On Monday the temperature hit the mid 60s. That meant that my house became an island amidst a sea of mud. It is very icky here on warm days. Here is the bathtub after I washed some boots. Gross.

Just for your information, do not take the wet linings out of muddy boots and put them in your dryer. Do not let the whimpers and whines of four children who see all their friends off school and sledding across the street convince you that a half hour in the dryer will make everybody much happier. Those linings are filthy, and will coat the inside of your dryer with a thin veneer of mud. More gross.

At dinner, I told the kids, “Kids, your father has given up losing his temper for Lent. This means you all must give up annoying behavior.”

The response? “But we already gave up TV!”

Peter, who did not give up TV, has no excuse then for this.