Let's not call it goodbye, let's just say "smell ya later"

So I'm back. Sometimes life is too tiring to comment on. The last few weeks have been- well, whatever they've been. It's almost the end of August, therefore almost the end of summer. Yeah, I know the calendar says that the autumnal equinox isn't until September 21st or such, but face it: this is New Hampshire. The fact that it's been cooler this week probably does not mean that fall is just around the corner, but still. Still.

What have we been up to, besides work and school? Hmm. Well, here's a picture the Lou took of me:

And one I took of her:

The shadow is her arm as she tries to grab the camera from me.

Here's Jimmy looking fierce:


"The cheese. You will give it to me, now."

There has been much knitting, but as usual, not much project completion. Knitting is good. It's like Valium I don't need a prescription for. I thought about bringing it to work today, but then I figured the other managers would be jealous that they had nothing to do with their hands during the relentlessly long and dull compliance audit conference call. Can work truly be that boring? Why yes, yes it can.

Next week is orientation, which sounds like it could be fun but is really a hamster wheel of people and files and sometimes tears. It's not a term start unless someone cries in my office. I think it's because I'm so nice to them. No, really. Sometimes when people hear things they don't want to hear from someone who genuinely wants to help, it can be more upsetting than if they hear the same thing from someone who delivers the news with a heaping helping of attitude. After 9 years (yikes) I know the drill and can usually handle situations and people. Usually. (That's my protection from Murphy's Law.)

So what's more fun is this:



I took this tonight after dinner. I see a teenager in that face, and it makes me cry. Sometimes I can see these flashes of how she'll be when she's older, what she'll look like....wow. Such an adventure, and I am just glad to be along for the ride.

Not much else to report. More later this week. Maybe!