Happy New Year's Eve!

Some people think New Year's Eve is an overrated holiday.

And for the most part, I'd agree that it is a silly, don't-you-wish-you-lived-in-New-York, overpriced, and overglitzed, get drunk-fest anymore.

But whacky American culture aside, I rather like what New Year's Eve is to me.

First off, it is an anniversary of a significant event in my life.

Charlie Brown proposed to me on New Year's Eve, some 10 years ago. (Yes, I was all of 18)

I will never forget that night.

I'd been hanging out at his apartment that day (holiday break - dorms were closed) while he was at work. I knew that we were going to go out with a couple we were friends with - who'd just gotten back from their honeymoon - but that was about it.

When he got home, he had a rose for me, and I of course thought it was sooooo sweet.

He asked me, "Where do you want to go?"

"How about Bennigans?" I suggested.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Sure you don't want to go someplace nicer?"

"Nah, I've been thinking about hot wings all day. Mmmmmmm."

A dubious Charlie Brown said, "Okaaaay."

We left to pick up our friends, and they asked, "Where're we going?"

"Bennigans," I reported.

Heather (yes, we had the same name) goes, "Really? You're not going someplace nicer?"

I, clueless, said, "Sheesh, what is up with you people. You tell me to pick the place, I do, and then you don't like it?"

Charlie Brown said, "No, no, it's fine. Let's go to Bennigans."

So we went to Bennigans. And then we were seated.

We asked our friends about the honeymoon trip and how it felt to have a week of marriage under their belts. Charlie Brown started asking them how long they had dated before they got engaged (we only knew them as an engaged, then married, couple) - and we were surprised to find out they'd only dated for a matter of weeks before J popped the question.

"What about you guys - how long have you been dating?"

Charlie Brown and I answered simultaneously, "Just over 2 years."

"Well, do you ever think about it? Getting married?" J prompted.

We had had a fleeting conversation about the future and what ifs the New Year's Eve the year before - on the phone, while I was babysitting my siblings - and prohibited from having visitors. But ifs and whens were left in the air.

Charlie Brown and I recounted this conversation to our friends, he and I giving a play by play in an animated volley of "Then I said....,"s.

I was so engrossed in telling this story that I didn't even seen Charlie Brown get out of his seat and onto his knee.

Towards the end of this account, I heard Charlie Brown say, "And then I said, 'Heather, will you marry me and spend your life with me?'"

I looked over, to say "No you didn't!" and stopped short - he was on his knee, with a ring. He hadn't asked me last year, but he was asking me now!

"Oh my GOD!! Yes!" I shrieked. And there was kissing and giggling and excitement from there.

So, yeah, New Year's Eve is always a fun memory because of that.

Secondary to the sentimental value of the night is that it has become a night of fun, friends and family for us. It is not uncommon for casa del Meyer to be brimming full of friends and family, playing games, hanging out and eating good food.

Which is what we'll be doing tonight.

Happy New Year, all!

So, Hammy walks into a bar...

Today Charlie Brown and I figured that hot wings sounded good for dinner.

It ain't the new year yet - shush it.

So, we called the bar around the corner from our house and put in a to-go order.

I am not a bar-goer, never have been (something about getting knocked up shortly after one's 21st b'day that puts the kabash on barhoppin') really. Aside from the occasional drink with dinner out, I prefer to drink at home.

I walked in to what looked like a slow night - five, maybe seven patrons watching football at the bar. I informed the female of the staff that I was the to-go order and she replied that it was almost ready, about another minute for the fries.

I looked around. And noticed a sign that said:

Sexual harassment is not reported here - but it may be graded.

Niiiiiiiiiice.

Right about then, one of the bartenders, a middle aged man who appeared to have been drinking as much or more than his customers, glances over and says, "Well, shee-it, if she ain't a redhead!"

I smiled out of the corner of my eye and said, "Yup, that's me."

He got all clever-like, tilted his head and drawled, "Through and through?"

The woman apologized profusely - "It's not normally like this."

I told her it was ok, that I'd been dealing with this question since junior high.

I put my best seductress look on, batted my lashes and said, "Yes, sir, through. And. Through. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to my husband and have a little fun tonight." Wink.

Then, I sashayed outta there, enjoying the fact that the drunken bartender's jaw now hung slack.

Peace Takes Courage

I saw this notion on a bumper sticker while driving home from work last week.

It couldn't have been a more fitting little adage for what I'd been dealing with.

Last Monday, while home with the sick kiddos, I checked into work via e-mail, as I often do so as to avoid using a full 8 hours of sick time each pop.

