What are we going to do tonight, Brain?
Same thing we do every night, Pinky. Try to take over the world.
And the same thing we do every year after Epiphany (a little late but we’ve had a bad week): take down the tree. Alone. It works better that way. The joyous chaos that facilitates tree trimming can’t be mustered for the dismantling process. And this is work that demands organization. And attention to detail. Despite my grousing, I’m better off alone. With a little luck someone will be here to help me wrestle the baby to the curb. Rick and the boys have gone to view the finals of a LEGO construction contest. Martha and Danielle called to ask for directions to Kopps custard in Milwaukee. I’m less than pleased that my invitation to come on in the house so I can draw a map was met with, “We’re already in Wisconsin.” When I’m done with the tree I will make a big cup of cocoa (not in the Spode mugs, those I packed away yesterday) and compose the nth “I can’t go to the bathroom without filing a flight plan so what makes you think you can leave the state?” talk of my career.