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Monday, February 5, 2018

Dreaming of springtime

We are under a giant pile of snow, with temperatures that keep dipping into the Extreme Cold Warning regions, but I am surrounded by packets of seeds and seed catalogues. I spent part of the afternoon coordinating a combined seed order with a friend, and planning out how to save efforts this year (we'll start our seeds together, and then let Mr. Q water them all under the grow lights at school, taking away the temptation to spend lots of money on bedding plants). It's minus a billion outside, and I'm dragging my feet, avoiding the frigid drive to piano lessons, and so I'm filling my brain with daydreams of sunshine and green leaves.

Thank goodness February is such a short month.

93 comments:

Queen of West Procrastination said...

W: I'm pretty sure that E and I are coming down with another cold. Is the winter over yet?

kathy a. said...

No. You still have a giant pile of snow! Not over yet, but the days are getting blessedly longer!

AW: The local regional park has a Little Farm, and the mom pig gave birth to 11 healthy piglets yesterday! The cuteness is such that we need to go soon, just to bask in it. (This Little Farm is meant for little people, but we still like it.)

W: Recorded Robocall Of Doom for today announced that "the local cops" would be contacting me soon, because "your name has four serious allegations." Another day, another scam -- but some people might take this BS seriously....

Haiku:
Every day is
Fireplacing disaster
In the news. Enough.

AW: We have good pets, and things are good with the kids, and did I mention Spring is coming?

Sue said...

Ugh - not another cold, QWP!! I hope it passes quickly. Ditto on the mountain of snow and bitter cold. I bundled up today for a long walk because I was getting cabin fever and needed some fresh air. The sunshine was nice!

I hear you on the news, kathy. I can't even.

AW: Good books. Thank goodness for good books.

W: My BIL is in hospital. Gall bladder, he will be okay, but the poor guy is not used to being laid up and inactive. :(

kathy a. said...

Sue, hope he heals quickly! xoxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, I hope your BIL is better quickly, Sue. Are they removing the gall bladder? (I know a lot of people who've had it removed, and it had quite a quick recovery time.)

Kathy, those scammy phone calls get me so angry.

AW: I've been holding on to a spare kid parka all winter (it was a hand-me-down that E never wears, because she loves the parka we bought for her last spring, but I couldn't get around to donating it, because it always feels weird donating things that my kid still fits, just in case). Today, a friend (whose husband pastors an inner-city church in town) put out a call on social media for a winter coat in that size, because a small member of their church lost hers and was going without a coat in this awful weather. I was able to get our spare coat to a member of that church this afternoon, and he was rushing it to the kid's school. I'm so glad that I'd held onto that coat, and I'm glad that this nice coat will finally get some use by someone who needs it. But that poor little girl. It's been SO cold out.

(This reminds me that I have a giant bag of warm clothes in the basement, and that I still haven't donated it. The local places that really need it -- as opposed to the charities that resell them to a for-profit business -- don't have pickup service, and so I need to get off my butt and drive my donation somewhere this week.)

kathy a. said...

Go, QWP! xoxo

esperanza said...

W: Mini complained of intermittent knee pain at her checkup last week. So, doctor sent us for xray. Xray showed...something, probably torn cartilage. But we have to go to pediatric orthopedist to get it checked out. MRI would be the next step, probably It's almost certainly nothing super serious, but...a mama's gotta worry, right?

W: Also, Mr. E is at the low point of his "this church sucks and I can't do anything right" cycle. So that was a lovely confluence of events today.

kathy a. said...

((( Esperanza ))) Too much! The ortho might be reassuring, say to give it some time. Poor Mini!

And poor Mr. E. It really sucks that he's having a hard time with the whatever. xoxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Poor Mini, and poor Mr. E! So many hugs, esperanza.

esperanza said...

Dr Google says kids might be helped by casting, grownups only by surgery. It's probably a "do nothing and see what happens." The pain is only at night, only once every couple of weeks or so, totally manageable by ibupr0fen. No swelling, no bruising. Also no memorable injury, which is usually the cause. There's been bike falls, playground tumbles, etc, but nothing that stands out. So appointment is a week from tomorrow. Expect angst from me until then, as I'm trying not to spill it out onto Mini at this point.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Has Mini had a really sudden growth spurt? My sister had knee trouble that initially showed up funny in scans, and it turned out that her legs had grown more quickly than her muscles. Exercises corrected that really quickly.

esperanza said...

