ohbloodyhell8

so I’m stopping to look around.  Where is the year going?  It’s August.  Younger son is now eight years old.  Older son turns ten in a couple of weeks.  There are commercials worrying about gluten in pet food…really?  I get that gluten may be an issue for humans, but every dog I’ve ever owned has thought that cat poop was candy and I need to worry about gluten in the kibble?

The summer is definitely over at work.  Regular hours are back and the students will be back for the fall semester in about two weeks.  I really need to finish my syllabus.  This year’s theme for my class is Grimm’s Fairy Tales.  It’s going to be fun-if not for the students, at least for me.   These tales are not for the weak at heart.  Sex, violence, incest, anti-Semitism, and lots of gore.  As I’ve been exploring the influence the tales have had on our culture, I’ve become even more fascinated.  Please understand, since you may not actually know me, I am not an anti-Semite.  I did not know about that aspect of the fairy tales until I started my humble research for the class.  I had noticed clips of Hitler and the Nazis in Grimm, the television show, but I did not realize the significance of making them wesen.  Now I do.  I am sure the students will get uncomfortable when we enter the section of the course that looks at this aspect of these German tales, but I’m sure they will also be uncomfortable when they read about how in several of the stories the father, after being widowed, figured it would just be easier to marry his daughter.  And the original title of the book was Nursery and Household Tales…really?

Meanwhile, back in the day-to-day reality, I’m painting the living room and dining room mango.  It’s gorgeous!  It’s not done!  Doesn’t matter-I’m actually enjoying the process and decluttering as I go along.  I took pre-pictures and will take post-pictures and share them eventually.

I’m so dreadfully behind posting pictures from the summer.  But what’s new?  I did put up some new pictures on the wall though, as part of the whole painting process.  That’s right.  I’ve finally framed the boys’ kindergarten pictures and added them to wall.  Keep it down, I know they’re going into fifth and third grade.  I’m pacing myself, Sergeant.

The boys have been fish this summer and can’t get enough of pools.  They both had a blast at camp.  VBS went well too.  The years keep passing and life is good.  I just have to remind myself to stop and look around so I don’t miss it.  Have you stopped and looked around lately?