The school nurse called yesterday. The little angel tripped, she said, over what? We don't know. She hit her head. It's a little swollen, no, she's not crying.
I drove through icy rain to pick her up. We went to urgent care. The doctor had her move her jaw, felt her cheekbones, kind of laughed at me. I didn't care. I don't mess around with head injuries. Not on my Baby Duck.
We got home at two-something. Still lots of hours in the work day. I gave her Tylenol and a tall stack of books, hoping she'd sack out on the couch. Five minutes later she was at my elbow, wanting a snack, a fort, a trip to Disneyland.
I tried to set her up on the laptop to play games. I couldn't remember the password.
I took some very deep breaths.
Beloved left work early to beat the snow that began to fall around five-something and also to keep me from going insane. There was still work to be done.
Then the power went out while Beloved was pouring oil into the frying pan.
Then it came back on.
Then it went out again.
My laptop battery salvaged the email I'd spent hours on, but in the quickly falling light I decided to shut down and look for candles in case we were stuck like this for hours.
Because both cars were in the garage. And the garage door was down.
And it is powered by electricity.
Of which there was none.
Deep breaths.
I found a bunch of candles. I lit them. I considered what could be made for dinner that didn't require heat. Again I was surprised at how much light candles can provide if you have enough of them.
Outside, the electric company workers climbed around in my neighbor's yard as deer watched, silhouetted on the ridge.
Then it all powered back up, the candles suddenly insignificant against the countertop.
Beloved began cooking dinner. I returned to my work and found after thing after thing after thing happening all day that I had absolutely no mental energy for any of it anymore.
Around 10 p.m., school called. Another snow day.
Then, just now, I was trudging through my email when I saw a comment saying I'm being featured on Schmutzie's Five Star Friday.
It goes up, it goes down.
It goes up.