Pampers Melt in a Maytag Dryer

No, it hasn't been quite that bad... It's a line from a Lonestar song that pretty much describes how today has been.

Papaw put together the trampoline this morning while DC, Brian, and I went to Wal-mart for Friday toys and DVD+Rs. When we got back Kate and Elizabeth had just gotten up. The trampoline went up, Brian went down for a nap, and my new DVD Recorder was busily transfering Power Rangers DinoThunder to a DVD.

After the trampoline was finished, Papaw went downstairs to deal with the clog in the basement's septic line. Both toilets and showers down there weren't draining. This, as you can imagine, involved quite a lot of mess and in the end a plumber's snake. He got done at 6 pm, and still has to put my comode back together. I'm under strict instructions to never flush the "flushable" cat litter ever again... *blush*

Of course, the real commedy of errors only happened a little bit ago. One of the things I did today was clean out the rat cage by flushing it with boiling water. This evening Nora was patiently standing over the pot of water that was this close to boiling when I asked her if she had cleaned the pot out first... I never told her that I had actually dunked the rats' wooden house in the pot of boiling water to get in nice and clean... We laughed as we emptied the pot and got a new one.

Once again the water was getting ready to boil when Brian came in asking for Sprite in a Christmas cup. I opened the fridge to get... something, and found that it was flooded with water, so Nora opened the new bottle of Sprite and got sprayed in the face with it while I mopped up the mess... At that point I just started laughing, because, really, what else can you do? And Nora asked if it was 8:30 yet.

Chaplin-esque

One of the toys Brian got for Christmas was this nifty little gadget that makes music any time the floor vibrates. The faster you move, the faster the music. It's supposed to get kids up and dancing and experimenting with music.

As of yet, Nora and I have had more fun with it than the kids...

Anyway, it's been sitting in the dining room all day. On, all day. And every time someone passes through the dining room music plays. And every time I go by it an image of a silent movie actor scurrying around doing whatever necessary to advance the plot of the movie goes through my head. The fact that at the moment it's set on a calliope sounding tune doesn't help.

Do do dodo doit do do dodo doit.

8:30 PM

Is a magic time around here. At 8:30 DC gets his one bottle of snakejuice (milk) and settles down to sleep. Brian is usually downstairs at this point, and the house settles down.

8:30 is not a static time, though. Some nights it comes a little later than most. Such as the night of Christmas, when I came upstairs after settling Brian down in order to kiss DC good night at 8:30. An hour and a half later he was still playing on the computer with Kate and the in-laws and I were happily chatting away. At quarter 'til 11, I told him that it was time to go to bed. His response was "Is it 8:30 yet?"

Yes, DC, it's 8:30...

Yesterday and tonight, 8:30 occurred earlier in the day. DC was just so tired that he had a meltdown around 8:00. Nora and I looked at each other and said "It's 8:30."

Life, if you're a kid at Rosehill, is pretty good. DC and I made a foray off the ridge today and went to Wal-mart. Didn't find what I was looking for, but we discussed the fact that I'm a big marshmallow while picking out Power Rangers. DC insisted on getting Kate the pink Ranger so that she could play with him and his green Ranger. They also scored Crayola Crayon Makers. I love after Christmas sales.

E4s--Specialist vs. Corporal

I learned for the first time this evening that my soldier boy had been promoted to Corporal. It seems that the ladies in the family learned about it from him three weeks ago, but since they didn't really understand what that meant, they neglected to tell me.

Specialists who have demonstrated leadership abilities and are serving in Sergeant positions can be promoted to Corporals. This signifies that they hold a leadership position, and are held to the responsibilities and authorities inherent in that role. It doesn't mean any higher pay grade. Specs and Corporals are both designated pay grade E4. But there is enhanced prestige that goes with the responsibilies of Corporal's stripes. He will get his Sergeant's stripes in about six weeks, but I am proud to learn about his new stripes now.

The Yuletide Fire

This afternoon has been fairly quiet. The kids have settled down to playing with their toys, with a bit of help from Papaw. We have called family and chatted about the joys of the day, the ice, and the kids. Nora is now preparing Christmas dinner, the etrée being a Christmas goose.

A week ago DC insisted that we have a "big fire" in the fireplace in the dining room. I don't think we have had a fire in there since before Kate was born. So that weekend, we went out to pick a Yule log. DC chose an 18" diameter log that I had cut from the maple tree that destroyed Kate's club house in the great wind storm this summer. It was appropriately decorated with pine bows, pine cones, and other approriate to-do. It has rested on the fireplace heath all week.

Today, this afternoon actually, I finally unsealed the fireplace, checked the chimney to make sure it was clear. (Chimney swallows do a good job of cleaning it every summer.) Then I prepared to lay the fire. Of course, being a 4-year-old, DC was not at all interested now. And Kate, being an 8-year-old, objected to going out to find kindling for what she considered to be DC's project.

Well, eventually the fire was laid, and Brian, being a 2-year-old pyromaniac, was more than happy to help me get it going.

Santa Chaos . . .

or Holy Disorder.

Eyes All Aglow

As if she expected them to sleep long... Brian was actually awake at 7 when Nora posted, but was perfectly happy snuggling up to Mommy. DC woke up about 7:15, I guess.

Both boys are now "Pow'r Ranga"-ing with their new "SUV" rangers. DC has been asking for toys for the next installment of the series for a month now. We finally found the toys a week ago. There was a huge sigh of relief involved.

