phooey-- it's funny that as adults we actually say this word

Phooey on any statement like "there's no good in the world"

My garbage man, of his own volition, pulled nearly into my driveway and opened up the claws and let me park my garbage can between them. He didn't have to do this. It was my fault that I, yet again, forgot that today was garbage day. It was my fault that I was running my garbage bags out in hopes that I could park the can next to a neighbors who the garbage man hadn't gotten to yet. But, as I ran out to the can, I saw that i was too late and there was no hope for me, my mistake, my lack of planning, had made it so i would have stinky garbage flowing out of my can by next week. But the garbage man decided to be merciful.. decided to be nice.. with no reward but a smile and enthusiastic thank you from me.

There is good in this world.... Thank You Mr. Trash Man

So, we started advent calendars today -- ones with fuzzy bears climbing up Christmas trees hanging ornaments, where each number hides a secret compartment that holds delightful chocolate. Delightful the chocolate definitely was, maybe a little TOO delightful. I explained to "P" that we open one flap each day til Christmas, knowing that her tendency would be as mine was, to want to open them all today. After she had tried her first morsel of goodness, she said she "just wanted to look at the bears" and then ran off to her bedroom with Tia in tow and slammed the door shut. Profuse giggling ensued. I let it go for a little while before i went to check on them (I'm getting better at the "free agency" thing) and lo and behold more then one little flap on her calendar was open. I asked her if she had eaten some of her chocolate and she responded, "there's a few left." LOL LOL... what to do-- i tried to scold, but then I realized "hey, it's her chocolate, if she wants to devour it all in one lump, that's her choice." So, Merry Christmas Peet..I hope you enjoyed your lump A LOT, enough to be happy each day as "T" opens up each of her doors and gets a chocolate. Of course, T has already had a lump... of "P's chocolate... Piper is such a sweet sister... who is also filled with LOTS of sweets