What Have You Been Doing Lately?

Lately when asked what I've been doing lately, I just feel brain dead. Well, I've been hanging with Lyra and making jewelry, I say. Sometimes I just point to Lyra. Seriously, do you want details? Is it interesting to you that Lyra said a sentence the other day, or that she used the potty today? Do you care that I prefer the caster I'm using in New York to the one that I could go visit in person in Boston? That I am not satisfied with the quality of the briolettes I've been seeing while shopping in the jewelers building? That I discovered mouse poop in my box of stuff for coloring resin inlay, and the culprit turned out to be a plastic bag of beet powder? That I lost so much weight the GI doctor did a colonoscopy just to tell me I'm just skinnier? Oh, and can we just get the answer out of the way: No, I still have not made a website for my jewelry.

It seems like what separates my days lately is a series of indignities. I think it must be a sign of some line I've crossed while aging. I mean, of course the parenting days are often about that, but so are my working days. And these are the stories people want to hear. See, you were more interested when I talked about mice in my studio and that I'm the only woman you know who loses weight by accident. Not stories about how cute my kid is, or details about the necklace I made today, despite the fact that that is what I do most of the time. So let's see. What is today's indignity anecdote? Ahh, I know.

This morning I went to the gym to my early morning "boot camp" class, and then went to the Sherman Cafe in Union Square where I read a book and had breakfast. I had a bagel with Nutella and pear slices and some really good tea, and I was so pleased. I was particularly happy because I've been craving Nutella and some conspiracy has kept it from the shelves of Shaws and Whole Foods of late.

Then I went to Central Square as I had an appt. nearby with a relaxation specialist I've been training with. I had some time to kill so I went to Pearl Paint and patiently had a conversation with this messy guy who seemed a little crazy but nice and got some supplies I needed and some more extra fat crayons for Lyra. Then, since I was walking through the food coop to get back to my car anyway, I stopped to see if they had Nutella. They did! I cradled it happily in my arms while walking all around browsing the aisles. A number of people smiled at me oddly. I figured it must have shown how happy I was to have some Nutella. I paid and went to my appointment.

On the way in, I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I had been walking around with the "crazy messy" guy and later with Nutella in my arms while I had an impressively giant smear of Nutella down the side of my face. If I had not spied it then, I would have followed this up with having a conversation about how my colonoscopy went with a big brown smear on my face. (Mmmm, you want some Nutella now, right?)

But of course, I couldn't really answer "What have you been doing lately?" with that, either, could I? Today I went to the gym, did some errands, and worked. Okay?

Oh yeah, and because I don't have coworkers or anything, can I just add: DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT FOSSILIZED SNAKE THEY FOUND???? I've been wanting to say that all day. But that's really all I have to say about it. (DID YOU?!)

Like Hiking

Lyra has a fine imagination so far as pretending things goes, and it's combined with an impish sense of humor for someone who is only 1.5. Today while we were stomping along a path in the snow she fell behind and yelled "NAP!" and lay down in the path.

After several rounds when I realized this was going to be what we did rather than hiking, I realized the best solution.