I haven’t left the house yet this week…aside from some playtime in the backyard. For me, it’s meant skipping Monday night’s Decemberists’ show (10pm doors, way past my bedtime) at the Triple Rock, and failing to get out the vote on Tuesday (I know, I know, I suck). I have a comfy chair and two weighty new novels (Neal Stephenson’s Quicksilver and Dan Simmons’ epic Ilium) to keep me rooted in place…with the added bonus of the Lemony Snicket books being loaned to me shortly. Though I may have to leave the house to retrieve those…and to complete the next round of 26 things (the international photographic scavenger hunt). I suppose I could track down all 26 items around the homestead, but I doubt that would make for a very interesting gallery. For the little man, all this hometime has meant stretching his imagination even further. In addition to the usual fingerpainting, playdoh pushing, flashcard flipping and other activities usually reserved for rainy (or snowy) days…he’s been expanding his repetoire of animal impersonations, singing me happy birthday several times a day, randomly streaking through the house, refusing foods he liked just last week, and pestering the cats to a greater degree. I fear it may be a long winter. Especially for the cats.