Today in brief.

I started out the day with a mop in my hand, and ended the day with a mop in my hand.

Six A.M. Woke up and sneaked downstairs to get dressed and do some complex cleaning. Hadn't made it halfway down the stairs before I heard Mr. Baseball and the Monkey clumsy out of their rooms in the door-banging-I'm-awake-and-I-want-you-to-know-about-it way that makes the QB pull a pillow over her head, especially before 7 a.m.

Put the boys in front of a movie ( I know, a movie at 6 in the morning! But I had work to do and the QB needed to stay in bed a little longer if she was going to have any hope of making it through the day sane) and I went across the parking lot to mop the laundry room etc.

Came back at seven and cleaned house a little. Turned the movie off. The QB woke up and made cream of wheat with cinnamon and nutmeg while I got showered and helped boys get dressed. I graded one and a half papers. We ate. We sang a song and prayed. Monkey and I took Mr. Baseball to the bus stop while QB went for a walk.

The Monkey and I picked up the missionaries and drove them to Chillicothe and back again. Made it back to Athens in time to pick Mr. Baseball up from kindergarten. The QB met us half way walking.

Drove me to school.

Taught class at noon. Talked about generating thesis ideas and finding sources and told at least one lame joke. Got online with the students and talked via chatroom with an OU librarian. In front of entire class typed to the librarian that my students were lame because only one of them had ever used OU's cool librarian 24 hour chat help service. Students laughed (nervously?).

Read assignments for "History of the Essay."

Ate lunch and chatted with the QB online about our Lubbock housing situation, which is nonexistent at the moment. Lamented the fact that we had to back out of a contract (scary house proved scarier after inspection) and browsed the Lubbock MLS listings together.

"How about this one? This one? What about this? Hmmm...."

Resolved to wait until we got to Lubbock to find a house. At least that's what we're saying. Mostly resolved to keep saying, "Something will work out," until something does.

Typed to Melissa: "Something will work out." and "Love you." and "Better get back to work."

Went to Dinty's class. Spent four hours discussing, defining, and dissecting essays. Mooched 1/3 of a Skore bar off Grover (other 2/3 went to Dinty and Grover). Also half bag of Chipotle tortilla chips and guac from Liz; also several handfuls of artisan black licorice from Bob. Got a ride home again from kindly professor (Dinty), whose new car still smells like a new car, and who during class today stood up and said, "I'm going to miss you guys," and group-hugged Grover and me, in what I am sure was both a silly and sincere demonstration of his affection. Will miss him as well. Still think he reminds me of a Boy Scout Master, regardless of what four letter words he throws at me.

At home. Helped pick up house in aftermath of tornado and tornado junior who were then up in the bath, but whose toys/socks/papers were still settling in their wake. Helped two boys get cleaned, dried, and dressed. Gave hug to exhausted looking QB, who does not like Mondays.

Sat around table and had Family Home Evening lesson about the Priesthood. Looked at pictures of blessings and baptisms, and the sacrament. Told boys about the first blessing I ever gave in Japanese. The man requesting the blessing had to write down the words for me because I didn't know them in Japanese. Carried the paper around with me my entire mission and used it many times. Boys colored pictures. We sang and prayed.

Ate chocolate chips for dessert. a few handfuls each. Quicker than popcorn or brownies.

Boys went upstairs to brush teeth and select books to read. QB read with with Mr. Baseball in our room while I read with the Monkey in his room.

For the third night in a row, fell asleep in rocking chair with the Monkey's head on my shoulder. Woke up at 8:15pm. Put monkey in his bed and staggered downstairs to find QB acebooking at the computer.

Simultaneously remembered that we have one-month trial membership to Netflix. Browsed listings and landed on The Visitor, a sad, hopeful movie about tired economics professor who shows compassion for illegal immigrants squatting in his rarely-used NYC apartment. Message in short: Treatment of illegal immigrants = not fair. I concur.


After film, read reviews on Rottentomatoes.com. 90%. pretty good. One negative review called it "A character study drowning in liberal guilt." Decided it was better to drown in liberal guilt than plug ones ears with conservative denial.

Picked up house a little more. Sent the QB to bed. Took nightly complex walk.

Came home, mopped kitchen floor and cleaned kitchen Rug with stain remover. Remembered life with our Dog, who ate everything off the floor. Wondered to myself if our floors would ever stay clean for longer than a few hours.

Currently blogging instead of grading papers, or writing a lesson plan, or going to bed--three things high on my to do list.