Back to work overshare

Aaahhh. Back to work. I have been putting off doing some challenging revisions, so I have not been looking forward to going back to the lab. However, it felt great to take care of all of the loose ends that have been nagging at me. After a day of lab minutia and revisions, I feel much better.
Also, I have almost lost the weight that I gained from all of the delicious food in Baltimore and New York. (The fact that I have a cold and everything tastes like snot is a big help, I would guess.)

Also, every single morning of my vacation at home my shower was disturbed by someone or another coming into the bathroom to drop a deuce. One day I will have two bathrooms! Now that everyone is on weekday schedules, this elimination problem has been eliminated.

Also, we had a light snow last night which gave everything a beautiful dusting of white. Except for the black splotch of ice that was revealed when I slipped and smashed my knee on the way to work. On the way home from work I noticed that there were two more assprints in the same spot, so I guess that I wasn't the only unlucky one.

Alyn, I saw this cartoon and thought of you. Maybe the muttsies aren't just begging for food and attention?

Triple-score!

Yesterday was a lucky day indeed. After two years of searching, I finally found a 15-35 degrees C winter coat that meets my stringent criteria: waterproof, hood, windproof, fit well, non-ugly color, not too expensive. I found a girl's Astoria North Face coat at Dick's on sale. Score!

I also stopped by Target and bought my dream boots! Ever since I found out that I was moving to the midwest, I had an idealized pair of winter boots in mind: wedges, waterproof, grippy treads, lined for cold weather, black, close-fitting but roomy enough to tuck your pants into. And here they are!! Score 2!

As an aside, lately I feel guilty when I go out shopping. So far, Danny and I have felt zero negative effects from the recession. We don't own a house, our investments are diversified, our jobs are so far unaffected and we have no debt. And when I go shopping I get to buy cheap gas and take advantage of all of the economy-stimulating sales. I feel kind of like the Bubba Gump shrimp boat, but maybe with a little economic survivor guilt added in.

When I got home from shopping, I got the best news! All week I have been freaking out about the F.D.A. panel evaluating asthma drugs. I have always had exercise-induced asthma. Until I was put on Advair 5 years ago I had never been able to participate in any aerobic activity. Numerous gym teachers forced me to run until my lungs got hot and raspy and I couldn't breathe. The first time in my entire life that I successfully ran a mile was as an adult grad student.

I have been really enjoying the past five years. I run daily and try whatever sports and sporty-like activities present themselves. However, in the back of my mind I worry that it will all go away: one day I will lose my health insurance or Advair will be pulled from the market and I will gradually slide back into a permanent sedentary state. However, today is not that day. Advair was given a positive recommendation by the F.D.A. panel. (Score 3!)

Weekend hijinks and the 5th

Another action-packed weekend in Normal. Sam and Danny's TaeKwonDo teacher had set up his place for an elaborate Harry Potter party for his daughter and her girlfriends last weekend. This weekend he had people over for a magic-themed party. Joseph was Dumbledore.

Sam was some kind of evil wizard, although he has taken off his robes to challenge Katana to a duel over who can sit in front of the hot fireplace longer.

I was a mathemagician. Here I am inverting someone's matrix.

Danny was the CheeseWizard.

Sunday we went to the pool on campus for Faculty/Staff Family swim. The kids had a great time, although Joseph still can't swim on his own and is resistant to try.



I baked foccacio. (I could swear that I baked two of them. Hmm...)

And of course, every time we go swimming, Joseph gets sick. After we got back from the pool, Joseph's face was bright red and he was acting squirrely. We deduced that he had 5th disease. (See--that giant pile of parenthood preparedness books that I read 10 years ago when I was pregnant with Sam did come in handy!)

Monday, Joseph had no school, but we had to take him to his school with us for a parent-teacher meeting. By the time the red-cheeked "slapped" look starts, the 5th disease virus has run its course and is no longer contagious. But to avoid suspicion at school until we could get a doctor's note, we told Joseph that his red face was an allergic reaction to the Dumbledore beard. When he was asked about his face, Joseph said: "I had a surgery on my face from my Dumbledore beard," which was kind of cute and inexplicable until we explained that he meant "allergy" not "surgery."

Welcome to the booger house

Last week, we had to take the turtle to the vet because she had a runny eye. Apparently it was not an infection, but a winter vitamin A deficiency which is normal in Normal and other cold climates. Yesterday, the dog started having a boogery eye. He has some allergies, so we are keeping "an eye on it," for now. Joseph just got another ear infection, and has been put on antibiotics again. He missed dinner because he fell asleep in my desk chair with his butt in the air. What is going on around here? I'm going to have to buy extra tissues this week.