Better Late Than Never

So it looks like I have gotten out of habit of blogging first thing in the morning. I'll try to get back on track, but until then, I'll aim to get in at least one entry a day. Things are little calmer at work, at least for the next week or so, but then things will heat back up for a few weeks.

I did manage to get my newspaper final proofed before noon, which gave me time to run out for a walk during lunch. After a few cold, wet days, the weather is nice today: temperatures flirting with 60°F, a nice breeze, lots of sunshine. I walked along the W&OD trail through Bluemont Park, and saw a few birds, nothing stellar, but it was a nice day for a walk.

Evelin and I have been telling more people about the pregnancy. I called my grandmother last week (which was the act necessary to release my mother from her vow to secrecy -- she did pretty good, only spilling things to one of her sisters and to her next-door neighbor), and most everyone in Evelin's office knows, and we told our friends in Philly last weekend.

I'm waiting for the amniocentesis results before telling too many others, however.

And I think that's what's stressing me now. I know I've been crazed with work, which is really stressful, but the existential dread of the amnio and what it might reveal is what's weighing on me most at this point. (Just typing this, I can feel my shoulders tensing up and my jaw clenching some.)

The test is on Monday, and then it'll be a week or three before we get results; it'll be a long wait.

Other Things

Paas: I did some looking in my Shorter OED when I got to the office yesterday and while there was no entry for Paas, the entry for Pace (which the 1913 edition of Webster's gives as a synonym for Paas) lists the word as being from Scots and Northern English.

That leads me to the Pocket Scots Dictionary which offers several forms of the word: Pace, Paice, Pasch, Pask, Pes, Pesch, Peace -- all defined as "Pasch, Easter," matching the information I dug up on Sunday.

Bringing things full cirlce to the PAAS brandname for Easter egg dyes, the Shorter OED notes that Pace is now used most commonly in the combination "pace egg."

Pandas: April is officially Giant Panda Month in D.C. At the end of the month, the ground breaking for the new panda habitat begins, and April is traditionally the height of the breeding season, so it is sure to be an exciting time at the zoo.

Lead Tests: WSSC finally came on Sunday and picked up the water samples. Evelin's blood tests came back negative for lead, so if we do have elevated levels in our water, the Brita filter must be doing a good job. We'll just be certain to change it every two months...