Little Damp Award to Liz, whose cell phone had a small encounter with the washing machine, and is now resting comfortably in a bowl of rice.

By popular demand, the Pixies have formed a Kudos Posse, which is proud to present the Festive Garlands of Awesomeness Award to Sue's doctor, who came to the house to do hubby's exam! (Thanks to KLee for the excellent award suggestion.)

Watching a Train Wreck Award to Esperanza, whose colleague "is bearing the brunt of an unhealthy situation."

Speaking of unhealthy situations, the No Good Deed Goes Unpunished Award to KLee, who tried to help a friend, only to have the friend turn on her. Oy. The Cluestick Posse is adding another stop.

Condolences to Sue's friend, who just lost a loved one.

Do you ever read about someone else's job and think, "Oh, my -- I should never complain about my work again"? (Not that this will stop us.) This week's Battle Duty Award goes to Esperanza's husband, who is in a "two funeral week."

Best to all who are suffering maladies, sadness, family angst, work angst, and/or a shocking shortage of GS cookies, especially Thin Mints, the very best cookie ever. Let us sally forth into the next week bravely, hoping for the best, avoiding the pook, and knowing in our hearts that Cluesticks and Kudos await the deserving.

It's almost Wednesday!

Let the whines and anti-whines begin!

W/AW: busy busy busy busy. Mostly work stuff -- some thorny substantive problems, and the adventure of change of address cards. I think everyone who needs to be notified is, but labels are not one of my areas of expertise.

AW: Baby blankie and a care package received by their respective recipients!

W: OMG with the pook again. It really sucks when one accidentally tracks it down the hall. Especially when one is the designated pook monitor, and the quantity of such has been decreasing.

AW: Sunshine!

W: The baby toe injured by a wild falling can before Christmas was healing up fine, but now it is swollen. Waa.

Question: Does anyone use dictation/word recognition software? Any tips?

I'm keeping my eyes open for the appearance of GS cookies locally. Will virtually pass them when located!

Awards!!! You've Gotta Fight! For Your Right! To OT! Edition

This week there will be one and only one Cluestick Posse (now with added cludsticks). And we're sending it to Amy's pediatrician and nurse.

For the want of the mail award goes to Kathy A.

The Aaaaah, Spa award goes to Sue.

The Esperanza and the Oobleck Award goes to Esperanza.

Love and hugs to all dealing with boring meetings, clothes that don't fit, pook, headaches, and other afflictions

all lowercase edition

posting this from my phone, so will be brief and lacking in capital letters. weekend was crowded with events, all good. bought clothes, all nice, but best shirt not available in size 14, so bought it in a 12 and will avoid taking deep breaths.

bring on your whines!

Whew, this post was autosaved when I accidentally closed the screen....

This has been a week of such shock, tragedy, reflection. I'm grateful to my fellow Pixies for being there. We are not going to agree about everything, but it is a comfort to be able to share some thoughts in a civilized manner, at a time when all our minds are reeling with the horror.

But life, as always, goes on. Congratulations to JenR, who shares the fabulous news that her wee one is due in September! Baby!! Wooot! We are thrilled! Wishing you good luck with the hunt for maternity wear, and we're passing the saltines, the ginger chews, the anti-nausea wristband, and lots of hugs.

Old Skool Awards to Liz, whose son came home from school sick, but made a miraculous recovery soon thereafter; Sue, for her papercut; Sarah, for PMS; and Esperanza, for the return of AF.

Elevated Risk of Mullet Award goes to Sarah, who got to visit with friends and reports: "And we have 3 kids and our friends have 3 kids and having 6 kids around is ridiculous. Taking 6 kids under 10 out to dinner should probably be illegal. At least immoral." Maybe the excitement will ramp down sometime soon. ;)

Oh NO -- Not the Pizza! Award to Esperanza, who dropped a pizza "goodie side down" in the oven. On the up side [heh], one of the Baboos was spared a burn; they were not spared Mama's four-letter words, a mental image that makes me giggle.

