January 22, Friday: Whew!

I think I'll make a list of downs and ups for this week, Tuesday - Sunday. Because.

Downs, for starters (Ending on the ups, you see!)

1. Old Dog Zeus had a stomach issue, to put it delicately, on Tuesday night. I got up early on Wed. to head off to my swim workout, glanced at the floor in the living room and thought, "Did Andy walk mud in there last night?" . . .  and the rest of my workout involved scraping, scrubbing, washing, etc., and then, after school, pushing the terribly unwieldy carpet cleaner around the living-room and rolling up the ruined (but also ancient and due for replacement anyway) rug in the den and throwing it away. Nice to have a husband about whom one can say, "There's no one I'd rather be doing this disgusting chore with than you!"

2. End of term. Frantic kids, loads of grading, much stress. Not many thank yous, despite the deep support/encouragement/hard work/etc., put in.

3. Starting a class. . . . tomorrow, Saturday, 9 - 4. Close (that's an up) but still: wow. And the co-workers who've signed up have already shown signs of negativity. Hope that changes.

4. In light of #3, the fact that I have a big pile of grading is tough.

5. At knitting today, I requested that we not talk about school. As a result, we talked about . . . mortality. Our parents' mortality.

6.  I really hate that new blog design option where all the entries are in squares like a Memory game and the pictures turn grey when you mouse over them. I *hate* that.

7. No one has yet made me a luscious dessert. There's no reason anyone *should* have made me a luscious dessert, but, still. =sigh.=

Ups, for finishers.

1. The aforementioned husband has made good dinners from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food site . . . every day this week! Yum!

2. I just finished listening to the a.may.zing memoir Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan. It is powerful and well-written. Boom. Right to the heart. Now I am listening to Angela Thirkell's Summer Half, which is one of her best (she is an acquired taste, for sure! But I love her as an escape author.): funny, quick, entertaining, and an endearing look at teaching. Just what I need, given #2 in "Downs."

3. Left-overs for dinner!

4. My cold is relinquishing its grip!

5. The moon is full, the days are lengthening, and it's not too terribly cold.

6. Hey: it's Friday evening. Bravo!