a gift day

Okay, it has been a while. Not, perhaps, as long as we wait for a member of my writing family to write...but then, she definitely has an excuse. Or two.

And, I think, somewhere, there might be a link to a blog from the "zoomers" in my family...but it has been so long that I've lost it. Please resend, if you're posting?

Bro, I admire your organization and tenacity. I can't find time to pair socks, but you can manage your blog. And hold down a real job. And all the other "unreal" jobs you do. Wow.

So I do feel a bit guilty about not writing, but I update my facebook once a month - what more do you need?

Today, I got a bit of time off. It was a gift day. A sad, pathetic little wish of mine was granted.

SNOW DAY!

Woo hoo! Actually, it's just a cold day. But I didn't have to leave my house. At all. That was the wish that my fairy godmother chose to grant. Gotta dream big!

The bus driver called just before he normally comes to get the kids to tell us that the division cancelled the buses. Thanks man, wouldn't have guessed that. The policy is to cancel at -45 with the windchill, my meter only read -28.

So, as I was doing the second shift Dale was taking his 40 winks. And I have two kids dressed for school, lunches made, and no one coming to get them. Hmm. Okay.

Jo practiced her piano. The girls started lessons a few weeks back on Wednesdays, so she was running through her stuff just in case she had a lesson today. Then she worked on her voice exercises - those lessons just started this week. Char read about 5 chapters of her book for her book report this week. Then she practiced her piano.

It was 8:15 a.m.

That's a lot of day left. Oh well. Charli started a craft kit that she wanted to do for ages. Jo and I started making baguettes and I started searing short ribs for stew. I drank some coffee while Jo did her "homework" and checked a website. Checked about piano - not today.

Then Dale got up, put my snowtires on my car (it was was warm in the shop) and took the kids to the dentist. I get so much flak when I take the girls to the dentist - they're never brushing, never flossing enough. Apparently, they're perfect for him. So he can have the job- I'm great with that!

While they were out, I shampooed the rest of the carpet that I swore I would never shampoo again, as it smells. Bad. I just did a vinegar rinse on the whole thing, followed by a sprinkling of borax. It will smell some tomorrow, but a lot less than it has before.

Kids came home, we had lunch, finished the bread, finished the craft, Jo finished her book, Charli finished hers, Char did her book report, Dale wired up some of the garage, I made stew, Jo wrote out all the names of the notes to Away in a Manger and taught herself to play it, then Char got onto that too.

Only not so great part of the whole day was an ornery oven - not sure what is going on with it this year, we had slightly dark ends/tops on the bread. That's disappointing for a first effort, but they both requested baguette for lunch tomorrow, so it can't be too bad.

So, I just need to put the rest of the short rib bones out in the garage to freeze the fat layer, then I'm heading to bed. Christmas concert tomorrow, so both girls will need their hair done before 7:45 a.m. At least it isn't a french braid for pictures. That was yesterday - which is why today was such a gift. I went from "Go, Go, Go! We need to move it!" and running eight directions at once to making stew. Too bad it can't last another day!