level best

This has been, for various reasons, the busiest summer I've had in a long time. If I hadn't planted perennials a few years ago, our front yard would look like a hayfield.

I planted no planters this year.

Our windows are in desperate need of cleaning.

Cooking has mostly meant

buy-the-healthiest-frozen-meal-I-can-find

and nuke it.

Or steam some veggies over rice.

The back yard is pretty rough in a few spots.

I'm hoping the dozen or so people

coming over for a BBQ next week

are gracious about that.

So ... knowing I've done my level best ...

(what is that? "level best"? where did that phrase come from?)

... I did something today I've never done in my life. I emailed my prof and asked for an extension on this paper, because it's not going to be as complete as I want it to be by Friday. Unless I pull some all-nighters next week. And I am not ... NOT ... an all-nighter person.

Never have been. It's not pretty.

I'm the person every year that wonders if it's really necessary to stay awake,

just to watch a ball drop and yell, "Happy New Year".

... "what if we all have an early dinner and call it a night?" ...

I know.

I'm a wild party.

His response - the prof's - "Of course. No problem. Don't stress over this."

I can't figure out how to change that counter over there on the right. So just go ahead and add 72 hours to it - I'm handing this baby in on the Monday after the originally planned Friday.

And then I'm done.

Done.