Now dining alfresco and will be indefinetly

Our place went on the market Thursday night (about the same time D arrived back from NY--that guy has timing). I must say, after all the de-cluttering, wine-rack stocking, and strategic placement of greenery, the place really looks fabulous. Which is why Ry is now dining alfresco and will be in indefinitely. I was going to say until our place is sold, but now that I think about it, the time you'd save by not mopping the floor three times a day would really add up over time. Maybe Ry should eat outside every meal for the next five years. I thought I it was ingenious to have lunch at my sister's house the last two days (better to dirty up her kitchen than mine just now), but this outside thing is even better (all the benefit sans the twenty questions).

As many of you know, it's completely nerve wracking to keep the house you live in primed and ready for anyone who might drop by and say, want to buy it. We used to freak out about the state of the house every couple of months or so--about 24 hours before my mother-in-law showed up. And that was BEFORE. (From now on, this means before kids). But now we have to keep this up everyday. We have to live like a couple of OCDs. Not only has Ry been banished from eating in the kitchen, but I roll up the rugs in between showings.

While the housekeeping standards have reached new heights, the mothering standards are on the steady decline. D and I have had a running argument over the “repeat play” feature on Baby Einstein videos. From the beginning, I’ve told him not to use it--a half-hour of baby crack is enough. But with all I've had to do this week (mostly solo) I found myself, not using repeat play, but just starting it again when it was over. What's the difference? Makes me wonder if those authors that write all about the ill effects of TV have ever had kids or have ever tried to do anything else at the same time.