A Minor Injury

This morning, as I was getting Little Z ready for her second visitation at preschool, and getting ready to go to work at my new job and plan some curriculum (awesome!) I stepped on something. Something sharp. In the bathroom!

So, my foot was bleeding and the bandaides were downstairs and I was upstairs and we were in such a rush and - well, I just patched it up and went on our merry way.

But it hurt. It felt like there was something in my heel.

About four hours later, I was trying to figure it out but I could barely wrap my foot around my body enough to see what was going on, and then Little Z was crawling on my shoulders. I started wondering if I should go see the doctor? Surely having something stuck in your foot was reason enough? But I felt like such a woose. It was probably just a splinter. I finally convinced Little Z to try and take a nap- if only for the sake of my foot- and then I started digging in some horrible way with a needle, right into my heel, and wouldn't you know it? THERE WAS A BIG PIECE OF GLASS IN MY FOOT! Which I pulled out with some tweezers.

So, I guess there was some cause for concern.

My foot feels much better without the piece of glass stuck in it. I have no idea how the glass happened to be on my bathroom floor.

I'm a little embarrassed about the lame nature of this post. Most of my creative energy is going towards my new job, about which I am very excited.

Little Z actually asked me about my foot when I went and got her from her nap. I was surprised. What's this? Empathy? Herra Gud.

Another List

* Yesterday, while at the park with Little Z, we overheard a group of old people having a picnic. They were really enjoying each others' company. It was nice. They were dressed like farmers- old guys in straw hats and overalls, women in pedal pushers. I caught this tidbit, right before they all laughed uproariously,

"Like when you come back from the eye doctor and you look like you've been doing coke for a month!"

Old people just aren't what they used to be.

* I got a message on my cell phone today from three weeks ago, while I was on vacation. Today I got this message from three weeks ago. It was a job offer. Luckily, they also tried me at home after I got back from vacation, and I accepted the job. I bought a new cell phone today.

* This computer has la grippe. With no warning, it comes up with a black and white message in several languages that I need to restart my computer. This happens all the time, randomly.

* The people at the human resources office of my new job are the kindest people I've ever met.

* School starts September first. I think it's a law in Wisconsin that it cannot begin before September first. In these north lands, we appreciate the summer time. I love Wisconsin.

* My daughter is a master of the obvious, or M.O. for short. She suddenly can talk about anything and everything, so she practices by stating the mundane,

"You making dinner!"
"You go potty?"
"I play with toys!"
"That a big bird."

"Who dat?" she says instead of "Why". When I explain things to her, she makes me think about how the world works. She also talks constantly about how much she loves certain foods, but she rarely eats much. Sometimes, when I'm hungry, she offers me pretend food. Pretend food has no calories, but it's not especially filling.


E.O.B.P.

the First Part and the Last

We were just visiting Little Z's great-grandma, Mumsey. Little Z really took to Mumsey, and it occurred to those of us in the in-between ages how much three year olds and ninety-somethings have in common. When Mumsey was gone for ten minutes, and Little Z asked where she was, we said,

"Mumsey's in the bathroom." Little Z nodded with perfect understanding. She sometimes takes ten minutes in the bathroom, too. When Mumsey was gone again,

"Where Mumsey?" asked Little Z.
"Mumsey is taking her nap." She nodded again. Little Z takes a nap, too.

They both have their special programs on the television ("Dora the Explorer" [Little Z] and "The Price is Right" [Mumsey]). Neither of them eats much. They both enjoy puzzles. They both have this sort of altered sense of time that's different from the rest of ours, a little bit slower, a little bit more apt to watch things happen. They both need help opening vitamin bottles. They both like cutting things out of the newspaper and sometimes gluing them to paper. They both go to bed early. And, of course, they're both very sweet natured, though that has not much to do with being very young and very old, but just enough about being them.

A List!!!

1. I found a teaching job! Locally! Part time, so I can farm, too! So exciting. I start in a week and a half. Little Z starts preschool full time in two weeks. This is not a coincidence.

2. Little Z followed me around with a stick of deodorant yesterday, saying, "You stinky? You stinky?"

3. We are breeding the chickens! We put "The Gentle Giant" (you're not supposed to name them) in with the best layers to make super large super egg laying super gentle chickens! I shall keep you posted.

4. We are still getting sheep, it just takes a long time to build a fence for them, because it's really really really really really really hard work to build a big fence!!! Our fence shall be 1042 feet long, not counting the gate.

5. We just got back from Colorado, and Little Z turned three there. She's three!!! She walks, she talks, she pees in the toilet. My little girl. All grown up. Starting preschool. Booya.