I really really want to buy a house. I want space to plant a garden. Space for the kids to run around in. Space for me to hide in when the kids are chewing on my last nerves. I want to paint walls and make decisions about floor tile, lighting fixtures, and the color of the switchplates and outlet covers. Remembering the time that Danny and I dated, where I was forbidden to plan the wedding until he proposed, Danny again instituted that wise policy and I've had to put away my landscape blueprints. He pleaded with me to keep my mind on "the now", to appreciate (and take care of) what we do already have, until we are in a financial position to pursue other options. Danny has so much wisdom and patience it nearly kills me sometimes. So I'm trying to be really responsible while the kids are gone at their grandmother's for a few days. I've cleaned the kids bathroom and picked up their bedroom, vacuumed, and organized the books in their bookcase. I cleared the piles that were taking over our dining room table and I scrubbed the table down with a vinegar-water solution to disorient the ants en marche. I fed Toby Cheerios. And I reorganized closet storage, dusted the blinds in my room and the portraits on the walls, folded laundry and washed dishes...without stopping even once to eat any chocolate chip cookies! And then I sat and played Bach's Inventions until I got muscle fatigue.

I'm known to have a bad idea every now and then, and today held such a fortune as I worked to prove to God that I indeed deserve a house (I know that's not the way that works but rational minds don't always choose to be so and I'm never one to be rational if I can help it.) Noemie had a little "accident" during nap time a few weeks ago, the first in many many months. And naturally, it happened in my bed. Which is forgivable. Except that she was sleeping on top of my comforter. As you may remember from an all-too-recent post, washing my comforter is a bit of a complicated matter, and tinkling on it is thus, not as readily forgivable. Not wanting to bother my only friend with a monster-capacity dryer again, I tried to take on the task solo.

I filled up the bathtub about 1/4 of the way with about 1/6 of a cup of something Woolite-ish. I imagine it was 1/6 of a cup, anyway. I was making it up as I went. I went into my bedroom where the pee-peed comforter had been neatly stored (in a heap by the bed) and scooped it up, whiffing cautiously. (It didn't smell like anything but I was kind of hoping to happen upon the offending spot.) I brilliantly chucked the whole thing into the tub and oh so quickly realized the badness of my idea, as the comforter soaked up the entire contents of the tub. It was just a spot, Anais. Why didn't you look for the spot, Anais? Where are you going to dry it, Anais? And when you find such a place, how are you going to carry it there, my dear Anais? A king-sized comforter, filled with 1/4 bathtub's worth of water, is a cumbersome thing, and might possible weigh more than I do. Now God, who forsees all my bad ideas, gave me great grace today. For one, the kids are gone for at least another two days. I have some time to figure this out. A second stroke of blessing- the catwalks of our building were cleaned this morning, the first time this has ever happened since we've been here. Which means that, as I drag my comforter to the balcony to dry it in defiance of condo association regulations, it won't have to get washed a second time from dragging on the dirty floor. I hope. And third, it's a nice day outside so I can keep the door open and make sure that those mischievous kids at the end of the hall don't try to use it for a parachute. (Although, if they break their legs, they wont be able to run up and down the catwalk screaming during nap time anymore...)

I hope this comforter finishes drying soon... I need to go out and buy thread. And canvas. I'm overdue for an art disaster.

Dominic has been a bit of a challenge lately. Defiance is the name of the game and he's not going to win. Noemie has been unusually rambunctious to add to the mix.The day that Dominic and Noemie left with their abuela, I was sooooo needing a break. I think we were all getting a little fed up with each other. They had been gone all of two hours before I was missing them terribly.

P.S. Anticipating the imminent arrival of my first niece!!!