To: Everyone. Re: The Birthday Thing.

Okay, look.

I’m not seeking a babysitter. I truly appreciate the flood of offers that have poured in, but that’s not the actual issue. The problem really revolves around scheduling the event.

It’s nice to know there are piles of people willing to spend time with the boy, really, it is. But it’s not the solution. When a solution has been found, there will be a general notice, and everyone can be happy, including me, and Liam, and HRH, and you too, dear reader.

So thank you, and thank you again, and by the way thank you. Now go read a book or go play outside or something.

Life Is Determined To Unhinge Me

Yes, because an unstable hard drive threatening failure is precisely what I need right now.

Blade, if you could stop by tonight, I’d really appreciate it. I’ve done all I can without your expertise. (I’m probably blowing my chances of a third-degree Geek Cord by calling in a friend, but a hard drive is a hard drive, not a card or a peripheral.)

I’m going to go back up while I can. Then I think I’ll go cry, then beat something up.

ETA: Hang on — it’s my back-up drive that’s had the biscuit. It’s not even registering as being on the computer. Still not good, of course, but at least it’s not the end of the world, either. I’m going to back up to CDs, because I don’t trust anything today. Blade, it still wouldn’t hurt for you to come scowl at it.

Gnarr

Here’s the thing.

I have a birthday coming up. My circle of friends usually calls for a group outing, generally to a pub, where we can eat and drink and enjoy everyone’s company for an evening.

Wonder of wonders, I am actually not doing anything on my actual birthday night. Also, what with the new no smoking laws, a trip to the pub would be delightful because I wouldn’t have to strip off the clothes steeped in cigarette smoke and shower to wash my hair as soon as I get home.

The drawback is that either HRH or I stay home, because all of my usual babysitters are out of town that day. I don’t particularly want to go without HRH. Me staying home defeats the purpose of going out for my birthday. (I can be taught.)

On top of all this, I’m in the middle of a rather anti-social phase. This isn’t directly related to my birthday, as has happened in the past, but it does affect it, because going out with a bunch of people to celebrate yourself when you’re in a no-person-near mood? Bad thing.

The obvious solution is to schedule my birthday outing for one week after the actual birthday. However, this still doesn’t guarantee that there will be babysitters, because one set will still be out of town, while I’d like the other set (and pretty much anyone else I’d trust here with Liam) to be with me.

So I’m irritated because I can’t see a good solution that doesn’t entail compromise. Gnarr.

Liam News

New today: “Hi, duck.”

Well, it came out more like “hi, duh”, but it was very definitely a salutation to a bath toy I was using to distract him while I changed his diaper.

More sneaky standing alone when he thinks no one’s watching, and taking a furtive step from one piece of furniture to another without holding on. Sometimes I think that he waits to make sure no one’s directly observing before he does anything like this, just in case it goes wrong and he gets frustrated. It’s like he’s preparing a surprise or something: No watching! Not till I’ve got it right and you can clap for me!

And the new not-so-fun game: dropping toys over the child gates only to realise that he can’t get them back, which conjures up a minor tantrum because they are being Kept Apart, and No One Understands.

Swan Sister Update

Thank you, Liam, for sleeping a full two hours so that I could handle correspondence and news, brainstorm a bit on what I might do with the potential book I’ve been offered, and then spend forty-five minutes writing for myself.

Total word count, Swan Sister: 20,297
Total new words today: 1,605

And the story has just taken an interesting direction. Well, something had to happen before the next plot point. And it’s directly related to the theme and overarching plot of the second part of the book, so it’s all good. More rituals coming up, though. Sigh.

Like Vegetables In The Mail

Today was our first day of the cooperative vegetable basket program, done in conjunction with a local farm. We got lettuce, basil, chives, shallots, peas in the pod, cherry tomatoes, flaxseed, fresh eggs, and cucumber. After dividing it all with the upstairs neighbours, I proceeded to eat over half my share of the fresh peas and all but three of my cherry tomatoes, plus some basil and chives, while we chatted. (Hey, lunch was a very long time ago, and I have no idea when HRH will be home for dinner.)

It was a small basket this week, but so good. Eggs! Without requesting them! And this after a chicken tragedy earlier in the farm’s season courtesy of a fox, so the farm had no idea if they’d be able to provide eggs at all this summer. I hope it’s a steady thing. They had extra, so Scarlet bought a second dozen so we wouldn’t have to split the dozen that came in the basket.

I’m so looking forward to scrambling a fresh egg for Liam’s lunch tomorrow, and making a little omelette for myself.