I'm here...

...Reputedly the coldest capital city in the world, in comparison with which Moscow is merely chilly, it is preparing at the end of the year for its annual ferocious assault on the endurance, good nature, and ingenuity of its inhabitants..."

(Robertson Davies may have been talking about Ottawa, but not too hard to substitute "Minneapolis" these days.)

Apologies for the absence. My soul went into hibernation a few weeks ago and I haven't seen her since. I'm doing everything "right" - good eating, decent sleeping, lots of exercise, as much fresh air/sunshine as I can. But it's basically like PMS - it helps to know the cause and to be kind to yourself while you wait it out, but ultimately you just need to wait until spring.

Still, I can manage a quick roundup:

- Christmas was good. Short, but sweet.

- School is school. Although tonight's waterworks reminded me that it's been awhile since we've enforced homework properly.

- The Boy (to the shock of us all) has turned into a reader. He sets his alarm for 5:30 am so he can read for an hour and a half before he has to get up. He has smashed through The Magic Treehouse series and is deep into anything remotely mythological. Know any other eight-year-olds who roll their eyes at the randiness of Jupiter? Or who say "reading is like video games. Except way better."

- He is also in chess club now. Loves it. Beats me half the time.

- The Girl fell in love with Judy Garland the other day when we watched Meet Me in St. Louis. Yep, she's mine.

- The Husband is almost done his crazy workout program. Ask him to show you his ripped-ness. He likes that.

- I am doing a modified version of the crazy workout program (and by "modified" I mean "I fast forward through anything I don't like. Plus any bonus rounds. Plus all the hard stuff." So don't ask me about my ripped-ness anytime soon). The goal is to burn off the malaise. It is not working, but my pants fit a bit better, so baby steps.

- The big news this week is that The Boy turned eight. When spring comes and my brain wakes up, I hope to be able to wrap my head around this fact.

Sigh. Have I pulled you down into the Slough of Despair with me yet? Never fear, brave Christian, this shall render ye free:

(The Boy's birthday party was to take his BFF to a Wild game. Good times indeed.)

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