No whining... but, oh! I am tired. I spent all (yes, really, ALL) day working on year end payroll. It is a good thing in the end that my ability to pay attention to detail makes me such a good bookkeeper. It is a job that absolutely must be done, and I can do it. I do it well too... but truly... my soul is not happy.

My brand new washing machine is not working. This is not a good thing on a dairy farm.

I did get a little time this evening to finish a bracelet I've been working on for a friend's daughter's Sweet 16 party tomorrow night. I absolutely love designing jewelry, though my style usually runs to something a little more outrageous than this.

I like it, though I probably wouldn't wear it myself. Alice likes it, and actually seems a little miffed that I'm giving it away. She's a tough customer to please, and at 14 1/2, she is close enough in age to give me a good barometer as to whether or not the Sweet 16 will like it. I probably should just have broken down and given her cash or a gift certificate like everyone else, but I just can't. I *need* to give more thought to the gifts I give than that.

I have received enough bath baskets and cheese logs in my life to remind me why, too!