It's ten to two in the afternoon, I'm sitting on my sunporch, with the sun pouring through the southern windows, filling the room with light and heat.  It's twelve degrees outside but about eighty here on the porch.  So I brought the laptop out and I've been reading while eating my lunch.  I sit out here most mornings to drink my coffee and do the puzzles in the newspaper.  I would like nothing more than to stay here basking in the sunshine til dark but I know I won't because there's just too much to do.  The house hasn't been dusted or vacuumed in weeks, I have a pile of orders upstairs screaming at me to get to work, both the books I'm reading are frowning accusingly at me...Shut up!  I'll read you later!  Dumb books.

But man, does it feel good sitting here.

Part of the problem is that I stayed up way too late last night.  I bought The Departed yesterday and Jay decided he wanted to watch it at 10:30 last night, so I watched it too.  We got to bed after 1:00.  Jay didn't like the movie.  He enjoyed it up until Jack died.  After that, he thought it went on too long and he hated that everyone he liked died.

Know this: Jay's favorite movies are Stripes, Meet the Parents and Ten Things I hate About You.  He's not exactly a film buff.  What Jay really likes is sitting in the dark eating popcorn and Jack Nicholson.  Once Jack dies, you've lost Jay.  So I have a thick, sluggish, only-got-six-hours-of-sleep-last-night head. 

I should go to work but I can't believe I'll produce anything good feeling like this.

So I guess I'll clean the house.  If I ever get up.

I haven't wasted all my time today; Katie emailed me a short story she's working on for her Children's lit class.  She uses me as one of her editors whenever she's not 100% sure of what she's doing.  This one was aimed at ten year olds, so she wanted Josie's input too.  We (Josie and I) both liked it alot.  Josie hasn't read the finished piece yet, which I got this morning, but she will.  My sister Katie is also working on a piece that she wanted input on and I did point out one bit where she comes across in a manner which she didn't intend.  I'm sure she's changed it already, but see;  Not a complete waste of time.

I'm self employed, I can waste time if I want to.

I just can't afford to.

Last week was hectic.  Zack needs more supervision than he'd been getting so I've really had to bring the boot down on his neck.  I can't take his word for it that he's gotten his homework done, he has to show it to me now.  And all his fun has been curtailed; no tv, ipod, radio, computer, text messaging, going out, having friends over, or recreational reading until all home work is done, shown to me, and then I've been making him do house work.  He had to scrub his shower four times until he got it right.  I had him clean the basement and the bathrooms, he does all kitchen work now and I did make him vacuum the tv room, so I won't have to do that today.  On the way down to the Online registration center on Monday, Zack realized that he has a four day weekend coming up.

"Oh, man!  What am I supposed to do for four days while I'm grounded?" he whined.  "Lately being in school has been fun 'cuz at least it gets me away from you."

That was one of those parental moments when you know you're doing something right.

 

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