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From the mouths of babes

Dad: "Noah, do you know that the school board passed a new rule allowing random searches at the school?"
Noah, 12 years old: "No."
Dad: "It means that teachers can just pull you aside and have you show them everything in your bag and pockets. How do you feel about that?"
Noah: "I’m not doing anything wrong so I guess I’m okay with it."

My heart sank. He gave the scripted answer! The system has him. I think Noah is old enough to read 1984, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451. Time to knock the dust of my copies.

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Iraqi Reporter Throws Reddit Alien at Bush

Bush sober enough to dodge it.

Iraqis rally for Bush shoe attacker.

Update: The shoe thrower has been beaten while in custody.
Update: Shoe thrower faces up to 7 years.
Update: Egyptian offers 20 year old daughter in marriage to shoe thrower.
Update: Shoe-thrower sorry for ‘ugly act’
Update: Thank you for throwing your shoe.
Update: December 31 trial date for shoe-hurling Iraqi reporter aka he had expected to be shot after hurling his first shoe.

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Yesterday/Today

Yesterday was a day of bureaucracy and lunacy. Every now and then, the paperwork must be caught up. I have even considered switching to 4 day work weeks and spending my 5th day on planning and paperwork. I waited until the last minute to pay 3 important bills so to avoid a late fee I drove to their respective offices and made the payments which necessitated a trip to the bank. Just before running those errands the rain seeped through into the basement. Fortunately, we took no damage that I can find. The reason this happened is that the trench I began to reseal the external wall and install a French drain has never been completed and the leaves have blocked it up allowing water to puddle against the wall. Granddaddy drove to Lincoln Memorial to pickup Tommy for the winter break. As we were warning him that the road may be closed due to rockslides he hit traffic. Turns out that the slide didn’t really affect him. Next, Amy and Evan were rough housing and Evan lands on his face loosening his two front teeth (one of which was supposed to be extracted this week but due to his uncooperativeness has been moved to January). This happens just as we are getting ready to prepare dinner and Cathy had to leave for Sarah’s flag performance. I think the evening ended with the whole family simultaneously collapsing in exhaustion.

Today began with a head cold for me, a college student sawing logs, a teenager trying hard to sleep in, 6 year old having extensive and happy conversations with the Shelf Elf insisting that he grabbed a branch turned toward her and moved his eyes to look right at her, middle and elementary schoolers happily getting off to school, 3 year old waking early, and dog puke.

Sarah's flag performance

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It’s raining…in my basement

Just to keep things interesting the Fall leaves have filled the trench (that is supposed to become a French drain) outside the house and water is seeping through the wall into the basement. This means:

  1. I have to prevent damage to things in the basement by making sure the water has a clear escape path
  2. I have to clean out the shop vac and start sucking up water
  3. I have to don old nasty clothes that don’t fit, find a shovel, and start digging in the mud outside.

This has to happen between programming, preparing dinner, driving to 3 places to pay bills (no, I don’t own any stamps and I want receipts), and being home in time to let Cathy go see Sarah’s flag competition tonight, getting children bathed and into bed (and more programming). No. Calling someone in to deal with this is not an option right now.

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From the mouths of babes

Our yard is practically devoid of grass. Basically we have leaves and mud so today I spread a bale of hay to cover the mud.

Amy, 6 years old arriving home from school: "I was playing in the hay!"
Dad: "Explain ‘playing in the hay.’"
Amy, doing jumping jacks: "I made a hay angel!"
Dad, with great hesitation: "Turn around…"

Update: Evan, 3 years old, came home later, plopped down in the hay, and, of his own accord, started throwing it all over himself.

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Weather outlook happy

Yesterday was a hard day for me. My youngest two children went into the dentist for cavities and one tooth extraction (which didn’t happen). This bothers me on so many levels I cannot even begin to write about it. I was stressed and rather depressed. Today I’m relaxed and rather happy. The difference? Aside from the dentist, the difference is the weather. I have always noted that around a full moon I am a bit more energetic and anxious and sometimes downright manic. The moon moves the tides, why not people? Yesterday we have a low pressure system come in and bring rain. Yesterday’s emotional state? Depression. Today a high pressure system is pushing the low pressure system out and I am feeling pretty good. Could my mental state be that closely tied to nature? I believe the answer is a simple yes. Cathy’s migraines always precede a storm (low pressure). Other people tell the weather by a twitch in their toe. The body and mind are undeniably sensitive to weather.