A smattering of this, a smattering of that.

We (meaning the collective whole working society of associates at my company) have worked in our current building since construction was complete in May of 2001. I think I’ve mentioned before the delightful and technologically advanced Remcor Ice Dispensing/Water Systems located in our vending areas. Today is a happy day. And here’s why: It has taken me since May of 2001 to perfect the technique of obtaining EXACTLY the smattering of ice I want in my glass. You see – you have to flip the switches for ice and water (on or off – it’s very complex,) then push the button (which they’ve now covered with a handy little plastic cover – to ward off… I haven’t a clue) to dispense aforementioned ice and/or water. I need an exactly perfect ratio of ice to water – or my whole day is shot right down the shitter. I’ve finally figured out that it takes just the right technique and gentle push – and immediate release of the button with BOTH the ice switch and water switch in the on position to get just a smidgeon of ice. THEN you turn off the ice button and continue filling up the glass with water. All these years, I was wasting precious time ineffectually dispensing the ice only – then flipping the ice button off, and the water button on. It was not a mutually healthy relationship. I was always slightly frustrated and disappointed with the high volume of ice dispensed in my glass with a mere one push of the button. And the machine was frustrated with… well, nothing. It’s a machine. And I could never just pour out a little bit of crushy ice, and leave the right amount remaining in my glass. I’m sure you all know the temperamental attitude of ice. Once you start tipping the glass – you just never know what’s going to happen. Is it all going to come plummeting into your nose (or sink, as the case may be) or is it going to be stubborn and stay put at the bottom of the glass? Oh – it’s a guessing game, to be sure. Perhaps you question the importance of my obsession. But have you ever tried to drink water through a straw that is just too darn cold, or not nearly cold enough? Not enjoyable at all, thank you very much. I can only hope that the Greendale Home for the Insanely Obsessive-Compulsive has the same ice dispensing systems.

And, in other news… well, there really is no other news. Patrick left before dinner last night for “softball practice” or some other such excuse for a bunch of friends/husbands/fathers to get together and gossip. Sounds suspiciously like “book club” to me – without the snacks. So it was just me and the girls, and our tuna melt sandwiches. At some point, Josie looked out the window and across the street, and saw our neighbor out with her little boy, cleaning up their yard. She insisted that we needed to go say “hi.” So after we finished and I cleaned up the kitchen, we put on shoes… and DID NOT PUT ON COATS THANK YOU VERY MUCH! and headed out the front door. We introduced ourselves to our neighbors whom we’ve seen for the past however many years, but had not officially met. It was nice. And I mention all this mainly for the reason that it was groundbreaking to see Josie immediately start playing and talking to this little boy, who will be turning 3 this summer. They even took off together into the backyard to play in their sandbox – without asking first, but that’s beside the point. I was delighted since Jo usually has herself firmly attached to my leg when we first meet anyone… even family members and friends she sees all the time. And it was refreshing to meet another family choosing to live in our neighborhood – which didn’t own a pit bull, or have a booming subwoofer in their trunk, or live in their house with 5 other families.

Josie has started to keep track of Mommy and Daddy’s comings and goings. She always tells us “good luck” as we leave the house, and if one of us isn’t home when they go to bed, she asks if we “had fun with our friends” when she gets up in the morning. The other night Pat was leaving to go to a bar with friends to watch the Wild for one of the playoff games that wasn’t televised on a local channel. Side note – this is the time of year when it is especially painful for him to not have cable. Anyway – he was preparing to leave, and Jo asked me where he was going. Upon hearing the answer, she stomped her foot, raised her hands up in frustration, and said, “AGAIN??!"

I can’t recall if I’ve talked about Henry from daycare – and Eve’s little crush. She’s not quite as infatuated as she used to be – she would ask all weekend long for “Enry,” and would stare longingly at a picture on our fridge of all the daycare kids together. I asked Daycare Betty about the two of them – only to hear that Henry wasn’t always all that nice to Evie. And I’m sure that she isn’t always all that nice to him, either – but Betty was too nice to say so. But she loves him anyway – and now, he has a little brother, Baby Joe, who has started coming to daycare, too. This development has been the highlight of Josie’s week – as she is especially deeply embedded in her baby fascination right now. Betty says she hardly lets that baby leave her sight from the time he’s dropped off in the morning until they leave. She couldn’t wait to tell us that “Henry had a baby!” and show us Baby Joe when we picked her up Monday night, and asks Betty each morning if Henry and “his baby” will be coming today.

We’ve started taking the girls to some community education swimming lessons on Saturday mornings. Or, as I like to call them - Bounce-Around-In-Frigid-Water-and-Watch-Your-Fingers-Fall-Off lessons. Let me tell you, the water is cold. And this is the first time we’ve had Eve in any lessons, or in a pool, as a matter of fact. Needless to say, she was not amused. First, you sit on the edge of the pool with the kids, and splash water on their legs and arms to get them used to it. Eve was shocked and dismayed that we would do such a thing to her, and repeatedly yelled out, “NO – STOP! STOP!” And it didn’t really get much better once we were actually in the water with them – Eve told us a couple of times that she was “all done” – until they finally brought out some bribes, or toys, and she got a ball to play with. Then she warmed up a bit to this water nonsense. Hopefully this week will be a little easier since she’ll know what’s in store when we see the pool. Jo, on the other hand, loves every minute of it, and doesn’t want to wait for class to start to get in, and definitely doesn’t want to get out. And, look at me, I’m actually getting in a swimsuit, in front of strangers. I’m definitely not going to be gracing the cover of any magazines any time soon, but it’s not nearly quite as scary as it used to be.