a rainy wednesday

I was home from work today by lunchtime, and it was looking like another long, boring afternoon for the kids, stuck in the hoooouse...we're cracking uuuup. (I am, anyway. They seem a little batty too.)

The gloom, ugh. So I persuaded James that we should go to the university, to the museum of natural history--you know, something fun, something we haven't done in a while. He was unconvinced, but I prodded him on.

Anyway, it was a great afternoon. We were the only people there, very quiet, lots of time to look and read.

The Touch and See room was staffed by a college senior with freckles and a curly blonde ponytail. She showed the kids all sorts of stuff in the cabinets, skeletons, specimens... She took the snake out so they could pet it, and the turtle, some crazy bugs from South America, the hermit crabs... it was pretty great, and she was friendly and cute.

The building itself is beautiful, built in 1940, something called Art Moderne...dark green stone floors and chrome light fixtures, elegant paneled walls with curved corners. The dioramas are kind of amazing...

okay that one of a badger and a rodent he supposedly killed is a little disturbing








We made it home around suppertime, so now the house has to be straightened up. The beds were never even made today, all the rooms look tousled.

Oh, but this! Tim was doing exercises, working up a sweat, showing us jumping jacks, how he can crab walk, leg lifts. His cheeks were all red. (He needs this rain to stop so he can go outside and RUN.)

Anyway, I demonstrated a little balance exercise on my hands and knees in the kitchen doorway. So far, great. THEN I FELT THIS BIG, WARM SHADOW OVER MY BACK...

...and SMELLED the smell of the SAM....I looked over my shoulder and there was her huge soggy mouth.

I realized she'd come over there specifically to HUMP ON ME!

(I don't think so.)

AAAGGGHGHGGHGHHHHHHH! I yelled like that real loud. She reconsidered the whole idea. Thank God.

But Jay was at the sink, laughing so hard he was bent down with his forehead against his soapy hands on the edge. Yeah, laugh it up, Chuckles. Maria was cracking up, had to dry her eyes with the dishtowel.

Damned crazy dog. That's just so very, very wrong. love, Val

a very bad dog