Greetings Wonder and Azure! Thanks so much for your input here--it's always welcome.

I'm happy to report that my week has begun on a good note. It started yesterday... I was able to be really productive, which always makes me tired but happy when I can begin my week on a hopeful note.

As I reported here yesterday, Mr. Wonderful and D7 came over bright and early. I was still in my PJs, filling out paperwork for D7's school and they seemed happy to see me. Mr. W. was all set to pull the remainder of the forsythia that I hacked down last weekend.

He gave me instructions on drilling anchors (my drill broke and I had to use his, which is higher tech than mine was) and while I installed curtain tie backs, he got ready with his chain and pickup truck to extract that root ball.

Our dentist neighbor came over and started to chuckle. He told Mr. Wonderful that the method he used was exactly how he pulls teeth...

After he finished, I took off for the grocery store. When I got back, D7 had eaten 4 donuts and had made a mess. I was putting groceries away and cleaning up when Mr. W. came into my line of sight and smiled and asked if I wanted to play a few games of cribbage. I said sure and told him to help himself to a beer.

We headed out to the patio, where I skunked him first game and beat him by 2 the second game (as luck would have it, pegging out gave me the win). What was nice about it? We were friends. AND even better, we took turns chasing D7 around. I had forgotten how doggone exhausting it is to be the only person who is around to do that. Every time we switched, we'd look at each other and laugh.

I picked up a very grumpy and tired D10. Hey, KAW, is your tween an attitude queen? I'm afraid that D10 has bouts of a real crappy and sullen attitude and I don't like it. Of course, I can remember that I felt the same way in 5th grade...

That being said, she was so excited about school today that she couldn't get to sleep last night. She woke up all smiles today! D7, on the other hand, did NOT want to get up. We're back to our normal routine!

The bus was late due to wheelchair issues with a kid from previous runs.... I had to laugh when the bus pulled up. I recognized the driver, as he did the summer school run last summer--he reminds me of Otto in The Simpsons! However, he's a really sweet guy and she was very excited to see the jump seat guy, who has ridden her route for 2 years now. I left the house with a waving D7 in the bus window... and a frantic D10 who was worried about being late today.

I'm glad that we're back on track to a more stable existence. Now I have to get used to having them with me all week again!

Have a good week, everyone!

Betsey

"There are only 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."

Albert Einstein