DC joyfully picked out a present to make my beautiful hair "beautiful-er." A bonnet hair dryer... I don't use a regular hair dryer. But, I was warned beforehand and therefore DC recieved the appropriate response for the intent. Lots of hugs and kisses and "I love yous." He's pleased.

Kate has now stirred and Papaw will be out of the potty momentarily. So, time to see what Santa brought.

The 2004 Rosehill Christmas Tree

Too icy even for the Deer.

The layer of ice under the snow even made travel dangerous for the deer.

Papaw has to have a flag picture.

This is the flag of Yorkshire, England, designed by my friend, Michael Faul. I fly it at Christmas and Easter, just because it looks right so to do.
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen aus einer Wurzel zart.

Kids Love Sleds!

Here are some photos of the kids with their sleds. When they got the wrapping paper off, DCs sled was wrapped up in a Hoover vaccuum cleaner box. He seemed genuinely excited about getting a Hoover. He did not seem too disappointed that it was a sled instead.



All three of the kids loved sledding down that steep, icy driveway behind the house.



Percy also had fun with them.



DC just kept going and going, until he finally got the hang of stearing.

Hear Them?

That is 2 kids with sleds on a white Christmas eve afternoon, who have found the absolute iciest spot on the drive around the north side of the house where the hill is just right... .

I came in to generate significant hot calories (sorry for the pleonasm) which will be greatly needed shortly. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will fall asleep tonight.

Dad is taking pictures; Brian will get his little red wagon in a bit.
-Mom

Dashing Through the Snow

Given that we are socked in - and given that the sun is beating down on the snow, I think there will be a little pre dinner opening here in a minute. If you hear shrieks there in Bagdad, you will know that I am correct in that assessment.
- Mom

Damn that Cat

Rose decided that she desperately wanted to go out this morning. So much so that she actually dashed out the door and past a horde of other cats. You have to remember that it was 11 degrees at the time and Rose is timid around other cats.

Maybe an hour later she started scratching at the study window, requesting to be let in. The front door is blocked, so I went around to the back door and called for her. After awhile she came to the back door, as did every other cat in the county. Instead of coming in, Rose took off, with me chasing her and cursing her very existence.

Ten minutes later, she's back at the window. I trudge out again in my nice, leather and fleece slippers (best purchase I ever made) and go to the porch to pick her up... And she's gone, spooked off by Percy.

It did give me a chance to notice how absolutely gorgeous it is outside, though. Yes, 11 degrees, but beautiful. I decided to come back in and assemble my camera and put on actual shoes in order to take some pictures.

While I was out, laughing at the emu whose feathers are frozen in the shape of the ground, the dumb cat decided she'd had enough and streaked in through a door despite the other cats and Percy.

Now, if only that red cardinal would come back and perch on a branch again... That will make a lovely picture.

Christmas Eve Eve

Well the weather says that our Angel and Bethlehem Green Stable spider won't make the Christmas pageant. There is a half inch of ice on everything and the snow is peppering down. I called Joyce and told her that the 9 shepherds costumes weren't going to make it off the hill tomorrow, but she thinks she has enough sheets that were otherwise headed to Goodwill to solve the lack.

The Angel and Spider are more than a little bummed, but also excited by the possibility of opening presents earlier than usual. It has been a funny, snowy day. Here we are at not quite 8 and all 3 kids are going to bed. I fixed a ham, macaroni and cheese, and Italian green beans for dinner, Nobody ate much - too tired. A mixture of ennui and cold weather languor.

This afternoon I looked around. Jo was making stays for 1780's re-enacting. Kate was cutting out letters to make an "Aunt Helen" style stocking for Percy dog. Dad was still in his PJ's. DC was watching the Peter and the Wolf ballet on PBS and Brian was eating Mexican Chex mix. That wonderful suspension of the world that is Christmas here, made all the more natural by the weather conspiring to prevent any last minute, errand type distractions.

If the weather is as expected, I may add a hot soup to the earlier than usual Christmas Eve buffet. There has always been an intensely Jewish element of the domestic church to our holidays. This year, with the ice, seems even more so.

I can hardly wait for the kids to open their presents. There are some true delights under the tree for them - and the pace will be child friendly. On the other hand not greeting the Baby at Mass is disquieting. There is a line, "silent as a sparrow in the snow on the brink of an exquisite indecision" that turns up in one of my mother's poems and of a Russian poet's from the time of the Revolution (probably in other places - it is an arresting and universal image); despite the physical noise of our pediatric units, it also applies at Rosehill tonight.
Posted by Mom who didn't realize Dad had logged on

Food, Glorious Food

One too many kids told Brian to "go away" one time too many, so he sought refuge in the kitchen. Homemade boursin is a blessing for that circumstance. All his favorite tastes - garlic, more garlic, onion, capers, more garlic, thyme, more garlic are in it. Best of all it can be stirred more or less effectively for as long as it takes to get one's world back in order. ... or maybe best of all, when it slips off the counter, it stays in the bowl.



The chocolate smears are from taste testing the Tollhouse bar cookies, made with red stocking and green tree chocolate morsels. Wal-Mart lost courage on Tuesday, started marking everything down and setting out Valentine's Day stuff.
Also posted by Mom, who didn't realize she had been logged off

Merry Christmas

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