Cute Baby Fix

Ok so here's some pictures of Aubrey from last week. Because I am a complete idiot, I forgot to bring my camera on Halloween. Thus, I missed the opportunity to take pictures of her dressed up like a pea-pod. I hope my sister sends me one!

Anyway, here she is with my sister holding her at the baptism, wearing the sweater I made (it fit her perfectly! The booties, however, were too big.):


After a little water, a little chrism, and more than a little bit of tears, here she is asleep:



Later, we had a reception and my sister changed her into a more casual, comfortable outfit. Here's one of her many feeding times! My brother-in-law looks exhausted. Aubrey looks like a delightful little peanut!:




I just love this picture. She really looks like my side of the family: a very Italian baby!


We had a good time having them all up here. I will be heading down there to NC to look after Aubrey during the second week in December. My sister has to go back to work and the child-care person isn't contracted to start until February! So we're all pitching in to help. My mom will be staying with my sister for the whole month of January.

Caption The Cat: #6

Do you mind? I'm posing for heads of the $.03 coin of Catopia

Frustrating and Funny At the Same Time

O_o

So I work on the third floor of what is perhaps the ugliest building on campus. People who work in the Humanities ALWAYS have the worst/ugliest/most-deficient building on any college campus. At least, that has been my experience. My department office isn't too bad. We do, however, have the foulest carpet to which I have ever born witness. My little office that is located within the department office is fine. At least I got to choose the paint color. It's a grayish blue. Very soothing. Any, boy, does it need to be, too with what I deal with on a daily basis.

Anyway, the Dean's office for my college (humanities, of course) is undergoing a major renovation. That office is located directly above my department office. Basically, they are making it look like our department office, which is: a large, open reception area surrounded by several small offices. Ok, fine. Construction has been ongoing for over a month. And once-in-a-while we can hear the jackhammers and drills, etc. from above. I have learned to tune this kind of noise out because our departmental office is also situated above the music department. The percussion classrooms in particular. Yeah. So I hear stupid off-beat drums all freakin' day. It's awesome!

So this week is, apparently, the culmination of all the work upstairs. And the construction guys need to work on plumbing, electrical, and heating issues up there...through our office...MINE in particular. Yesterday, I got kicked out of my office at about 2:00, not that I am complaining that I got to leave early. Today, my boss--- the department head---comes into my office to talk about the construction---

Goddammit they are drilling or sawing something right now outside our front door. I can barely hear myself think.

Sorry, I just had to interject that.

Anyway, my boss comes in we have the following conversation:

Boss: So this is going to be a bad week for the construction.

Me: Yes, I figured. They came in my office yesterday afternoon and I had to leave.

Boss:...oh, really?

Me: Yeah they had to move my furniture around in order to access the portion of the ceiling that they needed.

Boss: Well tomorrow they are coming back down to do more work upstairs, probably through your office and So-and-so's office next to you. (a professor)

Me: Great. Sigh.

Boss: But definitely on Friday they will be working in your office and so-and-so's office, and maybe even the office next to that. Also, Friday, in fact, they are turning off the heat and the water so they can install heat and water upstairs.

Me: Sounds like Friday is a good day for me to not be here....

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS RESPONSE???

Boss: ...Well...or you could dress extra warmly or wear your coat.

Me: O_o

He was fucking serious. In the middle of 3 dudes ripping through my ceiling, no heat, and no water on the entire floor, I am supposed to sit in my office?!?! And DO WHAT, exactly, pray tell? It's so ridiculously insulting and dumb that it's hilarious.

Why do Ph.D.s, for all their wealth of knowledge and education, lack all concept of common sense?

Thanks, Dishcloth Pal!

Today I received my Fall Into Autumn Dishcloth Swap package from my secret swapper. It's Barb N., all the way from Alberta, Canada! Here's a picture of the goodies:



Two dishcloths, a mini tote bag, a ball of Bernat Handicrafter, a knitting notions case, a 2008-2009 pocket planner, and some white ginger body products with a mini puff. Many thanks, Barb!

Portrait Of A Football Head

I seriously love his football head....