Monday, September 19, 2011


Fall starts this week according to the calendar (and based on the earth's rotation and position of the sun, etc) on Friday the 23rd.  I could tell even if I didn't have a calendar in front of me.  It was 49 degrees this morning (9 C) and I needed a jacket to go to work.  The sun is definitely lower in the sky and the nights are cool enough to need a blanket.

It's also Elanor's birthday tomorrow.  She'll be 28.  I remember the day so well.  I sent Pk off to work in the morning at 7, like always.  We were living in southern Maryland at the time, miles away from everything. 

I called him an hour later and told him I was in labor (it was a few days overdue) and he came right home.   Fourteen hours later, (after countless games of UNO during which Pk took total advantage of me and cheated) they pulled Elanor from my body, all 8 pounds 9 1/2 ounces of her, with forceps.  The doctor was tired of waiting.  She had good strong lungs (I could hear her all the way down the hall) and was the largest baby in the place at the time. 

She was strong and determined and let us know when she was happy and when she wasn't.  Curiously, she seemed happier undressed and Pk could always tell what kind of day we'd had by the amount of clothing she was wearing at the end of the day. 

She continues to be bright and funny and adorable.  And looks so much like her father that it looks like he was cloned and I had very little to do with her creation. 

Happiest of Happy Birthdays, Elanor!  You are still one of the lights of our lives.

I am fighting off a sinus infection and spent the weekend sleeping.  Literally.  All weekend.  I got up Saturday morning, took a shower, put a load of clothes in the washer and then fell asleep in the chair until close to 4.  At that point, I put some dinner on the stove, ate, and went to sleep.  Sunday was a repeat with just a bit less sleep.  Today, I'm hoping to stay awake until lunch time.  If I'm struggling, I'll go home early.  Monday is my busiest day so I'm going to try to stay and finish out the day but we'll see.

 I got a summons for federal jury duty in October.  5 week trial if I'm chosen.  Mon-Thurs.  I am hoping I won't be chosen but that's out of my hands.  I've sat on a murder trial before and I can tell you, they are not nearly as exciting as television would lead you to believe.  And I'm not sure I can bring anything to do.  I'm going to bring an old pair of bamboo needles and a small skein of yarn.  That way if they confiscate it, I won't miss it.

Time to go find my charts and check the messages and generally start the day.  What I'd really like is to take a nap......

10 comments:

amy said...

You might be able to check ahead on the needles. I've heard varying things so it might be different according to the courtroom?

My firstborn is also a clone of his father. People see pictures of him and ask my husband, So, did they extract his DNA straight from you or did Amy actually give birth to him? :) Happy birth day to you both!

roxie said...

When I had jury duty, they wouldn't let me knit, and they made me take the Swiss Army Knife off my key ring. They did have lots of jigsaw puzzles, though, and I got through a bunch of books. When actually involved in court cases, I doodled assiduously.

Amy Lane said...

Oh, she's beautiful! And there's a little bit of her lovely mother in her--just look at that smile.

My last jury let me knit! Thank goddess!

Louiz said...

Happy Birthday to Eleanor!

We can tell it's fall here too. Good luck with the jury duty thing. I've done it twice here, and it's either stuff you can't talk about, or deadly dull!

Saren Johnson said...

Happy birthday Eleanor!!

Our court house won't allow knitting needles in the building. They do however, have a 10 pound granite name plaquard sitting at the table with the defendant. Yea, that's safe.

DrK said...

oh gah. 5 weeks of legal babble and no knitting. lets hope it doesnt happen. and i hope your sinus infection has cleared up by now. huge happy birthday to the PK clone, its so nice to read your loving posts about your daughters.

Rose Red said...

I was going to comment on the resemblance but you got there before me! Happy birthday to Elanor, how lucky she is to have a mum like you! My little person is quite the clone of his father too. Although DrK tells me he is starting to look a little more like me now. I remain unconvinced!

Hope you (a) can knit and (b) aren't chosen.

Bells said...

gosh they do look alike don't they! A beautiful photo together! Happy birthday Eleanor!

Galad said...

Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter and hope you feel better soon!

Olivia said...

Happy birthday to Eleanor!!

I think I did get my knitting in with me when I had jury duty. I was selected for a jury right away, and from then I was only comfortable knitting during lunch breaks - not in court and not while we were deliberating. But like anything else, it depends on so many factors. Jury duty is a pain but also such a serious responsibility - it made me quite anxious really.

I hope you're feeling better soon. Clearly if you keep falling asleep, your body needs the rest!

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