An e-mail from the City Mgr was present in my inbox. It was a forward of a business owner's seemingly reasonable suggestion that the temporary homeless shelter be monitored more closely, as he'd had some littering occur on his property since the time of the shelter's operations. City Mgr asked me to forward on to the appropriate volunteer shelter personnel.

Which I did.

I and the City Mgr received a response from the daytime coordinator, an intelligent and very compassionate man - almost to a fault - in which he nit-picked re: the original complaint's incorrect grammar, and basically called the business owner ignorant, since legal precedents about "loitering" were not at the fore of the man's mind. I might add, that I too was ignorant of these specifics, and I continue to work in this realm. He did seek to rectify the complaint - which was good, but lost amidst the other defenses, in my opinion.

After a phone call the next day, in which the shelter operator claimed the business owner would have had to be making it up due to the logistics involved, I responded with a carefully crafted, prayed over, response - urging the shelter operator to speak directly with the business owner before speaking or writing more about this man to others. I reminded him that the business owner was not hostile to the shelter in his message, just would like to see some closer monitoring - and that the proponents of the shelter ought to seize the opportunity to maximize similar values re: the shelter in the community, rather than act defensive - thus alienating the community at large and enhancing the differences in persepectives.

He continued to advocate.

To myself I was like, "Dude - you are preaching to the choir!" And it made me sad.

Because while other people tend to think being bold, assertively advocating for those less fortunate, is courageous, I've come to the conclusion that it is not.

You see - perception is relative, and yet it is perception that gives each of us our reality.

When someone tells another that what they perceived with their own senses isn't real - that's harsh. Why don't you just call someone a nut job or better yet, a big fat liar? Also, I read somewhere once (or more) that a harsh word stirs up anger.

Listening to other perspectives takes work, particularly if they don't jive with those we hold near and dear. But it is work well worth investing in - because if people feel heard, feel considered, they are apt to listen in return.

Gentle diplomacy, the fine art of blending nuance, courtesy, and education into a sweet package, turns away wrath, or so I read. It is the way of the peacemaker, and it takes a lot of courage.

Peace takes courage because it means sometimes letting go of me being right and having faith that all things will be made right, eventually.

Peace takes courage because it means releasing the hold on my own understanding and having to ask for help from the One who told us to seek His Ways.

Peace takes courage because it is branching out into subjective territory rather than the American safeguard of "just the facts, ma'am."

I bristled when the shelter coordinator told me that he is familiar with being both advocate and diplomat; however, the two are not compatible. I couldn't disagree more. I think one is the best advocate when s/he can be diplomatic about the cause in question. Have we confused advocate with martyr? Because I think that dying upon our swords of conviction leaves the cause with a dead martyr, one who is no longer able to advocate for its furthering. Who does that help?

I think in America we have lost sight of this marriage between advocacy and diplomacy. Advocacy has decided prematurely that she don't need that old man Diplomacy no more. As a result, we are a litigious and adversarial society, regardless of what side of a cause we sit on - make no mistake, though, we are someone's enemy.

Negotiations, compromise, and diplomacy take too much time. And time is money these days. But by looking for the quick fix, beat them before they beat me answer, found by being the loudest and the rightest, are we spending more money in the arguments than we would by taking our time finding the solutions?

Why can't we reach across party lines and work together?

Why can't we look creatively at social issues and use the same means to different ends? Or vice versa?

Why can't we agree to disagree or even try good ole fashioned compromise?

Because peace takes deep courage.

And we Americans have turned into surface lions with the innards of chickens - with no courage to be found, only chicken shit.

Each Thought As Unique as Individual Snowflakes

In other words - this is a hodge podge bullet point post.

1. Sneezin's Greetings and Yule-tide Bless You's - I caught some sort of a flu-ish thing and it was AWWWWWWWWWWWWful. Nothing is quite as festive as freezing with fever on Christmas morning while opening gifts with one's family. And then sleeping for 16 hours. Oh, and yes, I did get a flu shot this year, lot of good it did me.

2. LMNOB and Punkinhead went iceskating - and it was fun. And surprising as to which of my children not only did okay, but excelled at this activity - which was a pleasant surprise. For all of us. Notice who is on his knees in the second picture. As for me - hoo b oy, I'd forgotten how much of a strain skating is on one's feet. Especially carrying 40lbs of excess weight - ahem, :cough: resolution.

