Don't Let the Random Hit You On the Way Out

Jonah has been sick. And he is the neediest sick kid around and sure, I love snuggling with him and all, but not so much when he is hacking up his lungs and, as he started to get better and a little more lively, spitting because "spit has germs in it and I am trying to get all of the germs out of me".

Jonah was not well enough this morning to go to school, so John cancelled his morning classes so that I could go to school with Hannah for my weekly volunteering ("They need me there this morning [please, oh please, oh please I need to get away from Jonah]--I promised the violin teacher I'd help her do, uh, something...really important that she needs help with, that only I can, ummmm, do."). Then the power went out at the school before the first bell even rang and they wound up sending everyone home at about 10 am. The violin teacher and I never did get to work on our big project.

Jonah was, however, well enough by this afternoon to get his hair cut. Hannah surprised me by telling me that she wanted her hair "much shorter". All the better, as far as I am concerned. She has this gorgeous, thick hair that she's been growing out for quite a while and all attempts at keeping it fairly tangle-free are met with protest and tears. Besides, the shorter 'do just suits her better--and keeps her looking more like the nearly-six-year-old that she is rather than a short teenager. Well, see for yourselves.
I am enjoying my new camera quite bit. We finally went ahead and got the Nikon D50--I'd been wanting one since they came out. We briefly considered the new and less expensive D40 and then we very nearly spent more than we can really afford on the D80. I've been happy with the quality of the pictures we have gotten from our 2 other digital Nikons (both bottom-of-the-Coolpix-line), but I'm finding myself rather smitten with this new camera. The feel is so much more like our film cameras (which I've barely touched in 3 years, but it's all coming back to me). Taking pictures is more immediate and present, looking through the viewfinder instead of staring at the LCD screen and without the irritating shutter lag. And I love, love, love hearing that mirror click up and down. To me, that's worth the price of admission right there.

I have 2 recent conversations with my kids (genetics and homelessness) to report on--I'll make a point to get to at least one of those before the week is out.