I do not do well without a plan. This morning we had no plan, no sledding, and slush blocked streets. So, I insisted it was bathroom cleaning time. The kids did not agree. Hilarity ensued. The bathrooms did eventually get cleaned.

After much rattling around, we all decided to play Ticket to Ride. Wow, an hour with no one fighting or cheating or complaining that someone else wasn't playing fair. The rest of the afternoon actually went well. I convinced David's friends with a Subaru to come over and play. Rose called up a friend within walking distance, and I walked her over the big street, and she walked the rest of the way. The friend with a Subaru drove me and David to his haircut appointment.

David and I had a lovely walk home from the hair cut.

Mommy: Watch out for that puddle.
David: What puddle?
Mommy: That one?
David: What one?
Mommy: The one you are about to step in to.
David: Yeah, that covers my whole boot.

I had a sudden panic attack when I realized I was teaching a new workshop in a week and a half, so I invaded the basement looking for materials. This lead to the great project of me and John going through a couple of art boxes. We have tons of art in the basement inherited from various relatives, and we often feel overwhelmed trying to decide what to put up, frame, or even get rid of.

Say good-bye to the champagne bottle we used to toast our engagement.
And the waterbottle with the puncture holes from the BEAR that invaded our camp site.

We put up the lovely metal boat that used to be on a coffee table in my grandparents' house. The Tibetan prayer wheel is still in the box with the hookah. The chimes and the gong went into the music drawer.

Mom can't make it up her street, so she's not babysitting; the sidewalks are treacherous; the streets are calf high in black puddles. Sally, our babysitter, who happens to live in our basement, had two other engagements, but they got cancelled. So, John and I are walking down the hill to the zydeco dance!