The "Perfect Storm" Blogging Break

This week was one of those weeks!

It was life getting in the way of blogging; events have enforced a mini-blogging break.

To wit:

1) The week before the UNM spring break meant extra busy days at the Writing Center. And for my classes.

2) We had a dog trainer out to help me deal with Shy Shayna and Rowdy Lily on Monday.

It also snowed on Monday.

3) Tuesday Shayna had her teeth cleaned.

4)My ancient laptop (5 years old is practically antique in computer years) combined with DSL problems means slow connections and a lot of down time, and I cannot blog much from work. (I will be ordering a new laptop this year--Dell has a Deal. I am anticipating problems when I beg to remain with XP. I am such a Luddite!).

5) I am tutoring a young man at EMHS for Algebra II. I have suddenly gotten very interested in factoring equations and simple radical equations after all these years! I am finding Algebra II a whole lot more interesting now than I did in 1976-77 when I was taking the course.

6) Yesterday I went to a conference to hear Temple Grandin speak. This was an awesome presentation, and worthy of a blog entry unto itself.

7) Yesterday afternoon, the EG and I gathered with 18 like-minded people for the We Surround Them broadcast and the unveiling of the 9/12 Project. This also deserves a blog unto itself.

8) I am sick--again! This winter has been the pits for illness. Between lupus flares, the arthritis being worse than ever, the flu in November, food poisoning in January, and now a chest cold that feels like bronchitis, I am beginning to feel like I am aging rapidly. Spring cannot come soon enough for me.

Fortunately, it snowed again yesterday and last night, and so between that and a cough that sounds extremely contagious, I have found an excuse to STAY HOME today. And the internet connection is cooperating, and the ancient computer is no slower than it's age would predict.

Winding Down

We're enjoying a sunset of the shortening days tonight.
The light is weak and the shadows dark.

It's so strange. Last week at this time, I was just finishing up my semester.
We had a Shiva (house of mourning) call to make in the evening, and Bruce informed me that he'd have to work the next day, Friday, because he was hard-pressed to finish a report for DOE New Orleans. Bruce works a 9/80 schedule, which means that he works 80 hours in 9 days, and then takes every other Friday off. So he worked last Friday, which was his "9/80" day off. He then had to take the day off by Thursday this week, or lose it.

We were pretty frantic, sad, and tired at the end of last week. We didn't consider how really well putting off Bruce's 9/80 day would work out. Sandia takes a week of "energy conservation" shut-down for all non-essential personnel during the week between Christmas and the secular New Year. They combine all of the normal Monday holidays throughout the year to get this week off, taking the official Christmas and New Years holiday. That shut-down occurs next week.


Bruce took today off as his 9/80 day, and is taking tomorrow as a vacation day.
The report is finished, reviewed and submitted. I am done with papers, presentations and finals.

We are winding down.

I had my husband home all day today.
I cleaned and polished the floors.
Yeah, I know. It's work. But for me, after weeks of neglecting taking care of my house due to grad-school work, it's a form of winding down.

Bruce read.
Lily was overjoyed to sit in Bruce's lap and listen to him read Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution aloud to her. She's a Geek-dog.







Before we were supposed to go to Taekwando, I took a walk around the house to take some pictures of the sunset.

As I turned to get the sun-glare out of my eyes for a minute, I noticed that my shadow was dark on the bay-window west wall of the house.
So I snapped a picture of it.

I thought that was kind of cool, my shadow taking a picture of my shadow taking a picture...
It's nice to play around a little in a winding down sort of way.




N. is winding down, too.

When I came in to tell him to get ready for Taekwando, he asked it we could stay home tonight.
He was cleaning his room.
He was really into it.
He was rearranging furniture. Putting up his milk-crate shelves.
Even the dogs got involved.

Nes gadol hoveh po. A great miracle is happening here.

Naturally, we stayed home tonight.




Viola!

The bed is made.
The furniture is 'undusted.'
The night table has wood showing.
The carpet was vacuumed.
And there is actual carpet visible.

This is very good.
I have to get up early tomorrow and get to town in the morning. We need to stock up.

As I write, my Weather Cricket on my computer screen is chirping urgently.
There is a winter storm warning posted for tomorrow afternoon through Saturday evening.

It's a good thing we went to the library yesterday.
Looks like we'll get some more down time tomorrow.

Ahhh! Mother's Day

It was a very busy weekend. Saturday we had a Bat Mitzvah to attend, and breaking our usual pattern, we also went to the evening party. It was a family friend and we couldn't say no.


Yesterday I woke up tired and somewhat grumpy.
My mood improved when MLC took me to get my toes done--Ahhh!

And while we were away in town, Bruce put together my Mother's Day present. My mood improved considerably, when I saw him putting THIS out on the patio!






Of course, I had to try it out.

It was a beautiful evening to just sit on the patio and rock while watching the clouds come over the mountains.

I think I even closed my eyes for a few minutes.

The chair is very comfortable. (Today Bruce is putting primer on it and on the one that he bought himself for me to give him for father's day. Clever man. Tomorrow he will paint them both hunter green).

And I could sit and enjoy the evening because...


Bruce, N. and MLC did the cooking. (N. is behind the camera). Hmmm. At least, I think MLC was helping...

On Saturday evening--late--Bruce and N. left the Bat Mitzvah Party and drove past our home into Edgewood. They said the'd be late because they were taking A. home. Actually, A.'s mom met them at Smith's Grocery and Bruce and N. bought some steaks. They were planning the first outdoor BBQ of the year for Mother's Day.

Looking at the picture above, I do not think I actually NEED steak and potatoes--but, as they say, never, absolutely never, look a gift horse in the mouth!





MLC did do something, though, because this beautiful table was set up on the patio.

I guess I really rate--she put on a tablecloth, the good silverware and crystal.

When MLC's boyfriend arrived, we all sat down to a lovely Mother's Day dinner al fresco.

It was a beautiful evening for it, too! Warm, with clouds moving across the Sandias, and no wind! So we ate steak and potatoes and a choice of Pinot Gregio or Merlot. Apple pie for dessert. I am so glad that it is against my religion to diet...

If I started out the day grumpy, I ended it feeling pretty mellow.

The Good Life

Don't you just want to lay down there with them?



Sometimes, I say to myself, wow, I'd love to just lay down there with them!

The daybed in my office has become Nap Central.








And look at these feline nappers!

They have a two story Napping Heaven!



We should only be so lucky.



In Israel, they have menuchat --a few hours in the afternoon when the shops close and people gather to eat lunch--the main meal of the day--with friends and family. Even school ends before lunch, with sports and music lessons and scouts after menuchat.



They say that "only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon-day sun."



Sigh! In America, only dogs, cats and babies take a daily nap.
Somehow, in our Puritan work ethic, we are missing out on the Good Life. (Capitalization on Purpose).



We will be taking a break from formal lessons this week. At least, I will. I have midterms tomorrow and Friday. No menuchat for the weary! N. is working on his Kamana. I will be a week behind him.