Just call me Gene Autry.

I think I'm just going to yell out
in the middle of each post from now on
I NEED A PRINTER!
So don't be alarmed if this happens.
And the reason?
Well, it's simply because I do indeed need a printer.
It's messing up my life, my schooling, my record keeping,
my attempts to organize and successfully run this
household. It's the single item standing between me
and happiness, I tell you. And I just don't think everyone
realizes how important it is
that we replace my dearly departed printer.

It's Monday. I am dealing with the left overs
from last week's illness. My throat feels like
two pieces of gravel have been super glued to the sides
of it....somewhere deep down in there
....and it's so pleasant.
So very pleasant.
But we got right on the business
of school this morning and everyone was done with
everything but their independent reading by lunch time.
I think it was a good thing to start off giving Big E an
overdose of Math those first couple of weeks.
Now he's down to more normal assignments
and he doesn't seem to take his sweet time
about getting it done.
Or at least he didn't today.

Today has been
one of those days of returning.....
Have you ever had company staying with you
for a while and then after they leave,
it's like that "ahhhhhh (stretch, get comfy),
we have the house back to ourselves."
Today has been that day.
That "back to normal" kind of day.
Last week I didn't get up on time a single day
while the in-laws were here.
For one thing, I was sick and felt terrible.
Second, I couldn't go sit in my spot and drink and read
like I like to do in the morning because my spot is in
the guest room. Whenever we have company
and I can't just go sit in my spot, I always make
mental plans for moving my chair and my lamp up
to my bedroom, but I haven't done it yet.
I like it where it is. The room it is in is part of what
makes it my favorite spot. Maybe I should just
run my guests out of their bedroom for twenty minutes
each morning, first thing. Or tell them that they can
stay in their room if they'll lock themselves
in their bathroom for that time.

I should really write a book on hospitality.

Remind me to tell you about my mother-in-law
getting a black eye while she was here.
And no, a fight did not break out.

I NEED A PRINTER!

Tonight is Sweet T's first ever soccer practice.
He is very excited.
He thought he was going to be on the same team as
his little buddy, but that didn't happen. Oh well.
Big E's soccer practice begins tomorrow night.
I have told you before, but it's still true:
I like soccer.
I know my family is standing behind me
rolling their eyes when I say that. My parents and
brothers were all excited about the start of baseball
season in the spring--and I was the one rolling my eyes.
But I like soccer.
It's a completely different experience.
Newt Gingrich is not involved.

Soccer also means that it's fall.
The days are going to get shorter.
There will be more rain.
And some pumpkins.
A sweater here and there.
And a pot of soup.
All the things I love are converging.
I love it.

One thing I don't love is having to remember
to fix dinner early. We usually eat supper at 6pm
(which my mother-in-law is forever trying to
bump up.....maybe they want to eat early because
they are getting the senior citizens discount...but we
don't want to eat supper while Oprah is on)
but that's when soccer practice will be for both of
the boys. So I'll need to feed them at 5 so they have
time for the food to get to where it's going.
I'm thinking with Lloyd Dobbler down in the dungeon,
we may have bigger meals for lunch and more
lunch-like meals for supper
on these nights.

We're back in the saddle with the fall schedule,
or at least we are getting back in the saddle.
More things coming to add to it.
But life is beginning to feel more normal for me
than it has in a long time.
I like normal.
I like ordinary.
(You should know that.)