Not really sudden, but definitely steady. It's a "bony outgrowth of cartilage," usually in the "non-scary bony tumor" category. At least that's what the radiologist thought it was. Mini's presentation (kid bouncing all over the exam room, intermittent, mild pain) was perplexing to pedi and her colleague. So at least we're interesting.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

There's always something to be said about being interesting (so long as you're not also causing the medical professionals concern). Xoxo

Anonymous said...

((((Sue)))), hope your BIL heals quickly!

((((mini and esperanza)))) hope the pains go away and they figure out a way to help make the healing quicker. I never really appreciated how real "growing pains" really are before having kids. Hoping it is something like that and is something that can resolved by time and further growth.

QWP-- yay about the coat! Hope the colds go away quickly!

I think Neighbor Boy might be coming down with a cold. SO many kids at school are sick (and are still at school!)

W: I am trying to keep our house healthy because Neighbor Girl has heart surgery scheduled in a couple weeks, and they won't do it if she is ill. (She is getting an arrhythmia corrected) Am trying to be low-key about this, especially around her, but here I can say that I am a bit nervous. It's a 4 hour surgery, but quick recovery (basically laproscopic), but this flu season makes me nervous. We will be in the PICU one night after. Nurse friends reassure me that the PICU and OR are some of the cleanest places to be, so just crossing fingers that all is ok and goes well.

My BIL and family invited themselves to come visit from out of town the weekend before surgery--their son goes to college in nearby big city (though usually they are never completely healthy at the same time) and we have instructed them to stay home if they are sick, but ..... sigh..... their "sick" and our "sick" sometimes don't match. Also, it is the first weekend of our Feb school break week. And I am tired.

Anyway, just wanted to say hello and send love to all.

--Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

NL, I would be nervous too. Hugs to you and NG. And crossing fingers that sick people stay home.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, NL, so many hugs, and I'm crossing all appendages that NG can stay free from illness before (and after) her surgery.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

W/AW: well, at least I got some sleep before 3am (other than the brief wake-up at 1am, when Mr. Q went to be bathroom), and after 5am. E woke up with nightmares (and coughing) at 3:00 and 4:30, and I didn't fall back to sleep between those times. During the second wakeup I realised she also had a sore throat, and so I got her medicine, while Mr. Q got her humidifier going. I'm so glad that she actually slept after that (and she's still sleeping), because at 5am, she was very insistent that she wasn't tired anymore, and needed to get out of bed.

Sue said...

Well done on the coat situation, QWP!! I'm so glad it went to someone who clearly needed it. Yikes on the rough night, but I'm glad you got some sleep eventually.

(((mini and esperanza))) Yes, mama's gotta worry. I do hope it is all resolved soon.

(((NL and NG))) I would be concerned too. Is it possible to say to BIL, "Even if you're feeling well yourself, you might be carrying something that could be terribly dangerous for NG, either before or after the surgery. Could you please visit at another time?" Really, the visit is untimely at best. Maybe put it off?

W: BIL had scope yesterday and the plan was to remove the gallbladder, but the surgeon had been on duty for too many hours and needed rest, so they will try to fit him in today. Several wards in our local hospital are closed due to a scary antibiotic-resistant bug. BIL's isn't on one of those wards, but he's assured us he's okay without visitors just the same. My sister has been going up every day.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's really good wording for NL, Sue! I really do think it's a good idea to postpone the visit, especially since they have a different idea of what "sick" means.

kathy a. said...

((( NL ))) Fingers crossed that all goes well -- but of course you're worried! It does seem like an odd time for a visit...

kathy a. said...

Mmm, made a good soup!

Today is warm and sunny, so Mr. Dog has happily spent most of it outdoors, where dogs belong. But he wanted to come inside, possibly hoping for early dinner. This indoor time works out better if something good's on TV -- no news, sales channels, war shows, wild west -- so I try for old comedy / variety shows. Today's a bonanza! Lily Tomlin playing Ernestine, the telephone operator!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

I'm looking on envy at your warm weather, Kathy! It's going to be another cold night here.

