18 . . .19 . . .

18. SOmetHinG SoMEoNe MaDE fOr YOu:

One of the fun things about having kids is that, just as soon as they get old enough, they start trying to pay you back all your years of sleepless nights and diaper changes by making you little crafty items and pictures and cards all of the time -- and it does go an awfully long way towards paying you back because you are so happy that you created a little being who could, in turn, creat such great little gifts. Here is a pencil jar that Goldie made for me in Kindergarten. It sits on our computer desk (oh alright . . . our computer fold-out table that really should be returned to Mike's parents . . .). I am quite fond of it (the pencil holder I mean. Of course, the table is lovely too).

19. SOmeTHinG INTereStINg OuTDsidE YoUr HomE:

The blizzard. What with it being a blizzard, I couldn't very well go scouting about for the other interesting things that might be out in my yard. This is interesting because while I live on a fairly busy street, it is not usually this busy; but cars were all slipping and stuck and being passed by other bolder cars.

Before long police lights were flashing. (And look, there is my own Mike coming home in our truck. I did talk him into leaving work early after all . . . and here he was coming back with warm stuff to throw in with the chickens just as the blizzard began).

I must be honest though. It really wasn't much of a blizzard. Blizzard shmizzard more like. Yes, it was very cold and windy, and I am quite relieved Mike wasn't driving on the freeway during it (and very happy he was home with me), but it had been talked about on the news all day as if it would be the storm to beat all storms -- the worst we'd had in at least seven years. Stores were crazy packed all day with everyone buying, not only Thanksgiving stuff, but food to hunker down for a day or two; events and classes and businesses were cancelling and closing. But it was really no worse than any cold snow storm. Respectable, sure; but it seems like if you want to be called a "blizzard" you've simply got to muster a little more fury. This morning I didn't even have to do more than turn the windshield wipers on to rid my windshield of snow. Blizzard. Pshaw.