In the event that you see this guy, and after noticing that he has amassed a considerable collection of green ink stains pretty much all over his person, you find yourself wondering if his mother was allowing him to eat markers or something, I just want to assure you that yes, that is basically what happened. We do what we must.
We are kind of having a week of it around here, and the result is marginally controlled chaos. Dan started his first rotation of residency, and is working an eighty something hour week. Despite being vaccinated, the dog got kennel cough from a dog park encounter (we assume). Daffodil the guinea pig left us for the great hay trough in the sky. And Mariam was the one to find her. There have been various other small indignities as well, but I suspect it is best not to dwell on them.
Because, as always, there have been some nice things too. I sold the too large couch on Craigslist and no longer have to worry about it languishing in storage while I feel guilty about it. I picked up some inexpensive picture frames at the semi-disposable Swedish furniture store and will finally get my favorite of Mariam's artworks framed and on the wall, which will make this place feel like home for certain. We made it to the town pool three days out of four and I just ate a corndog for breakfast.
It's all about balance, friends.