Let it snow

It's snowing. (What?!) Yes, it's true. We're supposed to get three inches by morning. I'm torn. Tomorrow is my last function as Head Room Mother. Tomorrow is the "Spring Party." (Really? Because the high last week was -7.) In an amazing coincidence, it's also Valentine's Day. Do I want school to be cancelled, thus giving me one more day to organize my referee skills for a game of Valentine's Day Guesstures or do I just want there to be school so my tenure as Head Room Mother will be over?

I have to say, it hasn't been as bad as I anticipated. I lived through the "Harvest Party." The "Winter Party" was easy because all I had to do was bring the snack. The "Spring Party" should also be easy because most of the time will be used up distributing and opening Valentines.

In other news: Last week Baby D pulled over a shelf I had in the kitchen which held my plants. Somehow the shelf itself protected him from flying terra cotta pot shards. He was not so lucky a few days later when I wasn't looking and he pulled my flat iron down with his hand. He has a full finger second degree burn and refuses to wear a band aid. Tonight at church he smashed his finger in a metal outlet box in the floor. It's still bleeding. No band aid. Someday (probably not that far away) that kid is going to need a cast and he's going to have to leave it on.

Happy Anniversary, Baby

It's my anniversary today. Fourteen years, thank you for asking. It's a little low key tonight. I have been to and returned from Beth Moore Bible study. Brent has loaded the dishwasher. It's not that we aren't into celebrating our anniversary. I think this just wasn't the year for it. Next year, we have already planned a cruise to celebrate 15 years, as well as two milestone birthdays. (Ours, of course, not just anyone's milestone birthday.) My Bible study neighbor wrote "Happy Anniversary" in my book. That was nice. I don't think I need to cut it out and file it away as a precious keepsake though.

I wanted to get married on Valentine's Day, but I just knew in my heart of hearts that in future years it would be too gaggy, and I think I was right. Valentine's Day has always been a bit iffy with me anyway. I much prefer the 15th when all the Valentine's chocolates go on sale.

Rodents

I'm starting to think our household needs a gerbil, or as I have been reading, two gerbils. Apparently they like company. Shouldn't a household of boys have rodents? I am trying to work it out in my head but there is something telling me that if I add more chaos to my chaotic household, it will become calmer. It flys in the face of logic, true, but winter is really getting to me and I have always thought those little gerbil balls that look like cars are funny. Wouldn't it be funny to have a rodent? I don't know. We have a 14 year old Yorkie and a 6 year old goldfish. How much more trouble could two gerbils be?

That's probably the wrong question.

Pass the sunscreen

Several years ago my mother showed me a photo of my grandmother and some of the neighborhood farm wives. They were staging a pretend wedding. I can't remember if this was before I had children, but I am pretty sure I was working at least part time.

"Is it Halloween?" I asked of the picture.

"No."

"Well, what are they doing? Was it for a fundraiser or something?" I wasn't getting it.

"No, I think they were bored, so they had a wedding."

Now I am a girl with a vivid imagination, but this was really beyond me. A pretend wedding? Whatever for? Wasn't there important work to be done on the farm?

Well, cabin fever was especially bad around here this week with the highs being below zero, so my sister and I went on an imaginary email trip to Naples, Florida. We chose a hotel, restaurants, resort clothing. We went pretend shopping and ordered fruity drinks from the bar. We had spa treatments -- lovely. I cannot begin to tell you how far this went in cheering me up this week. One night (in real life) the power went out all over town, causing us all to huddle in beds with our children wondering how well our houses were insulated. It's just a hard thing to be in the middle of Minnesota in January. (Thank you, thank you, thank you we are not living in a sod dugout. Thank you. Again I say, thank you.) A little imagination to the green eternal summer of Florida was a blessing.

My apologies to my grandma and all those fine neighbor ladies, long since gone, who knew life is too short to be housebound and bored.