thoughts on a tuesday

Aren't school mornings the worst? Captain America was outside for twenty minutes today--in this cold!--before he came in to find the clippers to cut open a new bale of hay for the goats. I have no idea what he was doing, or why he would like to prolong his time outdoors, but he took another ten or fifteen minutes to feed the goats once he got the clippers. Then getting dressed was a whole other thing, and I was nagging and stuffing homework and lunch into his backpack and the bus was leaving and he was wandering around with his shoes off, doing up his belt, because he thinks he HAS to wear a belt to school for some reason, I don't know why. Yesterday was the same way. And then he expects me to believe that he didn't get in trouble at school. Hmmm.

I don't know if any of you have ever seen John going to or from work, but his "briefcase," we'll call it, is a plastic shopping bag. And his Elders Quorum bag is a paper sack that some piano books came in. During the Christmas season when he's really busy he usually has a number of bags, from Kohl's, Old Navy, Target, Burt Murdock Music. And he often has to take a change of clothes with him, if he's going to a rehearsal or performance, and the "bag" he takes his things in is only a bag in the very, very loosest definition of the term--it has handles and a large piece of fabric, upon which things can be placed and clumsily conveyed from point A to point B. It used to be a duffel bag, but the zippers are either clogged beyond repair or missing entirely. So when he packs, he just puts his things through the gaping hole that has been ripped in the side. I hate that bag so much. You have no idea the ill will I bear it. I would throw it away while his back was turned, but I think he really would have a hard time choosing between me and the bag. It might be a dealbreaker. This is the same man who wears socks until they are stirrups. So if you see John on the train sometime, don't be alarmed and think he's homeless. He's just frugal.

Pinga is going to the doctor today for another. freaking. ear infection. We had tubes recommended to us with the last one, so it might be the way of Conventional Medicine for us. I would try some kookoopants home remedy, but she's already had so many ear infections this winter that I am losing my resolve to play Home Doctor.

Often when I am cooking The Hulk will grab an apron from the pantry and get involved. It's nice when food isn't a wedge issue. I love having a labor force that is starting to pay back on my investment. Offloading the peeling chores is a real timesaver. And last night Captain America and The Hulk both got steak knives at dinner, which they didn't even use for evil, stabby purposes. It's a pretty big deal.