(no subject)

Okay, I was tagged for the 8 things about me meme while I was gone. I'm back, here we go:

1.   I always wanted to learn another language and live in another country. Good thing, huh? I spent a year and a half in Chile and I'm going on my fourth year in Germany.

2.    Favorite smells: jeffrey pines, sun on granite, wisteria, cardamom

3.   Among other pets, I had a pet chicken as a child.

4.   I love to read (duh).

5.   I once saw Nelson Mandela in person. I was walking home from a class in Bonn, and as I came through the market square where the old city hall is, I noticed it was all blocked off with security, and a limo was waiting for someone. Then the doors of the Rathaus opened, and out stepped Mr. Mandela!! He waved to the crowd, and got into his limo and drove off.

6.   I've seen penguins in the wild. (No, not the big emperor ones. These were more the size of geese, and were swimming on the coast of central Chile.)

7.   I've seen alligators in the wild (South Carolina).

8.   I (briefly) took organ lessons in high school. My teacher was not only the organist/choir director at the nearby Catholic church (he played with three paws and conducted with the fourth, I suppose). He was also the manager of the largest funeral home in town. And he used to drive to my lessons in a hearse. Sometimes if there was a funeral, he had to cancel.

I tag anyone who hasn't done it yet!

Forget the Germans, where do 2yo's get energy??

I'm trying to get back into the WIP after several weeks away. It's going slowly. I wonder why? My two-year-old went to bed after 11:30 last night. (She woke up at 7:30 this morning and hasn't had a nap, in case you're wondering.) She's wearing her third outfit today, she's sharpened colored pencils and emptied the sharpener over my bed, she ate all the mini frozen yogurts my older son was freezing for an after-school treat, and sat on me while I was trying to do pilates. (My back hurts from carrying too many heavy things, and I'd really like to do pilates, because the few times I've been allowed to try them, it's really felt good.) Right now she is dancing to Sandra Boynton's Dog Train and begging to change her clothes yet again. Did I mention that she got her brother's school scissors and cut her hair yesterday? You can't tell, which is amazing, considering the amount of hair we found--it seems to be spread, layerlike, throughout the whole top.

We've gotten to the song "I Need a Nap!" Maybe if she won't take one, I will volunteer. Let me sleep!