If you can imagine clearing a cluttered first floor for the purposes of welcoming a gaggle of artisans into your house to peddle their wares on a chilly Sunday, then you can imagine our weekend to date. It’s been a sprint of de-clutter. I’ve gotten the contents of my workplace—which is the kitchen counter—packed into boxes.

The dear husband and I have pondered whether there is too much stuff here. Or perhaps, there are too many kids. We realize the answer could be both, depending upon your perspective.

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Friday evening, the third grader and I went to the big box craft store in order to purchase yarn for his class and for his home use. He is a knitter, now.

We also purchased snacks nearby for our guests: picture nuts, popcorn that’s been popped and a little bit of chocolate (because chocolate fuels buying it’s a known fact). I enjoyed drinking in my happy third grader out at night puzzling the fact that you can be in a parking lot for big box stores and smell manure from the nearby cows. Chalk that up as another reason I’m glad I’m here, even if it’s not the most pleasant smell. It’s a bit of counterbalance.

Go, manure?

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Speaking of animals, the third grader’s birthday present arrived at last. Meet Pip. Squeak was a little shy for a first afternoon photo.

I had a whole lot I wanted to link to, but I must finish cleaning so my thoughts about the whole Plan B brouhaha, how badly I’d feel if I were a journalist covering the Republican race, and such like that will be tabled for another day. If you read the post before this one and comment, you could win a copy of Sensational Journeys, an anthology about Sensory Processing Disorder (and parenting).

If you just want to end this little reading adventure with a smile, then click to read my interview with Kelsey Flynn and Hilary Price, two funny women, who are also playwrights. Locals move quickly and get tickets to their play entitled Santacide.