We've had a busy last 24 hours. Last night we went to Petco to see if they had some sort of small insect to feed to Venus, as she was looking a little pale. Turns out that Petco not only has tiny crickets available for 6 cents each, they also had two 8 month old dwarf hamsters. So we brought them home, crickets and hamsters alike. That's right, we have survived for many years with no pets in our house and in just over a week have become refuge to a meat eating plant and two hamsters.

The girls think they are awesome, they stayed up way too late last night getting acquainted. They are tiny, not more than about 2 inches long with white bellies and grey and tan backs. I'll have to post a picture at some point. We came up with Dasha and Mika, good Russian names. They are sisters, we couldn't ask one to leave the other behind.

Today we went over to Pa's parents' house so he could paint the living room ceiling. They ordered in for everyone from Mustard's, the favorite rib joint of the Faust fam. I had cavatelli. :) After the yummy dinner, followed by cupcakes, Gretchen was still hungry. She went out to the refrigerator and brought me a jar of sauerkraut, insisting that she was still hungry. I sent her to her father.

After some discussion and explanation that sauerkraut is a bit sour, Gretch had her very own sample. She ate every last bit, made some sour faces and said "I love that sauer-crap!"

Turns out that we were spot on several years back when we chose a good German name for our little blond.

Introducing Venus

Recently, I took a business trip to Arizona. In my absence, my darling daughters sweet-talked their Dad into a new pet.

I really can't complain much, she is housebroken, really seems to enjoy her cage and eats bugs. No costly vet bills, and I'll never have to poop-scoop or brush her teeth. I wonder if the bright pink color on the inside of her mouth is an indicator that she's good with children -- any thoughts?

As parents, we both encourage our girls to be involved in any age-appropriate scientific process. Thus, have researched and discussed Venus' digestive enzymes and how the tiny 'hairs' on the inside of her mouth must be triggered twice before it will snap shut.

Last summer it was nature hikes, rocket building and lift-off (complete with a lesson in elementary physics), tadpoles and we routinely discuss household science. I'm excited to find what will peak their interest in 2009.

By the way, the new background is dedicated to my very Irish Mom.

I am having trouble concentrating. On anything.

I keep daydreaming about what the new perennials I put in last fall will look like this spring, what sort of crafty project I can dream up, changing window treatments in the bedrooms, putting in a mini-garden, fixing the fence, flipping through the three cooking magazines that came in the mail last week (how to make a perfect biscuit!). Basically anything that has nothing to do with work or homework.

Work has been taken over by a research fairy - which makes it slow and boring. If anyone is looking for a real snoozer, try state insurance regulations and California case law. I yawned just typing about it. Homework is just as bad this semester. After working as a paralegal for the last 5 years, I'm working on gaining my paralegal certificate. In concept, it shouldn't be too bad - about 10 community college classes. I have been taking one night class at a time but silly me took last semester off and decided to take two classes this semester. Ugh. What was I thinking?

So rather than pulling out my homework or the stack of work that I brought home (and haven't touched yet as of 1pm on Sunday), I am dreaming up some sort of metal frame that I could potentially put together intending to keep my dahlias from dragging on the ground. If I make enough, I could even use it for pepper and tomato plants. Ooh, and I have a soldering iron and other supplies in the basement, I would just need some fairly thick wire and some sort of plan. I bet Hobby Lobby has something that would work...

Thankfully, they are closed today so I can avoid that distraction for awhile and force myself to work or draw up a design for a frame. Oh, wait, the dryer just stopped and I would much rather fold laundry than read California case law or work on a design. Not really, but clean socks for the girls overrules everything else on my list at the moment. If only this were a three day weekend so that I could procrastinate and fail to concentrate for just one more day.