Ah, But I Quit Too Soon!

The best bloomer was yet to come. One student, in writing about vaccination concerns, had this beauty:

"...parents claim that the signs of autism appear around 15 to 18 months, when babies normally begin commuting." [In teeny, tiny little cars.]

Oh, joy; oh, delight!

Student Bloomers for Monday

It's a grey day in the WW Valley (it's been a grey day in the WW Valley for at least the last month; in fact, it's the greyest winter I can remember here, and that's saying something!). So some time spent draped over my desk, crowing over these was particularly welcome:

"Most of us were young once ..." [This is, of course, as opposed to those born 90 years old.]

"Global warming is a heated topic." [I'm sorry to say this was NOT an intended pun.]

"In this paper I am going to say things about television." [A really outstanding paper thesis, generously shared by my next-door office neighbor, Jeremiah. I reminded him that she, technically, WAS going to say "things." We hope.]

I wonder if it would properly motivate students to be told that their best bloomers end up in cyberspace for the joy of others? Doesn't anybody ever read their papers over once they've written them (strictly rhetorical question)??

love, kristin

More Twins! (Our Family is Large-ish)

Once again, not mine, specifically. My nieces are carrying on nicely, thank you! Melissa and Michael returned from Ethiopia on New Year's Day with two very darling twin girls, Zuri and Zinea, to join Emma & Jake. Go see them immediately! There are several other entries with more pictures of the girls, but I think this is mostly just them. I can't wait to see them; we always see them in July when we are down for Oregon Campmeeting, but I think I might have a tiny implosion if I have to wait THAT long! This brings my dad and mom's total up to four great-grandchildren! They're doing rather well!

Back

I am, I mean. It's been an odd winter. An odd summer, fall, and winter, really. As I told RMW, I don't think I really realized how much Bev's death impacted me. Perhaps not just her death, but also the weeks of travelling back and forth, the holding together of my father- and brother-in-law, the abrupt precipitation into the quarter and the kids' school year, etc. I found myself around Christmas time realizing I had pretty much entirely missed the end of the summer and the autumn -- I hadn't done any of the canning and preserving I usually enjoy; I had missed the slow end of summer and the preparation for the school year -- the cleaning out, organizing, etc., I usually do.

I noticed at the beginning of December that I was completely exhausted -- not sleepy, just exhausted to the point of falling over. I managed to make it through Christmas, but without many of the things I like to do -- making rosettes, rolled cookies, homemade presents, etc. I didn't even get cards sent out, which I never miss -- not even the year Steven was born a month before Christmas! If Scott hadn't been handily doing things like planning presents, putting up the tree, hanging lights outdoors, etc., I'm not sure the holiday would have happened at all.

I seem to be coming out the end of the tunnel, though. There are two things that Scott pointed out to me are a good barometer of my well-being. If I am consistently making the bed and baking bread, it's a sign that life is good. The bed is currently tidy. I made bread for the first time in three months last week. It's the staff of life, you know.