Okay biological clock, I get the point

I don't usually divulge dreams this willingly, but when this one had my eyes snapping open to the sound of my alarm, counting days (albeit in a most disoriented fashion) and trying to figure out if me being labor was even possible (in dream form it is a most frightening experience; I mean it's not like I had nine months to prepare), I figured it was worth asking: do biological clocks have snooze buttons? Because mine seems to be going off about a decade early.

Damn nurturing instincts.

In other news I spent Thanksgiving in Cleveland, churning out easy-to-sew mittens for the needy, watching with amusement as the men watched football and played pool while the women gathered around one cousin's new baby and the other's bulging belly (complete with visible kicks, no wonder the previously mentioned clock got excited and felt the need to chime in), and enjoying a small space of excellent lighting that many of my family members were kind enough to unknowingly wander into, so hopefully I have some decent black and whites for my yearly photo gifts. For a family with such a range of interests and activists I must say it's rather funny to watch the group split so evenly down gender lines. I had to go argue the validity of the crossing-the-plane rule with my dad and uncles just to bring some normalcy back to the place. Thanks to one of my male cousins for helping with the sewing.

Overall it was a good time; with that much family the chaos can only serve to add to the hilarity of every situation. Everyone talking at once, the same story changing exceptionally quickly from one telling to the next, politics being argued, pictures being passed, shoes being shared, grandma's dog begging for attention, everyone trying to walk out the door at the same time, taking last-minute pictures, and trying to get four cars to pull out of the driveway in three different directions and generally causing an amusing scene.

The (para)phrase of the trip: some people leave without saying goodbye, others say goodbye and never leave. We would be the latter.

Thanksgiving at my parents was far more calm (sans the four-year-old nephew who was super excited about pumpkin pie), the food tasty and eaten more slowly. And it was good to see that my dog missed me.

Now back to the insanely speedy treadmill before the end of the term. Campus is full of people rushing around to meetings and study groups. Ah to have the drive and energy of an undergrad.

Ta ta for now!