W: both E and I have mildly sore tummies, as part of this bit of a virus we have, and the house is full of delicious food that we can hardly eat. (I made braised short ribs for supper, and the molecules that I ate were delicious).

AW: Mr. Q drove to the library, to get the mystery novel that I put on hold, since I was too tired and sick to drive to the library.

esperanza said...

QWP, investigate whether your library has e-books. It is the best invention in the world when one is sick. Kudos to Mr. Q, and I hope you and E are on the mend soon.

Anonymous said...

(((QWP))) hope you and E feel better soon!

w: old skool-- decided to have a glass of red wine tonight, but accidentally knocked it over before having it, spilled the whole thing, broke the glass, and splashed (and stained) my couch. sigh. while cleaning it up, burned the frozen dairy free pizza I had put in the oven so it was more cardboard-y than usual.

so it goes, sometimes

:) Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

That Old Skool is award-worthy, NL. The cascade of whines is impressive.

kathy a. said...

NL, somebody should bring you more wine and a real pizza. IMO.

xoxo

Anonymous said...

:) xoxo

--NL

Queen of West Procrastination said...

NL: that really is award worthy!

Esperanza: I'm obsessed with borrowing e-books from the library! But they don't have the ebook of this particular book yet (it's a new release, and I managed to get the first spot on the hold list after that processed it, but I had to pick it up by the end of the day, or it would go to the next on the wait list).

AW: I'm really enjoying this book!

Anonymous said...

QWP-- what book is it? Sounds good!
:) NL

Queen of West Procrastination said...

NL: it's Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (YA with Agatha Christie influences).

Sue said...

(((NL)) Spilled wine, broken glass, and overcooked pizza - all whine-worthy. xoxo

Yay Mr Q for picking up the library book! I'm curious too - which book is it?

Queen of West Procrastination said...

AW: we all slept through the night, and E is doing a lot better!
W: I'm feeling sicker today.

Anonymous said...

QWP:So sorry you're feeling sicker! Hope you feel better quick!
(But glad E is better)
Thanks for the book rec!
:)NL

kathy a. said...

How is it that week after week, the political news is wreaking more havoc? Holding on to those bright spots in the news! There is some!

Daughter's gotten several notes back from people at the job fair, and a real sign of interest from one place -- she's been bumped up to the second level of review. She may not get a summer job right after first year; few people do; but all very encouraging.

Anonymous said...

Yay for your daughter, Kathy!!!
Fantastic!
:) NL

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's really a good sign, Kathy! Especially since it's just her first year.

Old Skool: I'm already finished my book, and it's the first in a trilogy, and it just came out this month, and so I'm going to have to wait a LONG time before I have any feeling of resolution.

kathy a. said...

I keep stacks of old reliables for my night reading -- they send me off to sleep, then are there when I wake in the night. It's hard to do a hardcover for the wakeful times, but a good one is worth the extra struggle.

And yuck, I had to cull a couple of paperbacks this week, because ugh, they are awful. I used to find those recipe mysteries amusing, but this particular one? Not.At.All. Plus, bad recipes. Does anybody ever want to eat some kind of tuna salad melted with velveeta and put on a hot dog bun? I didn't think so, either.

kathy a. said...

Another recipe from this cooking mystery -- you make thin burger patties (mix in a bowl with chopped onion and hot sauce, so there's the first bowl; then form the patties on something else), with the intent of putting two of them together and sealing the edges; and the stuffing consists of chopped hot dogs plus some standard condiments (mix in another bowl). I'm not making this up! The recipe involves a food processor, so the hot dogs are not too lumpy, and you can feel all accomplished because there's even more stuff to wash. We're talking a good 1/2 lb. of meat products per burger, which is way too much. I could go on, but you get the drift.

Anonymous said...

Wow-- mystery solved-- it was the disgustingness of the food that did them in!

Seriously, ice
--NL

Anonymous said...

oops, it autocorrected ick to ice
ick
--NL

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Ha! I'm baffled and amazed by the concept of food mysteries. I feel like that's something I need to get into. (Especially the weird recipe ones?! I keep trying to document my grandma's recipe box, and get distracted by the weird ones from the 1970s.)

esperanza said...

