FIVE THINGS

Five quick updates on my lunch break:

1. I sometimes have dreams of moving to the city, but I think I'd miss my garden. It's doing well so far this season, and working in it and thinking about it generally makes me happy. Granted, it's not without its stresses... Last night I stayed up late researching why our new magnolia tree has started wilting a little the past couple days. I'm really hoping it just needs more water and doesn't have root problems.

2. We finally bought a claw foot tub for our master bathroom! Every now and then I check the Craigslist postings in my parents' region for items on my wish list, because everything is listed for a small fraction of what it would cost here in Baltimore. Yesterday I saw an old 5' tub in very good condition, listed for $125. I contacted my dad, and he happened to be running an errand two miles from the seller's house. (This was a miraculous coincidence, considering how wide their stomping grounds are way out there in the country.) He inspected the tub, gave it the Dad Seal of Approval -- a very valuable accolade -- and then sealed the deal for us. Now we have to go fetch it from my parents' barn, which is well worth the 2.5 hour drive considering we're saving at least $300 (probably more) on the deal.

3. The Terrible Two's have officially hit. Johnnie is such an awesome kid -- so smart, spunky and well-behaved. That said, she's been getting a little too bold and confident the past couple weeks. Like a tiny teenager, she thinks she knows everything and doesn't like to be corrected for any reason. If she doesn't want to comply with your request, she will disrespectfully decline. We love her determined nature, and I of course think she's destined to be Madame President one day, but first she needs to understand that she isn't the boss quite yet. I feel like the real parenting is just beginning. It's actually kind of fun, once you separate yourself from the initial frustration.

4. Winging it. I'm in the middle of (what I think will be) one of the most important projects of my career to date. I keep telling myself that once it's finished, I'll be less maniacal, more balanced, impeccably organized. Then I realize I've pushed other big things aside to work on this project, and by the time I get to those other things, the deadlines will be pressing down hard and fast. The reality of my work is that I will never be caught up. This isn't a complaint; it's just a circumstance I am somehow still learning to manage. This article rings so true to me. I really am winging it, all the time. And until last week, I only took 5 days off in the past year -- three to celebrate Christmas, and two to clean my house. LAME! Last week I finally took another 4 days off (lest they expire on June 30th per company policy) to go to the beach with my mom, and I still had to take three conference calls and respond to emails. (As a result, my intern just sent me this article.) And I'm just a minion, not a VIP by any means. I think I just need better time management skills, and maybe a daily shot of B-12.

5. A tiny thing. We have a new nephew on the way, and by that I mean sometime today. We can't wait to meet him, and of course neither can his overdue mama who was induced this morning. Johnnie has been running around with stuffed animals tucked under her shirt for months in anticipation, and Ez is ready to bolt out of the office and speed over to the hospital the moment he gets the word. There's something very special about the babies of one's siblings. While they don't belong to you, it feels like they are still wholly yours. I really hope I can concentrate the rest of this afternoon (see #4), but the excitement!