School's in!

That's right. I'm back at school after a one week hiatus we call "spring break". Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get over it!

I stayed pretty busy during spring break. Over the break I managed to patch up the wall where Jack's closet door used to be. We assembled the boys' bunk-beds and acquired new mattresses for them. Since I patched over that section of the wall, we were then obliged to repaint them. Mare chose a fun, golden straw hat color for the walls. She also created a paisley stencil inspired from the red handkerchief cloth on the curtains she sewed, and applied it in denim blue as a waist high border around the room. We acquired a "buffet" from an antique dealer, which will be used as a dresser. We moved Leo into Jack's room with him to occupy the bottom half of the bunk-bed. We took the boys to McDonald's one day during break to do something special for our announcement to them that we are expecting another child October 29th!  We also painted the furniture dad had made for the boys.

Doesn't sound like all that much now that I write it down, but I was busy all the time. I also had play rehearsal both Saturdays and Tuesday night. I'll be playing George Whickam in Pride and Prejudice. I also sort of cleaned out the work shop a little bit to make room for actually doing some kind of work.



Yesterday, Sunday the 20th, we moved the cars out of the garage bays to let the boys play. I found an Army cot up in the garage attic space and Leo took a nap on it in the garage, listening to the radio. They also played in the canoe. Then, mom and dad (grandma Terry and papa David) came to visit for a bit in the evening. That was a real treat. Our house was a complete wreck! But I know they didn't care and we wanted them to come anyway.

On Friday I took both boys on one bike, my Hawthorne, to the south end of town to KFC to get a bucket of chicken. Leo rode in the Wee-Ride between my handlebars and my seat, and Jack rode in the rear carrier. They both don't like to ride in the trailer anymore, because they both like to be up on the frame at roughly my height. So, it is a little precarious. In fact, I spilled them both over right away, just getting mounted on my bike on the sidewalk with Marian there to help. It scared them pretty badly. But, that was the only incident we had.

I also want to celebrate the fact that I've overcome a mental block of finishing a short story for the last seven or eight years. Mom wanted me to enter a writing contest and I wanted to enter it, too. But, I was attempting to write in the evenings after the kids were put to bed and I just was not successful. That's when I've tried to do all my writing. I started a short story and didn't get it finished. I felt so bad that I let mom down, I made a new commitment to rise at close to four in the morning to do my writing before I get around for the day.  It was the right thing to do, because I've already finished two short stories.They're rough drafts, but I reached the end. That's the point. I stuck with it until I had no more to write about for that story. So, I felt very accomplished. My goal is to write a short story each month, or twelve a year. I regret I let mom down, but her request prompted me to take my writing more seriously. To take it seriously, period. So I am taking it seriously. I'm writing more now than I have in a while.

And now I'm out of time. Enjoy the great spring weather!

A case of the Mondays

A case of the Mondays!? But I only ordered three! What am I going to do with a whole case?! . . . wait, it's not "that" kind of case of Mondays. It's more like a situation where I am suffering from a malady commonly known as "the Mondays". "The Mondays" are recognizeable in a person displaying any of a few of these symptoms: lethargy, indifference, grumpiness, excessive yawning, disorientation, halitosis (bad breath), mismatched socks, tardiness, red eyes, unkempt hair and appearance, loud cussing, and food and/or coffee stains on clothing.

I would venture to say I'm rocking about five out of those 12 symptoms. For whatever reason, Jack and Leo have not been sleeping well through the night. Mare and I think it's getting about time for bed changes. I'll be assembling a bunk bed next week for Jack for sure, and perhaps Leo. If Leo doesn't take to the bunk bed, we'll have him upgrade to Jack's bed. Either way, we're thinking that placing Jack and Leo together in a room will help them sleep better. Right after I wrote that last statement, I thought, "in what way will be putting two toddlers together in the same room help them sleep?" Maybe it's wishful thinking.

Jack and Leo both awakened several times last night, so that meant Mare and I didn't sleep well either. I was basically awake from two a.m. I laid in bed tossing and turning and occasionally drifting into and out of sleep but never getting back into that much needed deep REM sleep.

We still need to get twin mattresses and beding for it. I guess I still need to assemble it, too. That may prove more difficult than I foresee. I bought it used and I presume all the parts I need are there, though I'm not certain. I'm confident, though, that I'll find what I need to assemble it between my miscellaneous collection of "treasures" and the local hardware store.

Our whole family has been fighting to get our health back to 100%. We're all right up there at the 97-98%. I've got a tickle in my throat which causes me to cough alot trying to get it out. I'm relying on the supposition that when the sun comes out fully and the temperature is reliably more warm, all this nagging sickness will be completely, irevocably gone!

I can't wait to get out on some excursions on the bike this spring and summer. Plus, I have a huge "to-do" list of things I need to get done in and around the house. I'm excited about getting out there and making my yard and house look a little better.

Anyway, I hope your Monday is going well and you've had your shots against it, or have taken a pill or (Lord help you) a suppository to alleviate those symptoms. Just remember not to take it out on those around you. They may be having a "Friday at 5:00" experience on Monday morning!