Oh, that hot dog in the meat patty is terrible, kathy a. Not that i've had it, but just the thought of it...

Amusing W/AW: as part of my regional church duties, I've been trying to contact a colleague for over a YEAR to set up a meeting. I've emailed, I've called multiple numbers and left multiple messages, I've sent a real letter on a real piece of paper with a stamp and everything. Nothing. Crickets. I saw her comment on a seminary alumni fb post the other day and thought--aha! So I fb messaged her, and that is what got her to respond. She is acting as if this is the first time I have ever contacted her. Bizarre. It felt uber-unprofessional to me, but I was getting desperate. Whatever works, right?

For your amusement: Sweet's bras have been disappearing. She has 4. One of them was missing when I did laundry on Saturday. Upon questioning, she claimed to know nothing about it. Another was missing yesterday morning. Yet another had disappeared this morning. She first claimed "I don't know where they are," then reverted to silent staring (she will be great at pleading the 5th someday), then finally said, "Let's see...where could those be?" I then told her if she didn't find them before she went to school, there would be no screen time today. Magically, they appeared from the depths of the blanket chest. Now, tell me please, why the child who has "executive functioning difficulties" can pull off a multi-day bra heist without me figuring it out?

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Multi-day bra heist: mullet nomination!

esperanza said...

ha! The mullet has been absent for a long time! I'm so honored.

esperanza said...

Also for your amusement, from the "you might as well just laugh" category:

Male Colleague: "I don't know anything about this, but...." and then spoke for 5 minutes, proving he indeed, knew nothing about this. I think I kept my eye rolling in my head.

kathy a. said...

Seconding the mullet nomination!

Also, obviously, she doesn't like wearing them. (I mean, I have a genuine need due to gravitational forces, but it's a lesser of evils thing for me.) Have you tried those camis with shelf bras, which provide more coverage than au natural, and also don't have those bothersome hooks and what-all? This was my daughter's preferred alternative, most of the time, near Sweet's age.

Yeah, who on the Posse has *not* heard the authoritative lecture from some dude who knows nothing about the something? At least he kept it to 5 minutes...

Also calling the Posse on Rev. Chunky, who apparently has some issues with normal means of communication. Although, whatever works....

kathy a. said...

My eyes are still rolling about the no response until a FB message!

AW: Reasonably productive day! Did various work stuff, including yucky; food shopping; got stuff mailed and shipped; did banking; took the hyperactive dog to play with his buds at day care, and avoided being dragged in his wake; some cleaning, even.

esperanza said...

You were very productive! Go, kathy, go!

Sweet's bras are nothing more than the shelf of a shelf cami. They are pullover (no hooks) and adjustable straps. They appear to be as comfortable as a bra can be. She would clearly be happy to lose them. The funny thing is that she's been wearing them, mostly without complaint, since late October or so. Why now, for the heist? To catch me off guard?

kathy a. said...

I dunno! If you can work some Sweet only, just us time -- maybe say you've noticed she doesn't seem to like the bras much, and see what she says? (But also, do something with her that she really likes!) Maybe she'll tell you; maybe she'll feel more confident later, because you asked. There is something going on, and you can't know right now -- so the main thing is to make it easier for her to tell you sometime. xoxox

Queen of West Procrastination said...

That's a good idea, Kathy. Esperanza, is Sweet the first in her class to wear a bra? Is it possible that she's feeling self conscious about it? (I remember being young and worried about other kids seeing the straps.)

kathy a. said...

I remember stupid boys snapping the bra strap, when I was around Sweet's age. But, maybe she has other concerns.

So, a member of our tribe posted a video in which the only person running under the banner of one party -- running unopposed, in that party -- is an open Holocaust denier. A person runs out of fireplacing words at some point. Because there are too many fireplacing fireplacers doing fireplaced-up things to even fireplacing keep track of, you know?

Passing the GS thin mints, as they have soothing properties. Also, go Girls.

Sue said...

I got busy yesterday and didn't check back in here. While I was gone there was a Multi-day Bra Heist! Definitely Mullet-worthy. :)

esperanza, the Posse is ready to go visit rev. Chunky and will stop in to see the mansplaining male colleague on the way. Good grief....

