Some one sent a response to my last blog but I don't think I can reply directly so let me answer the question here. No, I do not know about the Defense Travel System because I am in the military. I know about it because I am a poor innocent victim whose husband is a civilian working for the military and I spend many lonely hours waiting for him to return from doing travel ... paperwork. If I can't sleep I ask him to explain the DTS to me and as my eyes glaze over and I drift off I am vaguely aware of him beginning to seethe and his blood boiling so not only do I get to sleep but I am also warmer.

Otherwise my topic du jour is it being February already and I wasn't even really getting started with January. The graduate class I am teaching is taking much more time this semester because I am trying to make the students happier by providing more complete Powerpoint slides. Now they are beginning to look like I do when what's his name starts talking about the DTS, as I read through them -and yet I still had a student ask if I could post the "important" points from the discussion after I go through the slides. Really. I am earning my sainthood because I did NOT say there were no important points. Someday some one should do a study on how Ppt has destroyed education as we knew it. No slides and they complain, add comments as you go they complain you should post those too, don't add comments and you are "just reading through" -then why even bother coming to class? Oh and when I write things on the chalkboard there is the contingent that wants it on a "Smart board" so it can be saved. Take notes? Come to class? That is so unrealisitic! Reality check. This is a vent. The vast majority of the students are not like this. Then again they don't whine so I don't hear them. And I just keep tryin to grease the squeeky wheel ....$%&^()_+ not actual bad words but as I wrote that last sentence I remembered the bread rising in the oven (off) that had a lovely caraway and salt topping -2, almost 3 hours ago. I just had to re- punch it down so the topping is now a filling (ish) and I will be up late waiting for it to rise again and bake. It seemed like a good idea to make bread this evening- no, - now it is in the refridgerator and hopefully the yeast (exhausted by now anyway) will rest and can start over in the morning.

Does this explain why I haven't been blogging? This was supposed to be my free time. The thing about "caretaking" (for lack of a better word but when I have more energy the first thing I'm going to do is come up with a better word) is the constant little alarms and interuptions. Jesse has been much more independent lately, entertaining himself (when he isn't entertaining me) but that also means unexpected 4 yr old initiated activities. Today it was a trip for Grandma to see his room. That's right. Suddenly on their schedule -not mine, my mom is going to climb the stairs to see his new bed. He cheered her along, "Good job grandma. You are the best, I am poud of you." Still I couldn't exactly stay in the kitchen (or at the computer) during all this. And she made it and I did not have to cushion her fall -which is about the best I could have done. And meanwhile I had to run up and down and up and down to keep up with laundry etc etc. With this much exercise I should be losing weight.

But no, my out-let has been cooking since we all need to eat. And boy do we. Last week it was sea scallops in white wine and garlic with grilled steak, potatoes fried in olive oil (after precooking in microwave), and spinach sauteed in the scallop pan juices, then chicken thighs with sundried tomatoes, fresh herbs (cold, but fresh), dried mushrooms, more white wine, all over rice. Pancakes with grated apple and cottage cheese and cinnamon, pancakes with blueberries and homemade syrup with hazlenut liquer, biscuits with grated cheddar with carmelized onions (I have no idea where this cheese came from but I found it in my fridge -thanks to whoever left it here). Impromptu cheese sauce (the way my mom taught me to do it), everything from scratch, all coated in butter and/or olive oil to lessen my guilt. I cook for affirmation. I can get this right. Well except the bread, at least not tonight.

And Caleb. He is getting to class but more than that I don't ask. If I do he might tell me something that would worry me. My sweet shy daughter is being pulled into those college dramas -not the ones on stage but if you are a female you know what I mean. The other son has a lovely girlfriend. I still love the old one. My eyes are closed -just tell me when we get there.

The snow is beautiful. So is all this other stuff.