Oops!date

Sorry it's been so long! 

As I mentioned in the last post, we're being super diligent about brushing with Mal. He doesn't love it, but he does like spitting into the sink, so as long as he's game, I just have to be patient with the fact that a one-minute brushing (we have a couple of blinking brushes, so you know you've done it long enough) will take at least twice that, and sometimes more, depending on Mal's level of silliness. 

Within a week, the worst of the cavities was already showing improvement. It had been just a black hole, and by the end of the week, I could see the enamel at the bottom of the hole. So we're going to keep doing what we're doing and watch carefully for signs of progression.

I feel much more confident and less leery than I did when we first canceled the appointment. 

I think this is the only day James is going into the office today. You know that feeling you get before you go on vacation where you look around and think, "If I had to keep with this for another whole week with no break, I'd go crazy?" I think we're both at that point. Really looking forward to down time with my favorites.

Monday, which was Labor Day, was one of those days that I couldn't get anything done because of things that kept popping up in the middle of other things. Like, for instance, Mal wanted me to come play with him in his room, and I told him I'd do it as soon as I finished loading the dishwasher. Well, first, the dishwasher hadn't cleaned the dishes that had been in it so I had to run a short wash with dishwasher cleaner and then start it again with the dishes reloaded. In the middle of that, I got a text from one of Mal's friend's grandmas saying that his mom had found lice and that I might want to check Mal. I stopped the dishwasher stuff and had him sit at the table watching TV so I could check his scalp. He's clean! But in the meantime, he spilled his drink in the seat, and a bunch of it fell in between these two plastic pieces that mean you have to take the whole chair apart if you want to clean it out, which I did... so it was like an hour before I got to finish and go play. That kind of day.

Another thing that had occurred to me was that the very people Labor Day is supposed to honor, which is working people who keep our society running, probably did not get Labor Day off: trash collectors, hospitality workers, fast food employees, etc. Nevertheless, it was nice for James to be home and able to hang out. His knees were bothering him, though, which sucks. I have to tell you: I cannot recommend gout. If you can at all avoid it, do yourself a favor and stay away.

My mom came down yesterday to visit for a while, and after she left, it rained for an hour or so. It ended up being gorgeous out afterwards.

There's a chance of rain every day for the next 10 days, so maybe that'll help with the lake level. And, yes, I know the lake is a reservoir, and not primarily recreational. I still like it better when it's high. I will say, the wildlife is more interesting when it's low.

Speaking of which, I read an article in the paper this morning about pets in a nearby (sort of) neighborhood being bitten by rattlesnakes. Gotta make sure the cats stay inside!

Mal's been going to sleep ridiculously late, but Monday and this morning (NOT yesterday!) he's slept in to make up for it. I feel so much less tired when I've had a few moments to wake up on my own schedule in the mornings. 

Now I'm going to engage in the exciting activity of emptying the dishwasher. Happy Hump Day, internets!