Extra, Extra! We have an extra day this year!

Isn't Leap Year a peculiar thing? I know, it's a pragmatic solution trying to fit the Earth's rhythms into our own need for regularity, but if we are going to have an extra day every four years, shouldn't it be a day we can spend as we please?

Wherefore, I propose an international floating Leap Year holiday, to be celebrated by each at a time of his/her convenience, in a manner of personal choice. Is there a second?

I think I'm celebrating today, by not requiring myself to seriously dive into the next big work thing just yet. I may blow part of the day with some random cleaning of the drawers and office, but only until that becomes tiresome, thus scoring some virtue points while still winding down from last week.

In antiwhines, we had a wonderful surprise birthday party for my nearby cousin this weekend! Very fun, lots of family + friends, ages 2 months to 73 years. The bossy cousin-in-law was not bossy -- yay! The clan unobtrusively but dedicatedly administered hugs and cheer to a 9 year old cousin after some older girls said mean things to her -- plus we found the fancy cupcakes, so everything was all better.

How are you celebrating Leap Year? What else is going on?

Awards: Pink Cake Edition

Happy “Family Day” to all our Canadian Pixies! We wish you much family time, laundry doing, and Angry Birds!

kathy a gets the Unlikely Pink Cake Award for her energizing, wonderful conference. Congratulations on finishing the project too – what a week!

Much Pink Cake Sympathy to kathy a’s Wonderful Aunt for the Pedestrian Walking Into The Car.

esperanza wins the Pink Cake of Forgiveness Award for her covert bush removal. May your curtain sheers fall apart in the wash very soon.

Sarah at ratatat gets the Bonus Yoga (Pink Cake) Award, for squishing her whines out with yoga. May they stay gone!

Much Sympathy (and Pink Cake) to Miranda, who is returning to work after surgery. Cluesticks to the coworkers who seem to think abdominal surgery is just a piece of (pink) cake.

Bon Voyage (and Pink Cake) to Jen R, who is traveling solo this week.

Greetings (and a slice of Pink Cake) to Neighbor Lady!

Sue, we are all glad you were able to identify a problem and are working on finding solutions with your doc and your Hubby. We are rooting for you (and sending Pink Cake!).

This wraps up our Pink Cake Awards Edition. See you next week, when the fabulous kathy a. will host!

President's Day Sale Week Whining

Did you hear, Pixies, apparently the malls in the US were crazy this weekend?

Fortunately, I missed it (AW!). I don't shop much (at all, actually, when I can help it) but received many confirmations that it was a good weekend to stay home from my braver (shopping-enjoying) pals.

How is your week unfolding? I've managed to see family (AW!), break a ski (expensive W!), and bake a "very pink" cake. What's up in your neck of the woods?

Awards: The Sleep for Tired Pixies Prize

There were so many good whines and even more amazing anti-whines shared this week. However, my own lack of sleep and sudden pain from trying to resume normal life is going to cut short the expression of my appreciation of the community this week.

Liz, enjoy your trip!

Kathy A, enjoy your conference and I am assuming your project was a presentation to this august audience. Knock em dead, friend.

Sue, I often complain about my family but the one thing I appreciate about them is the way they still try to make sure Ex is welcome at family events and that they always, always check with me first before they invite him. I wish your family members had just a smidgen of that when they invite you to functions that Beloved cannot also attend.

Esperanza, my crunchy mama collective sends "sticky baby vibes" to those women who are in early pregnancy so I'm sending sticky baby vibes to your SIL. Also, some gentle vibes to your brother who may be so wrapped up in his own grief and fear that he isn't reaching out to his wife appropriately.

Sarah and Ratatat, I am sending you gentle vibes too as you navigate doing the right thing even though it will make the short term more difficult. It's hard to think long term when the short term is so awful. Hugs.

Miracle skin salve to the seasonally chapped, massages to all the sleep deprived, and all the girl scout cookies and/or chocolate a pixie could want to all for the next week.

Whines of a Manufactured Holiday Devoted to Infatuation Nature

Pixies, I get frothy when I think of Valentines Day. I suspect it is because I have never been in a happy relationship when the day rolls around, nor am I likely to ever be in that kind of relationship. Even fake dating around this time of the year is tricky. With no established relationship, a gift would be unnecessary. But what if the other person does do something? One year, I did receive a romantic gesture. Unfortunately, it was not from a romantic partner but it was the perfect romantic gift.