3. I am so glad that I am a trend savvy person. Upon arriving at work today, all of the cars in the row I normally park were backed into their spots. Sensing this was a good thing, I too finagled with all the skill I could muster from driver's ed days, and backed into my spot. At 5 o'clock, I was grateful, seeing that an additional 4 inches of snow and drifting from the snowbank had buried the back half of my car. Had I been the other way around, I may have had a difficult time getting in.

4. While both my Mom and MIL said they were downsizing Christmas this year, we still have a crap ton of stuff here at casa del Meyer. Liars.

5. Charlie Brown and I went snow-shoeing for the first time Saturday. It was fun, albeit a reminder of what a fat, out of shape chica I have become, and absolutely gorgeous:

See?Then there's me who is dead sex-ay. Why yes, those are clip ons on my glasses. Classy, classy babe that I am.

6. I think my web funk at work is solved - html dummy that I am, the IT guy and I put our heads together and figured it out, sans FrontPage. Microsoft bastards.

7. Charlie Brown kind of screwed the pooch today. Man, here I am all loving and appreciative of late, oh and SICK as a frickin' dog, and he had today (and tomorrow) off with the kids, while I WORKED. Came home, and the house is still looking like Christmas threw up all over our house, and he's. PLAYING. X-box. And still played while I unloaded groceries and cooked dinner! Grrrrrrrrr.............. It would have been so lovely to come home to a clean-ish home with laundry washing, floors cleaned and things put away neatly. In my dreams. Oh well, the kids were alive - that's what counts right?

8. LMNOB got a karaoke machine for Christmas from my mom - and we all had fun with it tonight. I got a kick out of seeing LMNOB jivin' with the beat of the songs she knew. She keeps at it, and she could be a little diva. Charlie Brown is so not a tenor, lol. He needs to stick to bass, but there's no singing karaoke with a bass voice. Punkinhead, while not enthralled with the lyrics, is something of a prodigy when it comes to melody - he kept singing the songs, note for note, except the words were all "poopy, stupid, poopy poopy." Such a button pusher...and he knows it - this is the grin I see several times a day
Well - that's all for now. More later...

Move over Rudolph...make way for Mars

I guess tonight's celestial view is going to be quite something.

Which is cool and all, but I really, seriously wonder if the screenwriters on strike helped Miami , Space Transit Planetarium director, Jack Horkheimer, come up with the witty song pieced throughout the article:

Mars is a red-tinged planet
With a very shiny glow
And if you look to see it
You will find the moon in tow.

All of the other Yuletides
Santa would have at his side
The shiny nose of Rudolph
Acting as his big sleigh's guide

But this very Christmas Eve
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph, now with Mars so bright,
You can stay at home tonight."

Then all the reindeer teased him.
And they shouted out with glee:
"Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
Outsourced to astronomy."

Because, truly that last bit about outsourcing is remniscent of The Daily Show, rather than some off the cuff composition by a space geek.

Makin' Staples Proud

I love their Easy Button concept.

So much so, that a few months back, I had Charlie Brown buy me one. It is the conversation piece of my desk.

And, because things are rarely easy at work, it often gets used in two distinct forms:

1. The Wistful - this is the pushing of the button prior to a meeting, sort of a superstitious/getting my game face on rite that I use to tell myself, it will be what you expect it to be.

2. The [more frequently used] Sarcastic Vent - this is the pushing of the button post facto, because it makes me laugh. And if I didn't laugh, I'd cry.

Now....moving right along....

Punkinhead could actually be interchangeable with Shithead (I do really love my son, but these things can't be ignored, they happen) these non-structured, holidazey, crazy past few weeks. This is as much attributable to crappy parenting as it is to his stubborn nature, because in all the hustle and bustle, if Mommy and Daddy are too tired to put the kabash on bad behavior, well, we just don't.

We are due to return back to our regularly scheduled regime next week.

Today, he was in top form again, having been spoiled and kept up late and waking up early for 3 days in a row now. After church he was a brat at lunch. At home, he was testing all the limits.

MIL and I left to do some shopping. And then came back.

Loveable, aggreable Punkinhead, (snort!) fussed about the cartoon on the channel. He pouted and pouted, "I don't wike dis show! Grunt, grunt, grunt."

FIL tried to tell him how it was. Now....FIL is very old school. He and I come from similar backgrounds, but let's just say that his two faced coin is much more inclined to the temper side than the peacemaker side. I do have very strong sides on either face of the same coin, but I strive for a more balanced approach.

So...when he got in Punkinhead's face and tried to reprimand him, Punkinhead retaliated and kicked at him.

FIL's eyes narrowed and his face got red as he raised his voice and his arm came out. Now, at the time, it looked like he swatted at Punkinhead's mouth as Punkinhead said "No."