Good productive day, kathy!! Your dog stories crack me up. He has so! much! energy! Day care - Yay! Company - Yay! :)

I can't even with that evil candidate. You're right, after a while, no words.

AW: Great time yesterday afternoon catching up with colleagues over coffee. We all get so busy and it had been far too long since we got together. Must do this more often.

esperanza said...

The hilarious part is that it wasn't mansplaining, really. He was *introducing a new topic* by saying he didn't know anything about it!

W: I have very little motivation to get my work done today. It has to get done today, because....

AW: Tomorrow is Meet the Puppy Day! Baboos and I are going to meet (pick out? unclear) the new puppy. Next Saturday will be bring puppy home day, but they are plenty excited about tomorrow.

W: Mr E can't go with us because funeral.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

New puppy!! I'm so excited for you guys, esperanza. (I'm sorry that Mr. E doesn't get to come along!)

kathy a. said...

Oh, tres exciting, Esperanza!

kathy a. said...

You know how, sometimes you're offering suggestions to somebody in a bad place -- and the direction it goes is, "I can't do this because of X, and I can't do that because of Y," and so on. So there's this whole box they've built, with no way out?

Sometimes I've been that person building the box; and I really try not to be in that position any more. And sometimes, that box needs to be broken, but it's hard for someone on the outside to influence how a distressed person feels, what options they can see or consider.

I thank the people who have stuck with me, even when I've been in the box. And, just hope today's boxed in person (in a sphere of mine) can breathe, and feel the love.

esperanza said...

Crap. Mr. "Not a Detail Person" did not carefully read the email. "Meet the Puppy" is not till next Saturday. I'm going to have to think of something uber exciting to do tomorrow instead.

kathy a. said...

OK. Since the kids are focused on getting a pet -- is there a shelter with visiting hours tomorrow? Or a pet adoption thing? Just visiting animals is very therapeutic; and if they talk to staff, they can ask questions about how they can help a new pet when s/he comes home.

A new pet is kind of a big deal, so some opportunity to learn and see different animals is all to the good! xoxo

kathy a. said...

Caveat: there is the danger that you will be lobbied to death about how This One Pet needs to come home with y'all Right Now! So, plan accordingly. I only gave in to an adoption pet I knew I could live with, under those circumstances. Otherwise, totally a field trip to learn more about pets.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Maybe you and the girls can go and pick out special things for the new puppy? Or something else, that feels like they're preparing?

esperanza said...

QWP, I was just thinking that maybe we'd go shopping for puppy things. kathy, I'm afraid that the lobbying effort from a shelter visit might be more than we can handle :) The upside is that Mr. E can go with us next weekend, at least as things stand now.

kathy a. said...

Oh! I wasn't thinking of lobbying by the pet care people. More like lobbying from the young humans, which can get complicated. xoxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Old Skool: arrrrgh, an important meeting that Mr. Q has to attend had has moved to Valentine's Day, meaning he'll be late for supper that day. E and I made big, special plans for that day (she doesn't have school on Wednesdays, and so we were going to make our annual heart cake, and maybe a heart-shaped pizza). Now, I have to reschedule everything, and explain to E why our calendar countdown is changing. It's not that big of a deal, in the long run, but: really, Advisory Council? You're going to book this meeting to run into supper time on Valentine's Day?

But I might be redirecting frustration into this, because I'm angry and feeling helpless about breaking local news. (Shocking jury verdict in an awful trial, that demonstrates that this province is just as racist as it always has been.)

Queen of West Procrastination said...

AW: It sounds like Mr. Q has found a compromise. The special speaker/important part of the meeting is at the beginning, and then at the end, they're dealing with business that has nothing to do with his school. He'll leave by 5pm, and then E and I won't have to figure out alternate plans.

esperanza said...

Hugs about the verdict, QWP. It's hard to live in a relentlessly racist environment, even if you're not the one being targeted. It wears on the soul.

kathy a, I was referring to small human lobbying as well :)

Sue said...

Yay, puppy!!!! It's good Mr. E can join you next week. Picking out puppy-related goodies sounds like fun.

