Tidbits

Everyone else is asleep, but if I go to sleep Evan will wake up (I've spent the last hour and a half trying to disprove this), so here I am at my blog. Which would more accurately be named something like "Withering Grass."

Ninety-five percent of my energy and activities the past five weeks have involved Evan, Claire or both, but I do not want this blog to become a "mommy blog." Boooring. So here's a rundown of the other 5 percent or so of my life lately.

My fantasy football team, which kicked off the season with a dismal 0-6 record, is making a legendary comeback. I am on a seven-game winning streak (including shattering Matt's dreams of a legendary season of his own -- an undefeated one). With one week to go in the regular season I am in fourth place and if I win this week I'll make it to the playoffs for the first time. I would oh-so-love to play (and beat) Matt for the tournament championship.

I had a buyer go under contract for a vacant lot last week and he is closing tomorrow, which I think is the fastest closing I've ever had. Getting it all done last week made for a stressful few days, but Matt handled every aspect of it that I didn't have to do myself. And what great timing for a small cash infusion.

The magazine I edit for flew in some of its writers for a writers' meeting today and I got to talk to them about AP style and general writing and usage points. How much did I love discouraging overuse of the exclamation point? And encouraging use of a simple "he said"? So much.

Matt's birthday was Monday. Everyone who asked him what he wanted for his birthday quickly regretted it, because he had an answer: babysitting for both babies so we could have a date night. We got FOUR date nights out of the deal! We cashed in one on Monday night (thank you, Carrie, Jacob and Riley!) and will stagger the others.

I got a 25 percent discount on our newspaper subscription renewal just for asking. I'm sure I could have saved more by letting it expire and then re-signing as a new customer, but I would have had to go without it for a month to count as a new customer. Besides, I love getting a newspaper; reading it online is not the same. Having a subscription used to feel like a luxury, but lately it feels more like supporting a favorite nonprofit. Sad times for newspapers.

I don't know how this is possible, but I discovered Pandora just this week. I had heard of it but never checked it out, I guess. I am hooked. It's like a magical radio.

I hear Claire waking up. I think I'll go join her and Matt for breakfast. Coffee time!