February 10th, 2009
admin
I had a great day yesterday. Many thanks to all of you for your well-wishes. The weather was beautiful in the afternoon, so after leaving Em in the capable hands of one of her “experts,” I went for a run while she was working. I shaved two minutes off of my two mile time from Saturday. That wasn’t my goal, but I can’t deny being pleased. For dinner, we ordered out and Mr. Tvini brought food in for us to enjoy while parked in front of the TV. I stayed up far too late playing games on my Mac, something I haven’t done in a long time. Decadent.
I paid for staying up late last night when I woke up this morning feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. Apparently I need to remember that I’m 40 years old now and not 18. I also may have overdone it with the running lately. The weather’s gorgeous, but I can’t go overboard. My lymph nodes are a little swollen and there are little twinges all through my legs and back when I rather ungracefully get to my feet. It’s like my warranty ran out yesterday, and now that I’m no longer covered, parts will begin falling off.
It’s still a good day, though. When my family went to the grocery store to get me a cake, they also brought home these lovely yellow tulips. I am surrounded by thoughtful people. In spite of the twinges, it’s a good start to the next decade.
Here’s what Em bought yesterday, wrapped in the Sunday comics, and stashed in the back room.
The two-disc Special Edition of Howards End.
According to Mr. Tvini, she scanned the shelves and without hesitation, selected the 2002 remake of “The Four Feathers” and this. On her own, she quickly picked this as the better of the two. She’s very decisive. Also, Mr. Tvini says the reason she picked up “The Four Feathers” was that she misread it as “The Four Fathers” and had to look at it more closely to figure out what the heck that meant.
I LOVE Merchant Ivory dramas, and believe it or not, I’ve never seen Howards End. It’s been on my list forever, but somehow I’ve never gotten around to it. Also, I’m a sucker for special editions, and eagerly pore over every little extra that’s included. How did she know? Wouldn’t you expect a kid to pick “Elmo in Grouchland” or something? The girl’s uncanny.
She and Mr. Tvini are at the grocery store, where she is selecting a cake for me. When you are nine, all birthdays must have a cake. I predict another home run selection – there are no bad birthday cakes.
It’s my birthday today. I’m 40. Go me!
To celebrate, I’m giving a little of the birthday money coming my way to Donors Choose. It’s a good cause, and my daughter’s school has another proposal up. It’s for literacy materials. The teacher included a line that I have to say makes me smile. She’s requested two cassette players. “They’ll replace the two currently in use in my classroom, which were manufactured in the 1960s and are very large. It’s tough for my kids to lug them home on the bus each week.”
Can’t you picture some little 50 pound child struggling home, decked out like Edward R. Murrow on assignment? I may have to do another Jayne hat fundraiser.
If you find yourself with a few bucks burning a hole in your pocket and want to donate, here’s a link that will take you to the challenge. There’s also a “math wrap-ups for autism” proposal listed, which isn’t from my school but which is still worthy. Take your pick.
While I am the Nicest Lady on the Internet I will not be spending all my money on others. Have no fear, I will pick out something nice for myself. And I believe my daughter may have something for me as well. She and my husband went out yesterday and when they came back, my daughter came into the den, saying “DON’T LOOK DON’T LOOK!!” I turned away as she went into the back storage room and then came back out. I can’t be sure, but I suspect that may have had something to do with my birthday.
I’m off to go to brunch with my mom. I look like I peeled everything BUT my shoes off of a sleeping hobo, but it’s my birthday. I’m pretty sure I’m allowed.
The weather yesterday was so perfect that I went out and ran along the Greenway. I only went two miles, but it’s been more than a month since I’ve gotten out there and pushed it at all, so that was enough for me to feel it a little in my thighs and chest today. But today, it’s even more beautiful! It’s sunny and 68 degrees. Just gorgeous. I may go out again late this afternoon, after my husband is done with his brewing. We’ll see.
Today I’m putting together some ClosetMaid storage cube type furniture that I got from a going-out-of-business sale at the local ritzy Home Depot Design Center. Home Depot definitely picked the wrong time to expand their business to begin offering high-end home furnishing and designer products.
Also on my to-do list: buy new shoes. Don’t fear for my feet too much. These aren’t my running shoes, they’re my walking-around shoes. Tomorrow I turn 40, so maybe it’s time for me to start wearing shoes that don’t look like I peeled them off of a sleeping hobo.
The weather’s beautiful, wish you were here. I hope you all have a wonderful day. I sure will!
Apparently Em’s school is having a dance tonight, and Em wants to go.
There will be pizza and drinks and a small prize, and I assume, dancing. Parents will drop off their kids.
So tonight Em goes to her first dance party. My baby, my baby!
Em’s school is doing testing this week. She climbed into the car after school today and we had this conversation.
Testing conversation.
“Kinzey-Lindsay likes Ben Franklin and Benjamin Banneker and Martin Luther King Jr. and John Adams.”
Well, you can’t fault Kinzey-Lindsay’s taste.
Yesterday’s snow day threw off the Jayne hat schedule. Today I have two hats to ship to New Jersey, another to finish for Illinois, and two kits to pack up for Colorado and Finland. It’ll be a busy morning.
Let’s close with a little wackiness. “Today is a good day to hand over all your cash!”
Qapla’!
I went to bed last night with everyone around me having seen snow. In most cases they called to gloat about it. , I’m looking at you. I was only about a mile from his house and I didn’t see any. I didn’t see any until just at bedtime, when I looked out the window once more and whaddya know, it was snowing! I went to bed happy.
The phone rang this morning just before 6 with an automated message saying that there was no school. That was quite a surprise! However, I was prepared. Last night after knitting guild I thought, “You know, I don’t have any rainy day activities for Em at the moment. I really should grab an activity book or two.” I try to have stuff on hand in case she’s sick or needs a little lift. Books-A-Million was on my way home, so I stopped by and grabbed a Klutz book I thought she’d like. She’s currently squirting giant globs of glue onto mermaid’s tails and pasting on sequins. When even Em says, “I think I put too much glue there,” you know there’s a lot of glue. Good fun!
I also had the foresight to pick up a mocha and stash it in the fridge, just in case. We’re well-prepared for this snow day.
A process-of-elimination game made by my smart daughter. I used to love these when I was a kid. She had me do it, and then she made another one afterward. Good times.
We got back her report card, which was satisfactory. It’s the stupid standardized testing that kills her.
Fishwatch 2009: I think Kathleen might have a mild case of fin rot. I’m not sure. Her fins look a little more ragged than they did when we brought her home, but it might be my imagination. It would be caused mainly by her not having clean enough water, and since this is the first fish we’ve had, it’s very possible that I’ve been too slack with this as I learn how to take care of her. Em feeds her quite responsibly, but it seems a bit much to ask her to change the water and clean the tank without injuring the fish, so I handle that.
I’m going to change her water this morning anyway, so I guess I’ll stop by the pet store first and pick up some additives.
Aside from that, it’s all Jayne hats, Jayne hats, Jayne hats today.
