Tidbits

My 9yo was complaining about the kids in his class who said his behind was as big as an elephant's. "What'd you say?" I asked him. "I said they were as heavy as top quarks that had been through a Higgs field." "What'd they say?" I asked. He told me, "They said, 'What?'"

I'll bet they did.

One of my sons (I am not allowed to say which one) has turned into an obsessive knitter. Obsessive as in pleading with me at bedtime -- "can't I just do four more stitches? two more?" (I said no. Because I always stop knitting right away when it's bedtime. Ahem.)

I am almost done with a February baby sweater in beautiful caramel-colored wool. It is not quite caramel, actually; it is the luscious color of a slice of pumpkin bread -- not orange, but with a glow beneath the brown. It is a fabulous redhead color. When I am done I am going to make a February lady sweater for myself in the same wool. This is so baby Stella can wail when she turns 13, "Why did you dress me like a 1970s appliance?" Because I loved you so, my darling.

Today the plumber came to do a minor repair which could end up as a $3500 repair. Eek. Also, LALALALA I'm just going to keep knitting up my pretty wool into matchy-matchy sweaters and not think about four-figure payments to plumbers right now. He is coming back tomorrow in an attempt to do a cheaper fix. Is there a patron saint for plumbers?

I am the first Google result for "R data frame tricks." To the person who arrived here that way, my apologies.

One of my sons just came downstairs to tell me about a creepy thought that was bothering him as he lay in bed trying to sleep. I was planning out my prayer strategy as he was telling me the gory details, and so I was a little surprised to hear that he had a different plan. "So could I have a vial of hydrochloric acid to keep under my pillow?" No, I said. You may not. How about we pray to your guardian angel together?

He was having none of it. "Nitric?"

I am resolved not to post again until I get my revised chapter 2 sent off to my advisor. This should not be hard, but I have been kind of stuck. (I have also been kind of busy. The baby is determined to give the turtle a kiss -- just dead set on it.) I found this lovely prayer today. Maybe it will help. Think of me. :-/