Finally replaced a dead pc at home & figured out the secret install method for XP. The kids were clamoring to use the computer all week while I tinkered with it. Now, they’re upstairs fighting–I mean playing–and all is quiet. I can go back to time-sucking weblog browsing and finally catch up on the Valerie Plame affair.

No complaints here.

Saturday. The mail table was supporting a 10″ high stack of mostly junk. Pajamas and sweaters were draped over furniture in every room. Katie, like some comic strip character whose name I’ve forgotten, considers the floor to be the largest storage shelf in the house, so there were also sweaters, sweatpants, scarves, wands, dolls and doll clothing all over the floors. A shoe was in each corner of each room. At least one of the shoes in each room did not have its mate in the same room. Fruit flies were in the kitchen. Small yellow plastic balls belonging to nothing were rolling around in the foyer. Money was lost. Baths were forgotten. Pyres of orange construction paper occurred on the coffee table. There was some good news: The Vaseline jar lid made itself visible again, after hiding for a week.

This was the result of the kids’ new schedule of gymnastics and tae kwan do, and a week of hard eight to nine hour days of working on my feet (takes it out of you if you’re used to sitting at a desk all day), plus only one night of take-out. But I really don’t complain. Seems like I know too many people who are sick or broke, or both. A little mess in the house–I’m glad it’s things falling apart, and not me.

Also last week.

Watched several episodes of The Blues. The Wim Wenders’ film was the best.

Received no unexpected bills or other bad news.

Helped Evan with a pretty good essay for school (Chuck Yeager).

Exercised 0 times. (But worked really hard, I swear.)

Averaged 1.5 drinks per day.

Brought in all my houseplants from the porch and the flowerbed before the frost on Wednesday.