Itemized for future reference, I will get to this when I'm not falling over exhausted (today's activities especially took a lot of energy from me - I think I managed to fool people into thinking I was ok though).

- 2 packages coming in the mail
- Ibrahima
- doctor's appointment (aka guess who still can't go to work?)
- appointment with the school re: K
- Hammer's visit
- Sir T's visit
- K's upcoming trip to the kid's museum by way of train (I know! How exciting is that?)

This has got to be one of the neatest sites I've seen in a while. Talk about a wonderful comprehensive way to teach the kids how to navigate the night skies!!!

Currently making a couple dozen butter tarts. I hope 2 dozen is ok - I figure there will be lots at the bake sale and I'm too tired to put myself out any further - it's been a very long, very stressful few weeks and I can't really put forth any more effort than I already have. Last week was report card week and the parent-teacher meetings left me drained and crying. It's too long to get into here and frankly not something I feel the need to publicly air (shocking, I know). If you are curious then you'll know how to get a hold of me to find out what is going on.

Tomorrow night is a council meeting because yet again they had to reschedule. If it keeps going on Monday nights I'm going to have to quit because it conflicts with my schedule BIG TIME. Sigh.

Ok I need to go do more things. Because I have a zillion on my plate and hopefully want to pare it down to a million by the end of the night.

Um. Yeah. No idea about the subject - just popped in my head. Maybe I am channeling someone driving to Salsolito? Who knows.

First week of school = survived. The kids are back in swing of things, I'm still catching up with filling in all the damn paperwork. Bleh. I hate that part of beginning of school.

I'm still waffling about going back on council this year. Those of you who know me, know why.

Tonight is a surprise party for some friends celebrating 10 yrs of marriage (20 years as a couple). I'm happy for them but not in the mood for it - too much drama in that friendship circle of late (none to do with the couple we are celebrating though) and I just don't want that.

Tomorrow: Pig roast for JG & M. It's supposed to be a laid-back pig roast but I think they are using subterfuge and what this really is, is a divorce party for them.

I helped my brother in law choose a ring for his girlfriend last night. I'm too tired to go into details now but I will. Soon. Whoever is reading this that knows these people - keep it under your hats.

I am tired and sore and we desperately need a new mattress because I'm tired of waking up feeling like a truck ran over me.

Ok off to get coffee and fill in sister in law on the details of yesterday's excursion.

This just in: I have not fallen off the planet. I have just been extremely busy.

Wedding went over well, I was given many compliments no my role as MC so hurrah for that. Got to see some old friends I haven't seen in a long time, and scored some chocolate from Geneva - woo hoo! S got along famously with JD which was both hilarious and a relief. It makes things much nicer when boys get along. They bonded over food of all things, which I suppose is the typical Portuguese route.

Helped my sisinlaw make props and decorations for her workplace - they are having some sort of "stars" promotional event, so we decked the place out like an Academy Awards extravaganza. I had the brilliant idea to get some cheap Ken dolls from the dollar store and paint them gold, and prop them on stands. Voila! Instant Oscar. All of her employees are dressed up in formal wear for the event as well. It looks fantastic and she got a lot of compliments from their district manager, so she's happy happy happy.

School is in session next week - I can't wait to get back into routine. I love autumn, have I ever mentioned this? It's may most favorite of the seasons. October is my favorite month (ergo getting married in October) but in general I love the fall. The air just seems sweeter and full of promise. It is a time of new beginnings in a lot of ways, and to me it is the true mark of the beginning of a year. And school supplies. I cannot get enough of new school supplies. You thought my shoe fetish was bad - it doesn't hold a candle to the absolute need to get new school supplies. And I haven't been in school in a long long time.

Got the kids their back-to-school gear this weekend - phew. There goes all that extra money I was making doing overtime. Oh well, it is money well spent as far as I am concerned. The kids' shoe sizes multiplied over the summer. C is in a ladies' 7!!!! K is a size 4 boys which is ok by me, at least it's still easy to find shoes his size. C on the other hand - it is very hard to find something that isn't either a bajillion dollars, or comes with a six inch heel. Honest to Pete. Can't wait till winter... siiiiigh.

