The View From Kalamazoo

There is a pretty distinct lack of interesting in my world, but I’m pleased that:

The blogging medievalist roundtable is really coming together well. I still haven’t produced the abstract for a paper I promised to SocMag, however – bad me. I really need to get on that..

Colin is regularly peeing in the potty. Yes, here’s the obligatory Mom post…he’s been going just about every morning for over 2 weeks, now, and has even woken up with a dry pull-up twice. No solid matter, yet, but we haven’t been pushing it – school starts next week, most of the other kids the sitter has had will be gone during the day, and we’re getting the cotton training-undies out and ‘trying’ once the distractions (read: Emma) are out of the way. Yay! He turns 3 in a month, so this is a Good Thing – the move really didn’t help him out any in this regard, as things were SO crazy we weren’t at all pushing. He’s a smart boy, and is inordinately pleased with himself every time he goes. 🙂 I can’t wait til I get to buy those nifty toilet targets!

My hostas are blooming. They look like this, and smell heavenly. Later in the fall I’ll transplant them to the raised bed around the lightning-blasted tree in the front yard. (note to self: must get a tree trimmer to come make an estimate on getting that large, dead branch menacing the car out of the way before winter storms) I’ve been meaning to wander the local nurseries looking for deals (for there are deals to be had, but the selection is, of course, spare and haphazard) but my time has been darn precious. I think I may suck it up and just order from Spring Hill – they have a $25 off a $50 order thing on for another few days, and their 1-cent sales are pretty sweet. I think I’m going for some shade-lovers for that raised bed, and I’ll have to deal with my under-the-pines-in-the-back-yard hygrangea needs another time, as I’m po’. (I wonder if vinca will manage in that acidy soil – or creeping myrtle..that spreads like mad (there’s a barrier already in place between the yard and tree-area, so it can only take over so far) and it’ll really help that bare look it all has now. Hmmm…) I’m terribly attracted to hardy hibiscus and oriental poppies, but must remain focused – shade garden first. Bleeding heart will work in the shade, and I’m leaning toward a snowdrift aster for the edge of the rock-wall (either around the raised bed itself, or along the front of the yard where there’s a short stacked-slate(ish) wall across, next to the sidewalk. I also have a trellis that needs…something – I may just have to get a clematis. Decisions, decisions, decisions.. A lot of things need fall planting, so I do, actually, have to deal with this.

School starts Monday. Let’s hear it for saving on child-care costs! Yay! (and I’ve no more shopping, just some closet-organizing now that I’ve painted the kids’ closet door and put the handle back on. happy!)

Grandma is having surgery Monday. I need negativity break. I suppose that sounds rotten – but I’d like a little vacation from the Reality Distortion Field, ok?

I went to the gym. Granted it was 3 times in 3 weeks, but it’s more than I’ve managed for months. Yes, I should spend more time on myself. *clicks heels* there’s no place like the gym, there’s no place like the gym…