I am not against physical punishment - but I have never understood a swat for a physical outburst - seems to me a mixed message, and I have NEVER thought it acceptable to strike in anger as opposed to structured rules, warnings and then follow-thru as needed in order to create a negative association with the behavior in question.

Am I perfect at implementing my values?

No.

But my kids know that it is exceptional to the rule when I lose my temper in such a fashion. And that is important to me. I never want it to be the rule that Mom is over the top with physical punishment. Or any adult in their lives for that matter.

I about lost it. I have before, on my brother. I would not remain quiet on the issue. Could not - especially since my brother had taunted me, "If your IL's had done what I did, you would never have gotten upset." Bull crap, I'd said then. Bull effin' shit, I said tonight.

But, before I knew it, Punkinhead was retaliating more, and I intervened, swooping him off to time out. Punkinhead was noncooperative little snit while I tried to talk about how both had been wrong but he still needed to think about what he had done that was wrong.

It didn't help that I had the worst gas ever, and Punkinhead would refuse to talk to me on the grounds that I was too stanky. It was hard to keep a straight face at that, too, which only made it worse.

By the time Punkinhead had been thoroughly lectured by me (during which time, he got soap in his mouth for telling me no repeatedly, and a swat for repeatedly trying to run away - both despite abundant warnings) Charlie Brown and FIL had gone to a store.

Which gave me time to think. And fret. You see, FIL is also a defensive sort. Nothing is ever his fault. How would this go over? Would I be the Grinch who stole the Meyer Christmas?

I was still thinking on it when they got back.

It was when Punkinhead got a little attitude again and FIL said, "Punkinhead, you keep doing that and I'm gonna wop you."

I said, "You will not, with me sitting right here. And, because you just said that, we DO need to go have a chat, because I need to talk with you about tonight."

MIL warned, "Not in front of the kids." Which I understand, but give me a bit of credit, please?

We went into the back room. Mentally, I did The Wistful. I calmly stated my stance, framing it with the context of my earlier problem with my brother, and basically said that I have no problem with reasonable discipline, but threats in front of me, before I have had a chance to address the issue does not work, nor does taking matters into his own hands, especially when it is anger, rather than true teaching discipline.

He was cool. He apologized. He did try to rationalize a little bit - and soften some of his history (he RARELY spanked Charlie Brown? I have been a part of this family for 12 years - I know better than that) but really? Truly?

That was easy.

I have a new move for the button - The Legitimately Easy.

Thank God for Christmas miracles.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

Here are your props, to be shared with the blogosphere:

You have been such a blessing to me this month. In a season where many couples get cranky and petty with each other, you have steadied me and kept my head above water. You have added color and humor to my world in times of constant and busy blurs.

Specifically....

At my work division's Christmas party (a lovely night of dinner theatre with the highly entertaining and visually pleasing Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) when they did the popularity contest, (i.e., the top three employees of the year for the division, one of whom was totally a queen bee) and my name was not listed, you loudly (well, loudly to those within earshot) proclaimed,

"That's ok, I will make her her own plaque, and it will say,

"My girl not only did a kick ass job as a full-time City employee, coordinating three, count 'em, three, monumental and interdepartmental efforts through which the City has come out as the good guy, helping the homeless; but she also went to graduate school.

Full time.

And took care of me and our kids.

She's Superwoman, ya'll."

Awwww.......Isn't that the sweetest?

And then, after my stint of sweating blood for a paper, I worried about it being the best that it could be, and you said, without batting an eye:

"Honey, you were a part of it and that alone will mean that it will be impeccable."

Now, Charlie Brown, I am in no way accusing you of being a caveman, but impeccable is not in your everyday vocab - I have only heard you use the term in the context of superior hot rods, and to know that you put your confidence in me at that rank, well, it was very comforting.

Finally, the other night when we arrived at your parents' house, your mom said,

"Heather, I still haven't gotten that picture from you that we took at Thanksgiving. You said you would e-mail it to me."

And before I could answer, you jumped in as my white knight, "Mom, after the month she's had, I'm just glad she is still alive. She's been through an amazingly stressful time with school and work, let alone all of the holiday stuff. We didn't even do Christmas cards. You'll get the picture, ok?"

And my heart just melted.

You get me.

You love me.

You admire me.

And I just hope you know that this kind of reassuring solidarity is why I get you, love you, and admire you, because truth be told, I don't know if I would have been so patient with me if I had been you.

'Tis a Sad, Sad Day for the Overachiever in Me

I went to the school's online site for final grades for, oh, probably the zillionth time this week, even though, technically, grades were not due from professors until yesterday.

