Nice Try

Last night, after a draining 45 seconds of piano practice, Chickadee dragged her pitifully sorry tail over to where I was sitting and said, in her most plaintive, pathetic voice, "Mom, I'm really, really tired. I can't concentrate on my music." Being a very reasonable sort I said, quite supportively, "Well, if you're too tired to practice, I guess you better go to bed."

It was 7:30.

Astoundingly, despite her obvious exhaustion and state of near collapse, she was able to muster the requisite energy for another 10 minutes of key-pounding, and an additional 90 minutes of tv-viewing and careening around the house. The child really is a trooper.