I can't sleep any longer. First, Eleanor got into bed with me and my husband. Then, Phoebe got into bed with us. Then, I got up. I put the girls' blankets back on their beds (they had fallen off), and put the girls back in their own beds. Now they have decided to share a bed. Whatever.

I'm supposed to give a lesson on Noah's Ark tomorrow. I'm bored by the idea. I don't know why. I guess that I don't feel much like teaching, right now. I'm pretty sure I'll have between eight and twelve kids, plus an assistant. It will be a time when I definitely have to have a plan. I don't want to make a Noah plan though. I hope that expressing my feelings will free me to think of a plan.

I got to see Mom's new knitting project yesterday, a brown tweed sweater. It has a great texture. On 10-1/2 needles it's very easily identified as a knit. Phoebe finished her new project, a loomed potholder. Eleanor made one too. I thought Eleanor or Phoebe would knit yesterday, but they didn't. I worked on the swatch for Brad's socks. I corrected a measuring error. When I measured my swatch across my knee, it was half an inch too short. Measured on the flat, the swatch was the right length. No more measuring on knees. Now I have cast off for the first sock. I feel at a disadvantage because this will be the first sock made according to Bordhi's two circular needle method. I just need some time to adjust to it.

I feel good

Here is a picture of a three-year project: a scarf, a hat and a pair of mittens for my friend, Katharine. By making one part of the set each year, I was able to give each part as a separate gift. I call it "gift stretching." The mittens don't match the hat and scarf because they were made with different yarn. I had run out of the Lion Brand Homespun by then, so K. and I used this as an excuse to buy something really special for the mittens: purple alpaca with silver threads running through it.

Yesterday, the girls didn't go to school because of a snow day. We only had about an inch and half of snow, but it was enough for an itty-bitty snowman, several snow angels in the driveway, and some time with the snow shovel. Note to self: buy a new snow shovel.

I had meant to embark on a new plan of personal organization with the new year, starting when the girls returned to school. The world did not cooperate. P. got sick, E. got sick, there were appointments and houseguests, and now, snow days. But, happiness: when I tried to start the housekeeping part of my scheme, yesterday, when the girls were home, they helped me. E. swept. P. dusted. E. earned five dollars by washing twenty windows. The girls also helped me shovel the driveway. I emerged from this experience feeling really in love with my family.

I will only mention in passing the movie that the girls watched and the play that P. put on, with the help of E. I do need help around the house, and often, there is no help. Yesterday made me feel like I wasn't so alone. Brad will come home tonight. Yea!

I'm reading Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's *Yarn Harlot* these days. I gave Pearl-McPhee book to my mother for Christmas, and, when she was done reading it, she lent a different book by the same author to me. She says they contain much of the same material. I can't tell, possibly because I've only read one of the books. I say "possibly," because I can't remember if I've read the other one or not. *Yarn Harlot* is a fun series of essays about knitting foibles. One is about leading a beginning knitter astray by beginning a mammoth project with him, then wishing she hadn't. I like this book. It's probably most appropriate for somebody who has knit for awhile.

Saturday, at last

I took E. for her annual check-up with the cardiologist yesterday. E. spent a few days worrying over having to wear a Holter monitor. I don't like it went she continually worries about something, because I think the worrying makes it worse. I knew though, that if I commented on it too much, that would just add to the worrying. In the end, she allowed the monitor to be attached, and has slept just enough tonight to be able to wake up in the morning refreshed, I hope. After 11am, she'll be happy again.

I hope to have the girls write a couple of thank-you notes today. We had to follow an unexpected path this week because P. was sick for a few days. The thank-you notes are now officially late, but that's just how it has to be, this time.

I was just wondering how we would take our exercise today. It's been so cold that I'm reluctant to go out. Now I see that snow is expected in the morning. I can't wait. I love snow.

The latest sculpture fad at our house is the happy machine. E. made two happy machines yesterday and showed P. how make one this morning, as well as making a third machine, herself. The happy machine exists to make somebody happy. The first machine, Happy Machine 1, contains a Happy Zoo, a Happy Wheel, and a Happy Flower (accessible only if you lift the ramp for the Happy Wheel). The machine is contained in a shoe box. The thing I liked about Happy Machine 1 was that it was like a miniature world, and even the inanimate wheel seemed imbued with some cheerful emotion. I asked E. what to do if a person didn't want to be happy. She said that was okay.

I feel a song coming on ...

In "The Sound of Music," Julie Andrews started at the very beginning. I'm starting here, right now. I can't jump in a time machine and return to the moment of my birth so I can live the perfect life. I will live my life now.

My great aunt turned 100 last year. Do I have what it takes to live to be 100 years old? Nobody knows. Optimism must be a part of it.

Perfection gives me something to reach for. Optimism helps me reach out.

Feel lucky. Look around, see the good things in your life. Don't ignore the bad things, but let your perspective also include the good things.