And behold! The gods of Impatience and Anxiety heard my pleas - Grades were posted!

Policy and the Public Process.........................B+ = 9.90 GPA points
Updated: Apparently we do not round up in graduate school grading...I got an 89.8%, and a 90% is an A-. 0.2%age points!!! Ok, I'm over it.

Managing Conflict and Change.........................B+ = 9.90 GPA points

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bringing my once illustrious 3.9 cumulative GPA down to a mere 3.66.

So, if a B is not for bad, does it hold that a B+ is not for SuperBad?

Truly, I kid. Truly!

Seriously ya'll, I know that I am skimming political treatises with expert eyes, serving the public with rarely found diplomacy and compassion, meeting special needs and just "normal" ones of my family, and more.

:cue the trumpets: I am SUPERWOMAN.

The fact that I'm doing all of it is huge in itself - why diminish it with lofty expectations (read: and thus the unsurprising failure to reach) of perfection?

Not to mention that I dealt with extended sickness, craziness at work, and one whack-job of a partner on a final project this semester - and I am feeling A-OK with my B +s.

Seems as if the real life slightly outweighs the academic life.

And, while I may have made B+s on my grades, I got "Exceeds Expectations" on 3 out of 4 categories on my performance eval at work - translating to a 4% raise!

The Christmas V. Holiday Debate

I received this great e-mail the other day. It’s timely, given all of the hullabaloo about the Reason for the Season, Keeping the Christ in Christmas, etc. Obviously, some man or woman wrote this – but I believe s/he was Divinely Inspired as this was written.

Please note, that the whole timing of Christ’s birth thing is not reason enough for me to just not celebrate, but it does kind of put things in perspective, eh? I also agree that we shouldn’t have to de-personalize the holidays with those to whom we are close. My Jewish friends received “Happy Hanukkah” greetings from me, as opposed to the blanket, “Happy Holidays,” msg. I celebrate Christmas, as do a lot of other people, Christians and otherwise – and c’mon, let’s call a spade a spade, right? But, I do see where in business practices, it would be exclusive and possibly offensive to single out a particular celebration over the other – and can see where Happy Holidays suffices - Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah are all culturally holy days – from which we get the word holiday. Not to mention that New Year’s Day is a recognized secular holiday, and it often gets lumped in too.

Anyway, without further ado -

Letter From Jesus Christ, concerning His birthday celebration:

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year, and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival. Just sayin’, although I do appreciate being remembered… Anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. Or whether it is celebrated on December 25th or July 25th. And remember, while a birthday is nice for us all, if the rest of the year does not communicate love and devotion to the person you're celebrating, the birthday becomes little more than a farce.

If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. I know, I know, you are all going to say, “But, but, but, that is such a tall order – how are we ever going to do that?” Simple. Allow Me to help you.

Now, having said that let Me continue:

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of the Santa's and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you & what each of our tasks is. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her. Again, I will help if you are stuck on this one.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile. It could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Suicide Prevention Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me & they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. And we all know that talk is cheap. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Just love Me & do what I have told you to do.

I'll take care of all the rest.

Trust me,I'll help you.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love, and remember,

I LOVE YOU!
Jesus

Been Caught Stealin'

Sunday night, we had a Christmas party at our house.


One of our guests made these lusciously delicious pumpkiny cream cheesy rolls of heaven. At first bite, Charlie Brown moaned with ecstasy, "Ohh these are phenomenal!"

And oh, how they were, but I digress...

************

Yesterday, after the fevers broke, LMNOB was playing princess or some other such make-believe. When I heard her say, "Oh, that is simply phenomenal!" in her breathy, pseudo-accented voice that she adopts while getting her role-play on, I chuckled, and said, "Do you even know what phenomenal means, honey?"

Pause.....

Little bitty LMNOB voice, "Well....no..."

It pleased me to hear LMNOB experimenting with language, to know that she is pilfering vernacular from her surroundings only to take a stab at the context in her play activities.

"Do you wanna know what it means?" I asked, coaxing her with a smile.

Her eyes lit up - and her head bobbed vehemently.

"It means something is unbelievable, great, fantastic. INCREDIBLE," I added, with emphasis. "So, know what this means then?"

Shrugs.

"You were using it in the right way!"

And that, my friends, is the most appropriate case for thievery I've seen in a long time.

Sick days...

Kids had fevers, sniffles, and sore throats today.

I was tired.

So we are home today.

Ahhh rest....maybe the weary will find it at last, eh?