Put down the iPad and walk towards the light


Yesterday I spent the entire afternoon un-decorating and packing up Christmas stuff. I also had to rearrange our living room furniture because I bought a couch on Craigslist. Of course, I had tons of help from my family. Ha ha! Oooh, I kill myself. Seriously, though, there's plenty of enthusiasm for putting up the tree. Taking it down? Not so much.

I hadn't planned to buy a couch. I had been lurking on Craigslist for a few weeks in search of a recliner. We had two in our living room but one of them had some personal problems - one arm was mostly disconnected and was threatening to fly off at any moment. Anyway, I happened to find an ad placed by a woman who was moving to Hawaii. Yesterday I stopped at her house after yoga class and bought the couch she had advertised. I thought it was a good deal for $65 - it has dual recliners and a center console that flips down when needed. Her sister even offered to load it onto a trailer and bring it to my house. Say what you want about the Midwest - we've got some nice people out here, ya'll.

One funny side note .  .  . when I walked into the house to look at the couch, two Boxers rushed towards me. Family members (there to help with packing, I think) quickly ran over to pull them off. I laughed and explained that I have a whole house full of Boxers who jump all over me. The Craigslist lady, as it turns out, teaches English at a local high school. Loves Boxer and teaches English? I think we would have gotten along famously had we met at some other time. Alas, she is headed to Hawaii and now I am sitting on her couch.

Once I got done packing up all the Christmas stuff and moving furniture, I was pretty tired.  However, we had tickets for a local light show, so we pulled on our snow boots and headed out for that.  We made the kid put down her iPad and forced her to spend quality time with her parents. It amazes me how well she navigates that thing even though she's only had it for a few days. She is currently playing Draw Something and a couple other games with her cousins. She and I are playing Words with Friends (I am anticipating a "YOU NEVER LET ME WIN!" meltdown shortly.) My new worry is that strangers might be able to connect with her.  I plan to keep a close eye on the situation, but I worry that technology moves faster than I can absorb it. I make my living off technology so it's not like I'm thoroughly clueless, but kids catch on just a wee bit faster. 

The kid has four days left of her winter break. I should probably force her to crack open a book sometime soon.  If she's not on the iPad, she's making bracelets on the Rainbow Loom. She wore about a dozen bracelets to church this morning. Is there a legal limit on those things?







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