20 Questions

Peanut likes to play 20 questions with me...at 7:30 in the morning. Every. Single. Morning. If I haven't emerged from my bedroom by 7:35, she'll come up to my door and say, "KATE??? Did you oversleep?!" In case you're wondering: I never have. So I'll answer, "No Peenie, I'm awake. At least...I am now." But of course she doesn't hear me. And she'll keep calling me until I come to the door and show her that I am, in fact, awake.

Those of you who know me pretty well know that I'm not a morning person. Never have been. Now, this doesn't mean that I'm mean or hateful before 8 am--just a little out of it. My brain takes a while to catch up with the rest of my body, and I'm kinda slow until I get that first cup of coffee. Peanut, on the other hand, wakes up at 5:30 and has about 3 cups of coffee before I walk into the kitchen, so by 7:30, she is JACKED UP. I enter the kitchen and it goes something like this:

"How'd you sleep, Kate?"

"What time you gotta be at work?"

"What are you gonna wear?"

"Is it cold out?"

"What are you gonna do at work today?"

"Do you have something to pack for lunch?"

"Do you need some money?"

"What time will you be home?"

"Do you have something to cook for dinner?"

"Do you need anything from the store?"

All of these, right in a row, before I can even answer them. I mostly just smile sweetly at her and sip my coffee. That usually does the trick, and she starts to calm herself down.

So imagine my surprise last night when she looked at me across the dinner table as we were talking and said, "Katy, why are you asking me so many questions all in a row?" Hahahaha! "Grand-apple doesn't fall far from the grand-tree", I said. She just grinned at me and giggled.

I'll leave you with this:

Not only does Peanut's telephone system play The Star Spangled Banner, it also plays Ode to Joy. Yep, apparently it's got a musical repertoire.

And speaking of musical repertoire(s), one of my favorite bands, the Avett Brothers, have a new album coming out on the 15th. Right now, you can stream it (and I'd recommend you do so) for free at NPR.com. I just started listening this morning, and I already have a favorite. It's called "Souls like the Wheels". It's lovely as lovely can be, and a perfect message for me at this time in my life--a time where I am trying to put myself and all my baggage on the back burner and focus on Peanut. Give it a listen. Here are the lyrics:

Souls like the Wheels

Souls like the wheels

Turning, taking us with wind at our heels

Burning, making us decide on what we're giving

Change this way of living

One little song

Give me strength to the leave the sad and the wrong

Buried safely in the past where I've been living

Alive but unforgiving

Let me go, let me go, let me go, let me go

One little girl

Bring me light from where I thought it was dark

Be the spark that has a chance to light a candle

Love that I can handle

Let me go, let me go, let me go, let me go

Let me go, let me go, let me go, let me go

Souls like the wings

Spreading out away from bad memories

Make us capable of taking off and landing

Alive with understanding

Let me go, let me go, let me go, let me go

Let me go, let me go, let me go, let me go