Friday, Jan. 7, 2005
6:23 p.m.

I am still in my pyjamas. Mom said, when she phoned and woke me at 10 one morning, "Your sisters have to slow down, and you need to get going!"

I stay up late. What can I say. Life o' Reilly.

I am baking oatmeal bread, bean and corn soup to go with it for supper, and a batch of salsa. I'll stay in my pyjamas if I want to — so there.

It's been snowing heavily since last night. Scott drove Everett to the schoolbus this morning but brought Emil home, concerned that the van might not make it all the way back up here by the afternoon. So Emil's had a holiday. The first thing he did was wash dishes; then he headed off to his room to listen to his CDs. This afternoon he spent an hour tearing meat off the chicken carcass so I could simmer it for soup. Exciting day for him.

I swear, some of the snowflakes were the size of small marshmallows.

Surely there is much news I could report, as my hours are full. Let's see: my aunt is here from Phoenix, staying with Mom and Dad. The first night she slept in the second twin bed in Mom's room and they talked till late; Dad apparently got up and closed their bedroom door at 4 a.m. Girls and their slumber parties.

Mom is feeling good enough to sit in the living room much of the day, though she still needs a painkilling shot in the shoulder or upper arm every few hours.

We bought a black forest cake for Dad's birthday and took it over to their place. As you can see (or maybe you can't), he wielded his fork like a pro.