This may be the most cheerful post for days

Tom called his kids together, held up a toy and said that the one who never talked back to mother and did everything she said would be the one to get the toy.
Three small voices answered in unison. "Okay, dad, you can have it."

It's not quite 11:00 a.m. here and I have a sick child heading home. Rebecca was puny this morning but it's party day at school so she went on. She called and will walk back with my friend who picks up her kindergarten child in a few minutes.

I didn't go after her because the brakes decided to pick 10 days before Christmas to act up. I think it's the power booster. It takes putting as much strength as I possess to get them to work. Definitely last straw and car shopping time. It's probably a portent of worse things to come.

I could drive it if I had to but I won't put a child in it.

Elcie is just trying to get through the week. At least we all have until after New Year's to recover.

George Breed, whose name you may notice in the comments, refers to himself as a "geezer". He's from Flagstaff, AZ and if his recent post on his blog is any indication, I don't think he's close to "geezerness" yet. Hi George.

I'll probably be back later in a much more cheerful frame of mind.

Seventeen days of children. Such a blessing. I can hardly contain myself. We have cold, fog, and possible rain. They will be housebound much of the time. Can't we move this holiday season to April or May?