I mostly slept sitting up. It was just easier to breathe that way for me. Sleep is awesome, but rest is very helpful too.

for sj:

Now I lay me down to sleep

and the baby starts to leap

It vaguely astonishes me now that my chores as a child included pumping an old-timey pump-well for the horses & cows' trough; it makes me think of asking my grandma as a kid what crossing the prairies in a wagon was like. (She wasn't amused.)

This was when we lived on the farm, and there was an astonishingly cold and clean spring with a simple metal tap sunk in it that we would stop at and get a drink at -- cupped hands, canteens -- when we went on trail rides or just wandering the woods or trails.

When I was a kid we'd sometimes stay at a relative's farm that had no running water. There was a hand pump for the kitchen sink,

The farm did have a sauna, though, which rocked. When Finns moved to Minnesota to set up farms, the first building they'd build was the sauna. They'd live in the sauna until the house was built.

A way back someone was asking about base coats to use with OPI nail polish.

I've been doing my nails for several years now, so I've had some experience. I'd say pick a base coat that works for you, regardless of the polish you're putting on top. I tried the OPI Nail Envy, which didn't do my nails any good, but I've done well with various Sally Hansen products.

The only caveat would be to let the base coat get dry before putting on the polish - that may prevent any unpleasant interactions.

A way back someone was asking about base coats to use with OPI nail polish.

That was me. I looked at some nail polish blogs and picked an Essie base coat, more or less at random, and it seems fine so far. (Although my nail polish needs are definitely not as exacting as those bloggers, who have enviable nails.)

So far using a base coat has made my manicure last 3 days (including doing dishes without rubber gloves, because those things freak me out), as opposed to the 6 hours my manicures would last without a base coat. So, woo hoo so far.

This was when we lived on the farm, and there was an astonishingly cold and clean spring with a simple metal tap sunk in it that we would stop at and get a drink at

On the farm we had one of these wells in the front yard. The water was cool and delicious, and heavily sulphurated. We could bathe in it but we couldn't cook with it, and you couldn't drink it unless you were accustomed to the taste. I kinda miss it.

Orly Bonder works well with OPI.

This was when we lived on the farm, and there was an astonishingly cold and clean spring with a simple metal tap sunk in it that we would stop at and get a drink at

This is the case here in Otter Lake too. I have a spring well here at the house, but lots of people fill jugs from a tapped spring on the side of the road. I have to say coffee and tea taste so much better here than with the city water.

In the past few months, I've purchased three sleeveless work dresses from three different stores (including one online) and it is only now, when I'm hanging the last of them in the closet, that I realize that all of them are black and white geometric print - when did my taste in clothes become so narrow?