It's another one of those "hot bunk" nights. We have borrowed this term from the military services - basically, it means the situation wherein two (or more) personnel share a single bed. One works while the other sleeps and when shift change rolls around, they reserse positions. Essentially, the bed is always "hot" as in, the sheets are never cool. More and more this is how we operate around here and the husband openly wondered the other day why we invested in a queen size bed at all, when clearly a twin would have covered the ground for us. Tonight, he came to bed well after midnight and I arrived downstairs around 2:30 to see that he had been working on taxes. I'll probably head back up around six to sleep for a few as he's getting up to prepare for his 8 a.m. departure. Damned insomnia. The least our systems could do would be to let us be awake every now again on the same schedule.


Tonight I'm thinking that my awakeness is connected to a rather difficult day at work of which I'm having trouble letting go. I participated in a very tense, unsatisfactory conference call with two other contractors on the project I'm trying very hard to wrap up. One of them is completely on board, gets what I'm saying and, since she is on site at the client's offices, is totally invested in being on time and on budget. The other keeps blocking progress, trying to upsell the client on some sexy new "solution" for handling the work for which we've been engaged. The thing is, this sexiness comes at a cost - both in terms of money and time - and, frankly, isn't really necessary for any other reason than to enrich the man proposing the work. You know, I'm fine with that angle, really - its common for consultants to try and upsell client and we all know the drill. But his insistence on testing all kinds of coding and scripts and whatnot is keeping all of us from achieving RIGHT NOW AT THE MOMENT what we're all trying to do. Plus I have the added dread that he could single handedly unravel what I've spent the last 14 months accomplishing at a time when I'm no longer around to fix the damage or stop him from inflicting it in the first place. So he continues navel gazing and is refusing just to get down to business and handle the work at, well, hand. Very frustrating.


So frustrating, in fact, that making cookies with my toddler was a downright serene activitity, flour clouds, spilled vanilla and all. We had such a good time and he so enjoyed eating "his" cookies that we're going to try making a cake this weekend. The new baby has been thoughtful enough to procure "real," child-sized baking gear for her big brother to take the sting out of her arrival. It's all little stuff, but the pans - there's a round cake tin, a loaf pan, a cookie sheet and a pie plate - can go in the oven and the set came with a short recipe book with quantities suited to the diminutive size of the equipment. He may not always enjoy the idea of spending time with me in the kitchen or be interested in the process of cooking but, while he is, I want to make the space as welcoming as possible.


Who knows? Maybe he'll be my canning partner this year. Hmm...I'll have to make him a little apron. Jam making can get awfully messy.