Wishing and hoping.

And thinking. And praying.

I ordered a new computer. Soon, Snobby Nanny will be back in business.

Which means you all will have to pay me. Just kidding.

My wonderful day off is a rainy one so I am taking shelter in the warmth of the library. I had no cash in my wallet this morning and the kids were still in the house so I ran out of there without thinking out a plan. I missed the bus and then thought, you know what? I'm walking. It was fun; I do like playing in the rain. But once I got to town and realized that I was going to be wearing my wet clothes for a while some of the fun went out of the situation.

Oh well.

We have entered the Jewish holiday season which has already been riddled with feasts and fasts and random days off from school.

R is enrolled in a public school so she has been out of the house routinely, but J is in a Hebrew school and as a result, he is home with me on all the holidays. Last week halfway through the first morning we spent together my head nearly exploded.

That. Kid. Can. Talk.

We were making Halloween cookies and I believe he asked the same three questions for at least twenty minutes. Then, when I forbade him to ask anymore questions, he employed a new approach. "Why? Why? Why, Kimmy? Why?"

"PLEASE GO INTO THE PLAYROOM, J, RIGHT NOW. PLEASE. GO."

"Why?"

Commence head explosion.

The baby has come down with a cold to rival all other colds. His nose has been running nonstop for a week and his appetite varies from nonexistent at dinner time, to consuming three eggs and a bowl of cereal at breakfast. His naps are pretty consistent though. And in the midst of all the change-of-season complications Baby I has also discovered a new favorite past time. Screwing with the dog.

Poor Willie Nelson was feeling badly enough about himself after he was shaved bald to resemble a frightened little rat, but now he spends his days hiding behind me in the hopes that Baby I will not find him, or more importantly, his tail.

The baby starts each day with breakfast, a huge poo, and then spends three hours terrorizing the dog. Chasing him, pulling his fur, sitting on him (and I guarantee the baby weighs twice what the dog does) and yes, yanking his tail.

As a result my mornings now consist of a good three hours of playing referee. Baby I has been introduced to the yell-and-finger-point, the time-out and the always fear-inspiring turning off of the dance music.

Willie Nelson has developed an even deeper affection for his protector. At night when I sit around watching TV, he used to sit at my feet or on my feet, whichever I required. Now he sits on my lap or if I am lying down, he smushes himself against my side and refuses to be nudged away even an inch. Dogs...

My days off have been vastly snobby and eventful. I have been to PA to visit the Camp Hill homestead and to NJ to visit select few people there. I will have to make that trip again as there are the most people to be seen there (although considerably less since all 25 of the Siebolds left!) and it is by far the cheapest day of travel. I recently visited Baltimore to pretend to be a Hopkins student for a day. Next on the list is Halloween fun in the Lehigh Valley!

Being snobby in the greater Allentown area is going to be a challenge as I don't want to be mugged there ever again, so I will put some serious thought into it and let you know how it goes.

I'll leave you with my personal favorite mugging story.

I closed my store at midnight. I drove the six or seven blocks to the parking lot across the street from my house. I gathered my laundry basket fresh from my mother's house and tossed my purse inside it. I shouldered my bag containing my used pjs and personal items. I locked up the car and crossed the street.

I landed in a bush.

I watched a young (idiot) boy run up the street with my favorite cloth tote and my most comfy sweats. Also my hairbrush, toothbrush and barely used bottle of mousse. Probably some deodorant too.

I went home.

El fin.

Ah...the thought of A-town warms my heart...