My darling young one has taken to teasing me. She says I never go to work every day in a week. In other words, since the beginning of the school year, she claims that I have taken at least a half day off as many times as I possibly could have. Even though I just proved to her that I have taken off four -- four! -- days only, one of which was actually two half-days that I used to pick her up at the train, she persists. What were the other three? One was when the furnace leaked and I stayed home for the repairman. One was when I had a mammogram. The other one ... well, okay, that was an in-service day that I chose not to go to. Otherwise, I was out two days on school business at a workshop; I wasn't in my school, but I was considered to be at work. The day I took off for my little surgery turned out to be a snow day and school was closed. Beyond that, I can hardly help it if they close school two days for Thanksgiving, and the like. Yet she persists.Because if I don't sleep again tonight and I have the same sinus pain, I'm staying home and seeking medical attention. For me, and for her too, because she's got a three-day headache that's not going anywhere. I also mentioned that if the weather is bad on Saturday (but I think it looks okay) that as far as I'm concerned, we can drive down to DC on Sunday and come back on Monday.
I'll admit, I don't have the same attitude towards work that I had, say, twenty years ago. This is because now I have perspective. I have the same work ethic. I also realize that if I dropped dead tonight, it wouldn't even be a ripple to the powers that be who run that place.
Despite the Sinuses From Hell and the "Wintry Mix" that is falling out there -- that sounds all cheery and Currier and Ives, doesn't it? -- my attitude towards me has somewhat improved. This is in part, I think, because I have not spent the day eating anything within my line of sight. So being at work has its advantages after all. (Although I should have brought an orange with me; I could have eaten that. I even forgot to bring something to drink with lunch.) But I ate no cookies or candy, which people brought in and left all over the faculty room and the main office. I did not come home and eat bad stuff, just an apple and a little piece of low-fat cheese.
The girl my car slid into in Saturday's accident called, and said the two different auto-body shops gave her estimates of around $1800, so I suggested she just report it to her insurance, and I'll call mine tomorrow. She was a very sweet kid, very nice and polite about the whole thing, and thanked me, I think for not freaking her out at the scene and yelling and stuff. But it was no more her fault than mine, or the fault of the guy who hit my car. It was an icy road, no more. The guy's wife called a little while ago; I told her we were just calling our insurance but that I had no claim because I have no damage. She was also nice. So I also feel like I've been involved in sowing and reaping some positive karma over this whole thing, and that's good, too.
And now, for something completely different: anyone ever heard of a butterfly loom? I've been looking for a craft that I can do just sitting in my chair, and crocheting (which I can only do in its most simplified form) wasn't doing it for me, and I cannot learn to knit. I learned two or three times when I was a kid, and maybe even in my twenties, and I simply cannot retain it. Meanwhile, R is knitting these fabulous things. (I may post a picture in the next day or two.) I really used to enjoy cross-stich, and needlepoint too for a while, but I don't see well enough for those anymore. This butterfly loom weaving thing looks interesting. (There was an article on it in Woman's Day.) But if anyone out there has tried it and it's really lame, let me know. According to the article, it's a craft that was developed in Australia for children to do. Sounds like my speed.
Okay, it's time to call the Sibs before Arrested Development. Gotta watch 'em while I got 'em.