Real Jobsville Award to Jenevieve, who scored not one but two interviews! Crossing fingers. And we hope your back is better!

Snow + Strep Sucks Award to Neighbor Lady, for reasons that should be self-explanatory.

Pre-emptive Cluesticks to PK's insurance company; hoping they cover the OT for daughter.

Laundry Fairy to Sue's son. Oh wait; he has one. ;)

Best wishes for a quick recovery to all the Pixies who are afflicted, or whose households are afflicted, with illness, pain, nausea, etc.: Esperanza's Sweet AND Mini; Jeni; Liz's MM; Neighbor Lady's hubby AND daughter; Sue; JenR; Sarah's daughter; and Amy. Apologies if I'm leaving anyone out! And thanks to Days for passing the curative chicken soup and/or margaritas, to be taken as needed.

Early whining, because this is already a week...

Pixies, I'm still numb about the horrible tragedy yesterday in Arizona. My heart goes out to all those directly affected, but it seems to me that all of us are affected by something so unspeakable. Like many others, including the sheriff, I am heartsick at a poisonous political atmosphere that may have helped spark this insane and devastating violence.

Things are still happening closer to home, as they are wont to do.
AW: Daughter's birthday was yesterday!
W: Visited cousin and her daughter, still in ICU.
AW: Cousin's daughter sat up in a chair for the first time!
Funny W: Daughter went for a drive after BD!Cake!With BestFriend! and called home so we could mapquest her out of lostness.

Also, if you must know, the rate of misplaced pookiness around here has me ever so happy that I invested in a bunch of washable mats to place by all the litter box entrances. This is your Pixie investment tip of the week.

So, whining is now open, for whines and anti-whines of all stripes.

Awards Round Up

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...it's awards time! So round up your livestock and gather 'round the campfire to collect your loot.

There was a fierce competition for the Old Skool Award this week, what with Sue's hairstyle and kathy a.'s too-close-for-comfort diners at the breakfast meeting. But the hands down winner is emily, with her lament about the ubiquity of select-a-size paper towels and the absence of the regular kind. 'Tis a tale of woe.

Elevated Risk of Mullet Award with Theme Related Bonus to kathy a., for her description of amy's tot being "off her feed." Nothing like a horsey metaphor to lighten the mood.

Unfortunately, the cluestick posse is going to be busy this week. Git yer ponies saddled. Visits are needed to Anonymous's vetoing husband, p_k's daughter's neurologist, bad occupational therapists for the tot, circumstances that lead to the uncleaning of carpet, the losing of important emails, car brakes that need replacing, overcrowded gyms, cats who bark anyplace but the litter box, and Sue's fireplacing headache.

Hugs to all of the cluestick related pixies, plus to kathy a's cousin's daughter and family and to Days for her upcoming appointments.

Hooray for antiwhines of worship service shenanigans, new apartments, free furniture, and better-than-expected jobs.

Liz is still taking lunch ideas for her son with the sophisticated palate.

Apologies to anyone I overlooked.

Back in That Saddle

Here at Casa Esperanza, we have returned from the grandparents' house and are back in our routine, for better or worse.

Better:
* The sleep, she is better. Oh my, did the Baboos not sleep well. Sweet wanted to party in the middle of the night, and Mini wanted midnight snacks constantly. Grandma, Mr. E and I all pulled middle-of-the-night shifts. So. The sleepers are happy at home.
* The introvert, she is better. That would be me. The evening we got home, despite crummy sleep all week and the long drive, I spent a couple of hours by myself and was *wired* from doing so. Yeah, I'm still an introvert.

Worse:
* I seem to be the one that is cooking around here. Which is our custom, but it's easy to get used to my mommy's cooking.
* No one picked up the mess we left.
* This routine is draining.

So how are things back at your ranches?