It rained most of the day, and there was a lovely wind making windchime music for us. Sophie loves to get out in the puddles. The first time she snuck out the back door with mismatched boots and no coat. I’m not sure why she was pouting in the second photo. I took her with me today to return some library materials (from the library where we don’t owe anything) and get new stuff. We got a few books on tape for the boys’ bedtime; Jim Weiss reading Treasure Island, How to Eat Fried Worms, and the first Little House book — The Big Woods. I did some content editing when reading the Little House books aloud, so we’ll have to have some discussions about some of the attitudes, which is a positive thing. Sophie got a few videos and a Spot board book for Willow. We didn’t get any books because the kids got dozens for Christmas. We are currently reading this book, which is lovely and charming so far.
Most of the Christmas stuff has found a home. Well, not the boys’ things, but that is because their room is a disaster. Tomorrow I plan to take them to a matinee of the new Limmonie Snickkket movie (while the girls hang out with Papa) and then help them get organized. More things will simply have to go either to storage or donation. I want to weed out their closets, too, now that they have some new things from Christmas.
I got to spend part of today geeking out with the building sets. I made Hagrid’s Hut out of Lllleggoes. I. love. doing. that. Especially the Plaiemobille sets. I also like to untangle Christmas tree lights and necklaces. I equally love putting things together, like, say, tables and chairs that come in boxes all apart. I’m not opposed to taking apart and cleaning the vacuum, either. But, I hate doing some things that you’d think I’d like, such as refinishing furniture or painting houses. What am I rambling about?!
Tonight I cooked! I made bean soup and something really fantastic called onion pan bread. It’s like a giant biscut, and before you pour the batter into the pan ( I cooked it in a skillet) you put butter, brown sugar and sauteed onions on the bottom of the pan. I will make that again very soon.
Christmas was very nice. We got to see lots of family which is mostly a good thing. I’m still steaming over having to hold my tounge about some stuff on Christmas Eve, but I need to let that go. We hung out with John’s parents and brother on Christmas day. The kids got tons of really nice things. And I got this book, among others, which I am eager to check out.
The tragedy in Asia is beyond my comphrension. I’ve been reading about it today, but those numbers are unreal. I often feel so odd going about my life when things like that are happening, but these are so many things and we hear about so many of them, that it would be easy to get overwhelmed and paralyzed by the horribleness of it all. On the other hand, we can’t shut things out, because then no one would help one another or strive for change. How to balance it? I was glad to hear on the radio that the US has already sent people and money to help. But still, I felt almost a kind of guilt while I ate my supper and all these people were going through this and all those many other things happening.