Instead, I am going to post links to things that do not pertain to traditional "romantic" gifts or infatuation on the face thingie tomorrow. Assuming,I get much time since I have been summoned to the office (hysterectomy-related sick leave be blasted) and my similarly cranky, now 14 year old, daughter who also eschews dating and cliched romantic gestures (where do these kids come from???), wants me to make a proper dinner tomorrow night.

So, what are you doing? Who needs cluesticking? Sleep fairies? Cleaning elves? Share in the comments.

Blame it All on the Hysterectomy Awards Show

That's right, pixies, let's blame it on the hormones or lack thereof. They can take it!

Gentle hugs and recovery from all assorted hormone shenanigans wishes to Miranda. Kudos to the Super Therapist Who Understands the System.

Cluesticks to governmental people making kooky decisions, and kudos to those actually using their brains for once.

Elevated Risk of Mullet to kathy, for this funny, yet pathetic whine: "Sue, may I borrow a quart of productivity?" (who knew it was measured as liquid volume?)

Cluesticks to offspring who do not wish to pull their own weight. And to other assorted family members who need to--ahem--think of the other people in the household every once in a while.

I seemed to forget that I was hosting this week, so apologies for the abbreviated awards ceremony. I have two rebellious non-nappers demanding my attention.

Post-Superbowl, Pre-Valentine's Day Whining

W: The plagues of sickness whines continue. We are slowly getting better. Energy levels are lagging behind, at least for me and Sweet. Mini is back to her usual antics.

W/AW: We got some good news from Sweet's testing, but are no closer to any answers. More testing to come.

AW: I got to get away for the weekend to hang out with friends from my pre-Baboos life. The break came just in time, as I was about to run away and join the circus. Or the Snot Olympics. My mom came to stay with the Baboos, which was good since hubby ended up working most of the weekend.

So what's with you, pixies?

Awards Show

This presentation is brought to you by Cranky, Sleepy, and Sickly, three of the popular house dwarves, who have managed visits to several Pixies and are now in residence chez moi. Let's hope everybody is feeling better, STAT.

The coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award goes to our Sue, for this gem: "Unsolicited middle-of-the-night Pixie advice: Playing Angry Birds is not conducive to relaxation and sleep." Runner-up is Liz, who adds: "Angry Birds is nothing NOTHING compared to Plants Vs. Zombies on the not conducive to sleeping front."

Sarah brings the fluids, and also wins a triple-header Old Skool Award for this: "Last night the 3yo peed in my bed, the 7yo had a nightmare and the 10yo had an ear infection. All in the course of 2 hours."

But wait, there's more! Sarah wins the Grace Under Awkward Circumstances Tiara because this happened on soon-to-be-ex's night, while he slumbered on obliviously, with a Kids First Sash for trying to work it all out in the least disruptive way for the young ones.

Esperanza wins her Own Medical Clinic; this is about week 43 of the sickness festivities, and this week featured her own lingering illness, Sweet's visit to the pulmonologist, and -- ta da! -- hives. Listen up, Universe! Enough!

The Running on Empty Award goes to Purple Kangaroo, whose hubby could use a little retraining on matters like finding a gas station at the appropriate time. Our Best Wishes in thrashing your way through the insurance jungle, too.

Days wins the Excellent In-Law Lottery, with three of her kids headed off for Ski! Week! with Grandparents! Hugs and crossed fingers about the trip back to NYC. xoxo

Happy Birthday to Liz's Muffin Man, who has achieved double digits! How did that happen??

Congratulations to Sue, whose head is so much better, and who has a sabbatical coming up!

Good Luck to Sarah, with the interview today!

Cluesticks to the K0men people, who failed to persuade us of their commitment to health when they defunded cancer screening for poor women.

Thanks for playing! See you next week, when the lovely Esperanza will host!

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ETA: JenR wins the Walkin' Pneumonia and teh Boogie Woogie Blues Award, for her late-breaking tale of pediatric medical sorrows. May the antibiotics be with you!