what I've been giving for the past two weeks(!!).

You're right, you're right, I know you're right.

I've been all blog-gone for the past two weeks, smack-dab in the middle of my 29-Day Giving Challenge ... poor form. But the truth is, I've been in poor form － walking around with just a smidge of fluid in my lungs since before Hallowe'en － and needed to let go of something in order to keep the rest of everything going.

So I let go of my frequent-posting duties. But I kept on giving ... sometimes to others, sometimes to myself (it seemed like the time to do so).

So now it's time for me to do some serious catchup, for Thanksgiving is coming quick!!

Day 7: Smiles to everyone, all day long. It was the day after The Election (still smiling, by the way). :D

Day 8: I gave up and went to the doctor. Ten days of down-with-the-crud time, and I was way-ready for pharmaceuticals.

Day 9: Myself a break and a little down- (not working, not momming) time.

Day 10: Necessary boundaries. All my crabby kids needed to turn their collective frown upside-down was a couple of jars and two bowls of marbles.

Day 11: My dear friend the opportunity to give to me. My, but it's lovely to be taken care of now and then, especially by someone who a) does it up right, and b) gets how difficult it is for you to let yourself be taken care of.

Day 12: I gave in to keep my word. I had promised a fun activity in exchange for lack of marbles in above-mentioned jars, but thought our schedule for the day was too full for such frivolity. My daughter called me out on it, and I ponied up. She was right, I was weaseling, and Madagascar 2 was well worth the effort.

Day 13: Compliments to the singers at our school's Veterans' Day program.

Day 14: A power bar and $5 to our favorite homeless corner-guy.

Stay tuned for my Days 15 - 22 . . . and you? how's your giving going?