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1. Clara Jane never answers when anyone asks how old she is. The ten times a day strangers ask her how old she is, I have to answer for her. So, I figured she just hadn't picked up on how old she is.

I have a cousin who's a social worker with a program that works with developmentally disadvantaged kids. She was hanging out at my parents' house tonight, and she told my mom about one of her clients. "She's two, like Clara Jane," my cousin said. To which Clara Jane interjected, "I'm two and a half."

2. My grandfather underwent an outpatient hernia procedure Tuesday morning. Upon arriving at the hospital, Clara Jane told my mom, "I'm glad we're at the hospital. I have a broken leg!".

Actually, she just had a broken toenail, which my mom fixed in the waiting room.

3. Speakinig of my grandfather, Clara Jane is helping him heal by reminding him, "Old Grandpa's wearing pajamas. He's got stripey pajamas."

4. For the past few weeks, Clara Jane has been attempting a bathing strike. Normal, I suppose. Most kids seem to suddenly go from loving bathtime to acting like they're being dipped in batter in preparation for a dunk in some 300-degree lard. She seems to have realized that regardless of how big a fit she throws, I'm still going to put her in the bathtub and *gasp* let soap touch her skin. Not the case where her grandmother is concerned. After an evening of rolling in the dirt, when my mom informed Clara Jane that it was bathtime, she replied, "I don't need to take a bath, Mimi. I'm all nice and clean."

Ah, the cuteness. I miss her. I could really use a snuggle. Or a wrestling match to get her into the bathtub. I've managed to get some stuff done in her absence, though:

1. I've watched B. finish laying the subflooring, and then I watched him fill in the cracks with liquid concrete. Then I watched him sand the excess concrete. And finally, I watched him call Murphy a "knob" when he caught her licking up the liquid concrete.

2. I took a leisurely stroll through the most insanely massive fabric store I've ever seen. I didn't buy anything, but I did rub against some gorgeous Amy Butler loveliness.

3. I not only won Brainbuster Trivia, but I got the highest score of the past six weeks.

4. I was able to drop everything (and by "everything" I mean, I got out of my pajamas and put on real clothes) to go have lunch with my pal PKB.

5. I made plans to accompany a minor to a tattoo parlor.

6. And, of course, I canned shit.

Here's some more white peach jam in the early stages.

And here's what I mangled it into.

How about some salsa in its infancy?

Here's what hours and hours of chopping has wrought:

Tomorrow's agenda: there isn't one.