and the vote is unanimous – Einstein’s Protege is definitely a hipster. He has gotten so many compliments on his glasses and mostly from people who don’t read my blog and therefore didn’t have the Feedback Script.

I know the Sphere is breathing a big sigh of relief.

I am still alive.

The company remains. We are having a lot of fun and staying up way too late. I might be typing this in my pajamas despite the fact that it is almost 5 p.m.

C. Riley succumbed to the stomach bug but contained it to two vomitings and made it to the toilet both times. Would you all pray that my company doesn’t get sick too?

Blogging will be slow the next few days until my friends leave and I get my Christmas cards out. We only send about 8 kajillion, but even that takes time and I really need to send them promptly as I didn’t send them last year (It was a choice!) nor did I send address change cards after the move and our mail forwarding has ended.

Hope everyone is happy and well.

Happy Anniversary to Sherry C!

Back soon.

I mean it.

1:27 a.m.

I awake to Paul’s voice asking, “Babe would you help me? I think Beanie is throwing up.”

“Did we have this conversation before?”

“No.”

“She didn’t throw up the other night?”

“No.”

“Oh, OK, I must have dreamt it.”

I staggered to my feet and we commenced to cleaning her crib, bathing her and getting her back to bed until round two when we did the same routine sans the bath. I think I missed round three but I was there with bells on for round four. Paul and I had a little spat as he got ready for work and I tried to figure out how I was going to do all I needed to do feeling like day old bologna while I chased my toddling time bomb. We apologized and I would have burst into tears as I hugged him goodbye but I didn’t even have the strength.

I bathed the Bean again this morning and she was a little dolphin,

“I am swimming to Nanica to get my Friend Cousin, Wennie.”

“Is she a baby dolphin too?”

“Yes, and I love her. “

She had one or two more rounds…I lost count…before her stomach finally settled. I think it is all behind us now, as are four loads of laundry and several patches of carpet.

I need to dash as I have so much to do, but I had to let you all know the next installment in the comedrama that is my life, as well, my last post sounded a tiny bit curmudgeony and we all know what a ray of sunshine I am.

We have company this weekend. Pray no one gets sick. They have been forewarned!

Also pray I get the 8,000 cans of paint out of the dining room.

1. One of my trigger points is the sound of someone (other than myself) chewing or swallowing.

2. I have been accused of being a teensy bit sensitive in this area by more than one person.

3. Sometimes just the sound of water being poured can trouble me. This is the one that tips me off that it is me, but when I am sitting next to you and you are chewing with your mouth open or swallowing so much fluid you have to gasp at the end: it’s you too.

Sometimes I think God used up all the crazy when he made my son.

Several nights ago I was lounging on my bed, reading a book and just relishing the peace and quiet of a house with children in bed when there came a sound of falling and crashing. I knew C. Riley was behind it, but hated to imagine what could have possibly made the sound.

I stayed put and waited for his father who came out of the office asking, “What was that?”

“Only God and Christopher know.”

Paul walked past our door, headed for the boy’s room and stopped in the half bath that is just down the hall.

“How did you do that!”

I was scared now, picturing the sink pulled off the wall, and hustled to the scene and saw that the top of the toilet tank was shattered on the ground. Christopher was standing, wide-eyed and solemn, next to the mess.

“What happened?! Were you standing on the tank?”

Christopher nodded.

“Was it because you were trying to pee from there?”

Christopher swallowed then whispered, “Yes.”

I slipped away snuffling giggles and thanking God that the man was in the country for this little episode.

After a bit Paul came and dropped down beside me on the bed. “The minute I saw the mess I knew he had to have climbed up on the tank and why would he do that except to pee. With boys it’s all about cause and effect. ‘If I do this, what will happen?'”

“And you guys have that built in toy to experiment with – very handy.”

………………………..

Today I was on the phone when I heard an ominous shattering and tinkling sound in the kitchen. Standing inches from the shards of glass that were once a 3 x 4 foot mirror I found C.Riley and the Bean. He immediately apologized, “I am sorry Mom, will you forgive me? I broke the mirror.”

“What were you doing?”

“I was banging my head on the trampoline.”

Well of course, who wouldn’t bang their head on a trampoline that was propped against the piano next to where the mirror was waiting to be rehung THIS EVENING! We are painting everywhere and the dining room is slightly chaotic, but come on!

Paul had already taken the boy and his wallet to the hardware store to try and replace the tank lid. They didn’t have any and referred them to a plumber. Tonight he threatened that C. would have to replace the mirror too.

Once he was realeased from today’s lecture, Christopher headed outside with Birdie.

“I need a lyre.” He told her.

“A lawyer?” She asked.

“Yes.”

Get in line, Mister.