flea | (no subject)

Am in class. Am bad, bad student, only half-listening to my fellow students' reports on federal govt. web sites. Computer-supplied classroom too tempting.

Casper pulled a new one last night - instead of crying when I put her down (she was quite tired) she kicked the mattress for several minutes before falling asleep. It is once again cool, so footie pajamas. This poor kid has no jacket and only a couple of cotton sweaters so I think a weekend sortie for a hooded sweatshirt or a fleece is in order. It's always something, and I have developed a yen for her to have an easel (she can't manage a crayon yet, but maybe could whack a paintbrush onto paper.) Must suggest to Mother for Xmas, as they run $80 or so.

Met with the Looniversity President today. Not as wowed as I thought I might be. Seems a decent fellow, but a typical administrator, which is to say politician. I think we made some progress, though. GLAD to have it over; I get a little break now.

I love the cool fall weather. I have peas and spinach and lettuce growing as if it were april. Must mow lawn, turn compost pile, rake leaves. I hate pin oaks that drop their leaves slowly over four months - it means raking every couple of weeks to keep the lawn (such as it is) from dying.

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Was meeting the prez (and you don't know how hard it is not to call him "the Dick" - not sure if that's a result of too much time with Buffistas, or too much time with undergraduates) related to working mum type benefits stuff? Or just having tea?

Benefits stuff. He seems like he might be interesting to have tea with, but as it was, he was forced by the situation to say things like, "When my child was born, my wife went back to law school in 10 days, and I was a junior faculty member, and there was a tornado..." (He actually said that, about the tornado. I think he was kidding, and if so, very nice dry sense of humor!) Actually, he spent more time saying, in code, "benefits cost money, so don't hold your breath." To which we responded, "But we have rceative ideas that are cheap, if only someone in HR would listen!" I think we made some progress.

I have developed a yen for her to have an easel (she can't manage a crayon yet, but maybe could whack a paintbrush onto paper.)

I take it you saw the article about the four-year old who's sold $40,000 worth of paintings.