A very good day

The moon and stars must be aligned just right today. One friend on Facebook said she feels like shouting "I love the world!" and others echoed similar sentiments, indicating it was a good day. Here in Fort Worth it was a beautiful sunny day--a little cool when Jacob and I set out this morning and a little windy, but, as a woman I used to know said, "it faired off" and was delightful.
Jacob was home one more day, though maybe he could have gone to school without infecting anyone. Yesterday I thought I was a failure as a grandmother and he would grow up remembering me as the mean one--yes, you have to do your spelling. "Turn off the TV and pay attention." "No, you may not open the front door and wave at your friends who are leaving school when you've been home sick all day." "No, you can't go out to the apartment to see Elizabeth. She hasn't had a flu shot." I will say to his credit, he forgot, went into the apartment, was there about two minutes and said, "I can't stay. Juju said I can't come out here." So they talked through the door. But when he left last night I felt it had not, to say the least, been one of our better days.
Today I had a wonderful companion who was sunshine, laughter and giggles all day. We ran the errands I'd been itching to do all week--the jeweler's for a watch battery, Michael's for votive candle holder (where in the attic are mine?), Staples for an ink cartridge and paper, the liquor store for wine to last over the holiday, and--the treat, the surprise!--McDonald's for a happy meal. Only we got there too early--they were still serving breakfast. He decided he wanted hotcakes and then was dismayed that they don't come with a toy. Jacob spent a good part of the afternoon in the yard playing with the dog. I looked out once and the two of them were huddled together, their backs against the outside wall of the apartment. So sorry I didn't get a picture. Tomorrow he goes back to school and then to his other grandparents' for the weekend. Yeah, I'm relieved--but I will miss him.
Other good things happened--a preview of a great review of Trouble in a Big Box, lunch with a friend I've known for forty years, talk to on the phone frequently, rarely see--a real treat, and plans beginning to come together for the book signing Monday night. Yes, world, I'm a happy camper too. Hope the moon and stars stay wherever they are!

Understanding the separation of mind and body

Jacob understands the separation of mind and body perfectly. Today as I sat reading, he began throwing himself on the daybed where he sleeps, then sliding off and landing in a heap on the floor. He repeated this more times than I care to count, and each time he did it, he pushed the bed against the wall and the already frail and cheap mini-blinds in that window-filled room. Finally I said that was enough.
Jacob: I am not doing it. My body is not listening to my mind.
Me: Tell your body I'll give it a spanking.
He obediently walked over to me, so I hugged him and gave him a few gentle swats on his well-padded behind. He went back to throwing himself against the bed. "I'ts not working, Juju."
I told him to put his body in time out; he knows where the time out chair is. But he came back almost immediately, saying "My body won't stay there." Finally something else got his attention, but throughout the day he'd hit himself in the head and say, "Stop it, body. Stop hitting me." Of course I encouraged all this by laughing. His mom was a bit alarmed when he demonstrated for her tonight.
It was a Jacob day. We went to the grocery store, where I had to ask a sack person to put him in the seat in the front of the cart; then that didn't suit him, and we had a perilous maneuver getting him into the main basket of the cart. Then an equally perilous maneuver getting him out of it--I thought I was going to drop him in which case, I think, I might have broken the leg he wouldn't untangle from the cart. He weighs a whopping 44.5 lbs. now.
I snuck away occasionally to check email and do a bit of research on the web, but mostly I sat in the back room and read while Jacob watched TV and played. We had great conversations, and tonight we played a new game where I sent him out of the room, hid the miniature soccer, football and basketball I'd gotten him and he had to look for them. But I cannot do any work while he's here, and I cannot nap unless he falls asleep--which he didn't do. He was in and out of my bed, wanted to talk to Scooby (which only gets Scooby all excited), had to potty (didn't really), wanted a drink (forgot about that quickly). I finally turned the TV back on for him and tried to nap but it was too late.
Made a chicken salad with scallions, celery, blue cheese, lemon, mayo and sour cream for Jordan tonight. Finally remembered how I'd done that--and it was good. I also made Ellerbee's heirloom tomato salad, and it was great (look it up on Epicurious.com) though I'm not sure I could tell a difference between the heirloom tomatoes and regular fresh from the vine ones.
Giving myself a vacation the rest of the night. Back to the real world tomorrow.