In which I prepare to prepare

If I don't, at a minimum, clear my boxes of books and CDs out of what will be the baby's room this weekend, Cynthia advises me that she will begin the search for an alternative baby-daddy. All I have done in that room thus far is tear out the old built-in shelves and patch the plaster that was damaged by the old shelves.

This weekend: empty it out, primer it. Maybe, if I am quite industrious, put some color down. Last weekend we tentatively agreed on blue, yellow, and green paint for the room. But it's the end-of-quarter reporting period and that means Cynthia is working nights and weekends. I will be doing the cleaning, priming, and painting by myself this weekend.

(Semi-related aside: Cynthia has received her quarterly statement on her 401(k). The geniuses who manage it are losing money faster than she can replace it. Over the past three months they have taken thousands of dollars from her, piled it up, set it on fire, and then opened up her account to take out some older contributions and set them on fire, too. There's a lot to be said for just burying money in the back yard.)

I hope that I will not have an unexpected opportunity to catch up on home renovation in the form of an unpaid furlough from my job. The State is making noises about such a thing. Here's my take on it: I took a job making less money because it would be very stable and because the hours would be regular and because the benefits are good. But now I am working very long hours because we are 25% understaffed, the benefits are worse than what Cynthia gets at the investment firm, and they are talking about a temporary layoff and what would amount to a wage reduction.

Does the bank give me a week off from my mortgage payment? The utility company? Do I get a week off from paying alimony? No, no, and no. So I'm kind of pissed that the State is thinking about taking a week off from paying me.

In other pregnancy news, Cynthia does not have diabetes, but the doctor said her glucose number was "high." So I introduced her to spaghetti squash and stopped baking. On her morning cereal there is now half a banana, not a whole one, and I hid the honey. This is making her cranky. I have promised her a Cake Love birthday cake and a flask of single-malt Scotch in her hospital room after the delivery.

Oh, and the doctor strongly recommended against a trip to New Jersey for her brother's wedding ten days before her due date. She's still weighing a trip there AMA. There will be at least a half-dozen doctors at the wedding, including both of her brothers and the bride. If you're going to go into labor at a wedding reception, that's the one to do it in.