Paris to Pleh...

I believe I learned my lesson with The Sailor... and am NOT going to continue reading this book.
No offense to any of my friends (PinkDot) who have a mad passion for Paris, or even for France, but I cannot get into this book and have no desire to torture myself with reading another collection of words more or less meaningless to me. I will have to lend it to a friend... so at least it gets read... maybe.

In other news:
We celebrated my daughter's first birthday over the past few weeks. Two weeks ago tuesday with my gamey friends. Last Wednesday with my co-workers and my in-laws. Sunday with one of her four Godparents. The funniest bit about Sunday is that it was meant to be small, just not as small as it ended up being.

Due to a death in the family (G.r.h.s.) my in-laws were unable to attend. Due to the overwhelming overwhelmingness of classes, two of her Godparents M.I.A., and due to current nasty weather and a bad roof the last of her Godparents was absent. It was odd... but not entirely unpleasant. What I had thought would be a very stressy day for me ended up being way more relaxed than any other "family" event I have ever planned, and I am strongly considering changing all social events to a "one-at-a-time" program. Sure, it might take me all year to get things out of the way, but what an ideal to live relaxed!

Friday and Saturday were spent among the Amish of Shipshewana, IN. We buy much of our meat there, and some other sundries. It's a good sort of semi-mini-vacation (in spite of the drive) and the bacon is really good. We got some lamb this time too - a personal favorite...

For the rest of this week, well - things are a little out of whack. My husband and daughter were meant to visit my mother-in-law for her birthday on Thursday, but because of the funerals, it doesn't seem that's going to happen. My in-laws will actually be in Tennessee on Thursday, which is a real shame... Birthdays should exempt from painful memories, and I feel for her that not only her birthday, but Mother's Day, as well, is going to be tainted with loss this year.

They came by for a visit last night, so at least they got to spend some time together, and we (meaning at least my husband and I) will be attending the local funeral tomorrow... still haven't discussed whether or not we'll bring our little girl. But with them travelling to TN overnight Wednesday, I'm not sure what their plans for the weekend will be. I hope that she can find some solace in the relatives she has down there, and rest some... but at the same time, I want her to be able to participate in/enjoy (somehow) Mother's day.

Ah - things will unfold.

For now, I'm swamped with work (finding my own solace in hot tea and blathering here) and trying to be supportive for my husband... and - as always - loving my little girl.