Nicole feels

One probably shouldn�t undertake digging out a new flower bed approximately 9.5 by 7.5 feet only days before PMS strikes.

The wonder of female hormones and the overall headache-sleepiness-grumpiness-leave-me-alone-ableness that is the wonder of those three seemingly harmless initials does not mix well with the aftershock of a pair of days full of manual labor after said female has sat pristinely in front of a computer screen most days for the past 3 months.

Translation: when can I go back to bed?

I should know my limitations by now. The very fact that most anything anyone says to me in the next few days will be blown out of proportion, stressed over, taken the wrong way, or simply misunderstood should be enough to keep me serenely planted in a recliner, watching mindless daytime TV. But oh, no, what fun would that be, boys and girls?

The evil Nicole has entered the building.

I suppose it doesn�t much help that Rob told me today that the market here is about to close. Translation: the fact that we thought he would be able to intermix weeks working here with time traveling is probably not going to happen. He will likely travel for 1-2 weeks at a time and then be home for a weekend.

That pretty much sucks.

And given my mood, the rhetoric �absence makes the heart grow fonder��? Well, I have a finger I�d really like to show the person who came up with that one.

But, I won't. That wouldn't be very appropriate, now would it?

Just being honest, folks.

I know this is the life for many, including a plethora of military folk. Been there, done that. And I get to talk to him each day, often several times a day.

But since this is my diary, I am going to take a minute to say another resounding:

THIS SUCKS.

Okay, now that I have that out of my system�

Nathan was adorable in a choir concert at school last night. The music teacher has really instilled a love for music in those kids. And today I went to an assembly at Kay�s school where she received a certificate for maintaining honor roll for the whole school year. I guess that failing math grade of mid-term time will be a C or B after all come marking period end.

She really does work hard, but she�s like her mom at that age � math can really kick her butt.

Parker and I went to my favorite Chinese restaurant after the assembly. He is the only one of the kids who likes Chinese food. He told me quite firmly, "Mom, I don't want the kind of chicken with the stuff on it (that would be General Tso chicken). I want the kind you can dip in that stuff."

In other words, the kid wanted sweet and sour.

How could I say no? Even if he was a few minutes late for school, it was worth seeing that look of pure joy only a 6 year old can have as he wiggled a little happy dance in his seat.