Monday Update, Grandparent Hangover Edition

The Runner and I are playing through this one.

**Yesterday's sermon began a long series on The End Times.  I detected a distinct Left Behind flavor in what was being taught, and was more than a little distressed at the definitive attitude of the preacher--i.e., "this is the way it's going to be."  I don't mistrust the pastor's character, but I'm pretty sure he needs to study for another 10-20 years before I'll trust him to take on something like that.  It's going to be a long series, both in terms of time and in terms of the patience required to sit through it.  Don't know that I'm going to make it, actually.

**It was a bad sign when he began the sermon with a reference to how "everyone" was in a panic about the Mayan Apocalypse.  I thought, "huh?? maybe a few wackos, but everyone??"

**The first week of the year is kinda strange; the children are in holiday hangover and kinda cooped up because of the cold weather outside.  So, they go crazy all over the house. We try to keep them busy, and they have plenty of new things to occupy their attention, but still.  It will be a relief when, as of 7:00 tomorrow morning, everyone is off to their usual Tuesday locations.

**The Parental Lego Challenge:  allow the children to mangle/destroy/lose all the cool pieces and cool models because, after all, the Lego Building Blocks are theirs, not mine.  Better for them to do it their way.

**The Runner and The Mutt have come to a kind of agreement:  The Runner will run, and The Mutt will run with her, or else she will go absolutely nuts and tear around the house yelping for twenty minutes.  This is what happened on Saturday when The Runner went for a 9-miler with her friend and did NOT take The Mutt.  It was quite a performance. Almost a tantrum, really. She could not understand why she didn't get to go. In related news, she is tearing up the finish on the door leading to the garage. When/if we sell this house, that will have to be replaced.  Sigh.

**I have an entirely new schedule this term with an unusual set of responsibilities, and a couple of big time projects waiting to be completed within a few weeks. I am also revamping one of my core courses.  Timing may not have been the best, but oh well.

**Last night, we began the project of breaking Lefty from his thumb-sucking habit. The dentist advised us that it is time. So The Runner stuck a sock on his right hand and taped it in place. He didn't make a peep about it, but in a sweet moment, Number One Son and Little Red each donned a right hand sock in solidarity.

**This past week, the two older boys watched some important films:  Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, and . . . The Muppet Movie.