(((QWP)))

kathy a. said...

How did we get so lucky, as to have a leader who spends his precious tweet time having the vapors over the poor men -- the men unlucky enough that the women they abused actually talk about it? That talking about it is "ruining lives," sayeth someone. And this is just one thing; there is so much else. Every.Fireplacing.Day.

This -- all of it, every day -- makes me so tired. I know I'm not crazy; know this is so far out of normal that words fail, and yet we must carry on as we can. Work for a better day.

Keep thinking Alice in Wonderland, because that's less dystopian than other literature that might be comparable. /end rant for now/

Queen of West Procrastination said...

W: Greetings from the fog of an intense tension headache. I woke up with it this morning, and haven't been able to do much today. Hopefully E goes to bed easily tonight, and then I can curl up in a blanket and watch figure skating all evening.

esperanza said...

Ouch, QWP. Mine is sinus, and some 1bupr0fen took care of it, at least temporarily, but I feel ya.

AW: I finished both of my sermons yesterday. It turns out that if you have your work finished, then Saturday can be relaxing and enjoyable! I made a batch of rolls, went to lunch with Baboos, went to the library with Baboos, read for fun, wasted less time on the internet than I usually do while "writing my sermon," and finished three loads of laundry--even putting them away (!)

(Two sermons because in addition to the regular Sunday morning worship at my church, I'm preaching for a friend's "installation" at her new place....kind of an inauguration of sorts, with promises from new pastor and congregation to each other).

Queen of West Procrastination said...

It sounds like you had a really great day, esperanza! And it's amazing what you can get done when you aren't procrastinating. (It sounds like tomorrow is going to be a marathon day!)

AW: E is asleep, and I'm watching ice dance, which is my favourite.

esperanza said...

It was a good day, and yes, tomorrow will be a marathon.

I think that the smell rising and/or baking bread lowers my blood pressure.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

I think it does for mine, too, esperanza.

Also, my tension headache is nearly gone, after an hour of watching the ice dance team event.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

A question for the pixies: I'm baking cookies for the preschool Valentine's Day party (and I'm making a large quantity, because it's for both the morning and afternoon classes, plus one grownup each). I'm keeping it simple (because it's large quantities), and have to keep it nut free. So: chocolate chip cookies, or heart-shaped sugar cookies with red sprinkles?

By the way: the poor preschool teacher. Her dad suddenly passed away last week, and so she's off work for a few days. She planned this big Valentine's Day party, and sent home notes telling parents not to send snacks because she'd provide the food, and now she'll be away that day. Another mom and I realised this on Friday, and coordinated showing up with food. And then Mr. Q realised that he could take cookies to the morning group, since he's in the same building.

kathy a. said...

I'd definitely go choc chip, because rolling the dough for heart shaped? Too much.

xoxo

Liz Miller said...

Chocolate chip.

So, high school classmate private messages me demanding that I apologize for calling him a misogynist for saying Hillary was a flawed candidate.

I basically told him to get stuffed and he got all shirty for the language used and how it showed I had no real argument to make and I told him I wasn't incapable, I was exhausted by him and the other umpteen dozen white guys who insist to me that there has Ben only one flawed candidate in the history of the world, and it is She Who Won More Votes Than Any White Man.

Feel free to unfriend me, I said. He replied he had a long time ago. Then why are you even here? Move on, I said. Then I muted the conversation.

Then there was the Politico article today.

I can't even.

Liz Miller said...

Been, not Ben

kathy a. said...

Gah, Liz. Good riddance. You know who was a REALLY flawed candidate?????

Also, nominate you for a Lexicon Award for "getting all shirty."

AW: We went to the Little Farm in the local regional park, and saw the exceedingly cute tiny little piglets born last weekend! They were in the pig barn with mama and a heat lamp, as it is a bit chilly outside, but there were definitely crowds at the viewing window. (At least this time, we weren't the only adults unaccompanied by little kids...)

Also, there was a whole crew of middle-school volunteers helping much out lots of pens (cows; chickens / ducks / geese; goats; rabbits). Warms the heart, no? I'm pretty sure these kids have rooms knee-deep in dirty laundry and dishes and who knows what else; but they were working hard here.

kathy a. said...