I should really be doing laundry right now but I'm sort of skivving off from it at the moment - there is so damn much to do around this house to set it back in order, and I'm just too tired from not sleeping enough lately. So I keep picking things up and putting them down again, wondering where to start. I realize that is a piss-poor way to make a wuss attempt at cleaning, but today I really don't care, so neener neener.

There was a mothers' get together last week that I missed - judging from the photos I missed a VERY good time. I'm sure the opportunity will come again though.

There's also something about autumn that makes me want to knit more. I have been scouring knitty & magknits to find a new project. I'm thinking about this because it is so fabulously ugly and crazy, how could I possibly not want to? Everyone should have a caution tape scarf, n'est-ce pas? I'm sorely tempted to make these for the kids as well. Who doesn't liken their kids to Thing One & Thing Two now and again?

Ok, I really must be going now. Laundry. Yes. That.

So!

I got my birthday present from S a month early... and I'm not going to complain one bit becauuuuussseee:

IT'S A NOTEBOOK COMPUTER!!!!!!

HOLY EXPLETIVE!

I was just so shocked I sat down and cried. S found this slightly amusing but he was also happy about my reaction- it meant that he got the right thing, haha. I have been wanting one for so damn long, and every time it looked like I'd squirreled away enough money to do so, something would come up like the car needing repairs or the kids needing something or getting massive traffic fines (*cough*) so I always end up putting all those other things before my needs (welcome to Motherhood, right?). As a result, I'd pretty much given up on the idea of ever getting one.

And then I came home on Monday and S was looking stern and said that we needed to go upstairs to talk... right now. This had me worried and confused because I had no idea what was wrong but he looked pretty upset. So we went up into our room and he still had this really stern look and he said "you know how [S's bank] called me about my [credit card] recently?" (they had called on Friday asking him to confirm a purchase, I took the call but they wouldn't tell me anything because I wasn't the card holder. This happens a lot when he orders computer parts online so I thought nothing of it). And then he said "Well, my stuff from [online computer resource] came in..." and I said "Uh-huh. Annnd?" because it wasn't making any sense. Then he said "Well, it wasn't for me..." and then he made me sit down and handed me a big box. I had no idea what it was - I figured a new monitor, at best.

So when I opened the big box and found a smaller box inside, I was flummoxed. I opened up the littler box and out it came... and I just sat there looking at it and I looked at him and he said "I wanted to wait, but I knew there was nowhere I could hide it on you here, and you've been wanting one for so long, I couldn't wait to give it to you..."

I just sat there and looked at it and cried. He went on to say that he knew I always wanted one, so that I could take my writing with me, and he wanted to encourage me to write more. He said that he knew it was one of the things that truly made me happy, and he wanted to encourage that as well. I kept apologising for crying and hugging him and crying some more. Eventually I got myself together but I was so damn overwhelmed and happy I couldn't help myself. He was a pretty good actor - I was convinced something was seriously wrong.

Of course, now that I have it, I am suffering from Block - hello there Irony, been a while. Don't make yourself too comfortable now.

My kids have to be "assessed" by an "occupational therapist" on their "fine motor skills" because their writing is apparently "a concern and illegible at points". Right, because when you are 6 and 9 your penmanship needs to be impeccable. Give me an effing break. S hit the roof when I told him. I gave in though and signed the damn document, hopefully they can get this "assessment" over the summer.

Hammer made an interesting point - the school is losing a lot of their special needs kids this year, so they are probably grasping at straws to keep their funding. But anyone who's met my kids would hardly find them to be falling under the "special needs" category. But whatever.

Also, report cards came in and their grades decreased (not so much for K, but definitely for C - her teacher is a cow, as some so delicately put it. Remind me to insert rant here later).

Ok, time to go do work type stuff I guess.... I find it hard to pull myself away from this thing though...

SHINY TOY HURRAH