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Our goals for the rest of winter

The excitement of the holidays (plus a week of two of wind-down) is fully behind us, so Willow and I have put some serious thought into how we're going to defeat the winter doldrums.
Willow needed a few seconds to create and refine her list. Here it is:
  • Play.
I needed a week to think about my list then the whole morning to start to write it down. Here is a glimpse (please keep in mind that it's a working list, constantly evolving and changing according to the weather, the economy and the mood of the GOP political base):
  • Have all homemaking chores done in the morning, so I can concentrate on afternoon time with Willow in the following ways: Go to the park or zoo when it's warm. Play out back when it's cooler. Stay inside when it's cold, preferably spending as much time in the play room as a 37-year-old man can tolerate.
  • Spend more time with Willow on sign-language lessons.
  • Read more to Willow.
  • Read "Lord of the Rings" to myself.
  • Teach Willow geometry and the history of the Boxer Rebellion.
  • Start diversifying Willow's meals.
  • Tackle minor home projects such as cleaning the blinds and organizing Che's new recipe book (Thanks, Nikki!).
  • Tackle major home projects such as organizing my out-of-control baseball card collection and building an addition to the house to store my baseball cards.
  • Contribute to this blog daily.
  • Finish my novel (I've written three pages!!!).
  • Exercise more.
  • Stop eating cheese and cut down on peanut butter.
  • Lose 10 pounds by spring.
  • Train for the Music City half-marathon.
The list goes on from there into some tedious things (although I admit it has some cool things there).
I tried to keep the list practical, but Willow is having none of it.
I can see it in her eyes. The list is too grown-up. Too complicated. Too boring. Unrealisitic (fooey I say!!!).
So I let her at the keyboard to edit down my list, and this is what she typed (pounded, actually):

 h yhyu oi  c /

OK, she's not an expert editor (or typist) just yet, but I think I know what she's trying to say.
"Chill out, Daddy."
So here you go, my refined list (with Willow's editorial approval):
  • Play.

P.S. Dearest grown-up friends, of course I'll do more than play, but I think I get the gist of Willow's wisdom. I shouldn't take myself too seriously. One of my favorite T-shirts (no longer with us, poor boy) used to say, "I like to play in the dirt."
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