*Muck out the pens.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Such a cute day, Kathy!

Liz: good riddance to that guy!

W: I should have checked everyone's responses before making the cookies! Mr. Q and E wanted to make and decorate sugar cookies, and I didn't think it would be too bad. I decided to start the dough while Mr. Q was out helping his dad for an hour (to give time for the dough to chill, so that he could help with rolling and cutting), and then it turned out that our stand mixer needs repairing again, and so I ended up wrestling with a triple batch of crumbly batter by hand. It was so horrible! I should have remembered the old jokes about M@rtha St3wart's cookie recipes being impossible.

AW: it all came together, and now it's resting in the fridge until Mr. Q and E roll and cut the dough.

kathy a. said...

Sugar cookies somehow manage to be simple and difficult, all at the same time! But glad it all came together. Also, it appears someone else is in charge of the rolling and cutting part, a major PITA.

Also -- it's really OK if every single one turns out to be an individual. Sprinkles! And you can count the ones that might break, or overbake, as "taste tests."

Anonymous said...

Sadness in the town where I teach:
a 16yr old was hit by a car and died while walking with her friend near the high school. Her friend is in critical condition. Please send prayers of whatever sort works for you to her and the families of the girls.

I didn't know the girls, but I know this will be so very hard for many of my colleagues who taught them.

-Neighbor Lady

p.s. Sorry to whine such sad news here, but putting it out there in the hopes that having prayers from far and wide might make a difference, and because I am feeling powerless to do anything else.

esperanza said...

NL, so sorry about such a tragedy. This is the perfect place to whine, so you can be present for anyone who needs a listening ear. Prayers sent.

QWP, I would have voted chocolate chip, especially in large quantities. I *love* sugar cookies, but the rolling and cutting, not so much. I'm glad Mr. Q will help.

AW: Marathon day went pretty well. I am now officially exhausted, and my feet hurt.

kathy a. said...

((( NL ))) Oh, that's awful! Sending lots of love, because I know a lot of people -- students as well as older folks -- are feeling a lot of pain. xoxoxo

Esperanza, glad the marathon is done.

kathy a. said...

AW: I got a new bra that fits my revised size/shape, and omg does it feel good. Same band width, but smaller cup; and a really comfortable, more supportive style. I feel taller and stronger! Maybe one of those is true!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, NL, what awful news! I'm sending hugs and prayers.

AW: 75 cookies are baked, cooled, and waiting to be decorate (just a simple icing sugar glaze and sprinkles) tomorrow.
W: while they taste good, some are tough, and some are overbaked, but we need all of them.
Consolation: they're mostly for preschoolers. They'll be fine.

esperanza said...

New bras is on my to-do list for tomorrow morning! I also made an appointment for tire rotation, to ensure that I remove my posterior from the couch tomorrow. Other fun items include grocery shopping.

kathy a. said...

Nothing like a good to-do list! I hate bra shopping, and am so very pleased that this turned out.

Anonymous said...

The other teen passed away this afternoon.
Such sadness.
Makes me want to hug my children close.
Tomorrow will be tough at school, I think.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers for the families. And for the teachers at the high school where there will be lots of grief to help kids through.

Love you all.
--Neighbor Lady

kathy a. said...

Oh, NL. I am so very sorry. xoxoxoxoox

Anonymous said...

In other news, yay for well-fitting bras!
I was saying something similar the other day about well-fitting jeans. I bought some that were better fitting than my previous ones, and I just feel better.
Of course, I slipped on ice and put a hole in the knee of one of them, but they are *still* my favorites, even with the hole.
My daughter assures me that holes are very in.
shrug
accidentally fashionable I guess?

also ...very impressed with all those cookies, QWP!!! Yum!
--Neighbor Lady

hugs to all of you!!!!!!

esperanza said...

Oh, NL, how tragic. Hopefully the counselors will be available and will call in reinforcements. Teachers will still have a heavy load. Prayers continue.

Sue said...

NL, I'm so very sorry to hear of this tragedy in your community. Prayers arising. xoxo

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh, NL. I'm so sorry about this awful tragedy. I'm sending more hugs and prayers as you teachers go and support the kids and each other.