Home

I have to admit, it is good to be home. I may not agree tomorrow while trying to get the kids up and out to school and then getting myself back to work and dealing with the crise du jour. We arrived around 8:30 PM last night. No major suprises although Chicago was eerily foggy. My cats were a bit suspicious but so far haven't left any odoriferous offerings to protest our recent absence. The phone rang within minutes of our return. One of the kids' friends, sigh. I did have the delightful treat of removing one fish not-swimming belly up in the tank. Otherwise all was well.
I think one of the best parts of being home is sleeping in one's own bed. Mine has just the right combination of pillows and blankets. The sheets are well broken in and after much debate my husband and I have figured out the right combination of firmness/softness of the matress.
I have two pillow cases that I bought in a junk/"antique" store in Lucca, Italy. They are a heavy cotton with a monogram on one and crochet trim on both. My husband doesn't like them so he doesn't try to swipe them from me (he is very particular about his pillows). The cases bring me back to a fun time and make me feel a little Martha Stewart/Country Living to boot.
This morning, my younger cat, Dot, draped herself across me and treated me to a good purr session. She knows exactly when I am awake and considering getting up. This is when she chooses to join me. She is very thoughtful and doesn't generally wake me up but does delay my getting ready in the morning because it is hard to turn down a little cat-therapy. So if we're late getting ready tomorrow morning, blame her.
I noticed a crocus in bloom outside this morning. Also a nice mix of birds--a junco, one white throated sparrow, a cardinal in full song, a clutch of starlings. I think I may have to go get my hands dirty today.



Here is an exerpt from a children's book I used to read to my youngest son. The book is called A House is a House for Me by Mary Ann Hoberman, Illustrated by Betty Fraser.
"A shell is a dwelling for shellfish:
For oysters and lobsters and clams.
Each snail has a shell and each turtle as well
But not any lions or lambs."