Busy week

This week we have been busy, busy.  Tuesday was NH Primary Day.  I waited for Selim to get home from school before going to vote.  He likes to go into the booth with me.  This time I let him fill in the circle next to my choice.  Unlike some voting days, the polling place was very quiet.  Instead of running the gauntlet of supporters and their signs outside, there was one guy sitting in a folding chair holding a "Newt" sign.  There were a few people voting, but there were only four people in front of us waiting to get their ballots.  So we were in and out of there really quickly.  Good thing too, as the signs posted indicated 15 minute parking only.

After voting, we came back and had a banana bread snack before heading back out and going to karate.  The warm up focused on the abs, one of my least-toned muscle group in my entire body.  Painful.  I enjoyed the end of class much better because we did forms.  I haven't been at many classes recently where we have worked on them, so I was scrambling.  But all of started out doing the same basic form.  Then the forms got way more advanced and groups started peeling off, belt color by belt color until only the three black belts remained.  I loved watching all the combinations.  I like the choreographed movements, aggression, and strength that are components of the forms.  At the end of class Mr. Hebert reminded us that there is a testing session on February 11.  I don't think I will be ready or expected to test that soon.

Wednesday Selim and I went back to karate to take a beginner class.  There were only eight of us in class.  I really liked the smaller class size.  We worked on self-defense moves and forms.  Selim and I got a tutorial from Mrs. Hebert on the Kee Cho Hyung Il Boo, basic form #1.  I need to practice at home.  There are twenty moves in the form and you do it in the shape of an I.  Hard.

And today, drum roll please...snow!  Selim had his first no school/snow day of the year.  When I left for work at 5:00, there were only 13 cancellations or delays.  The roads were clear and it was barely snowing.  I didn't need my wipers until I got to the highway.  At 6:15 I went online to see if Selim would be having school and there were 311 closings or delays reported.  It seemed like most of the state decided to bale on today, Selim's district included. 

When I got home from work, there was a snow cave in the front yard and the driveway was clear.  Selim was at the neighbor's, inside for the first time all day.  From Nedim's report, our house was the hub of the neighborhood with many children playing in and around the snow cave.  Selim had helped with the driveway during all three shovelling sessions.  It was a joyous day, long in coming for him.

I thought that he would be tired from playing all day outside, but no.  I went outside with him at 3:00 and had to bribe him to come in, promising hot chocolate.  At 4:30 he took me up on my offer.  While I was outside, I worked on cleaning up the remaining snow in the driveway and just enjoying watching him play.  He is going to crash so early tonight.  I think we will start the bed and bath routine early.

In other news, Selim has lost both his top front teeth.  He has the classic little kip gap tooth look.  He is working on learning how to eat apples with his side teeth.  And at work, I am learning how to desk share with a new person.  Neither task is particularly easy.  Throughout 2011 I shared the desk space happily.  Each of us had a few personal things in our respective corners.  We tried to keep the stuff out on the desk to a minimum and used the cubicle wall space sparingly.  Well, my new desk mate doesn't share the same philosophy.  She has stuff everywhere.  No matter which direction I look, I see something of hers.  I'm feeling hemmed in and claustrophobic.  I need to feel less possessive of the space and just let it go.