Crunch Time

 Well, I've been missing Ruby the past few days.  She is here;  see her shadow?  She has just been sequestered in her room since Friday morning, finishing all her school work for the semester that ends this Wednesday.  This type of procrastination is exactly what I would do if I were enrolled in online school, except I wouldn't come out of it with straight A's like Ruby will (or ELSE!!).  It's a blessing and a curse that she can retake tests and quizzes for better scores, because she wants those better scores.  It just takes time.  Now that I think back, Ruby has a certain history of procrastination herself, not unlike her mother and probably 99% of the population.  (HERE is a story to illustrate my point.)

It's not that she hasn't been working.  She is pretty organized and self-motivated, and her blocks of study time are framed by seminary, teaching, practicing, guitar and ballet, so she has some parameters, not to mention the time it takes to prepare tasty meals and experiment with baking.  Ruby is just so fun to hang out with that, well,  there may have been a little too much hanging out going on.  My bad.  (Kinda.)  But also, there has been...

 Dance!!

 Lots of unexpected changes "at" the online high school! (5 of her teachers and counselors quit for "personal reasons.")

 Organization binges!

 Skyping/snapchatting/messaging friends in Europe!

And sleeping!  Actually, there hasn't been that much sleeping.  Ruby has that night owl gene.  I DARE you to try and get her to go to bed!  It can't be done!

And suddenly, it's crunch time.  Uh-oh!

This is practically the only interaction I've had with Ruby since Thursday.  Boo hoo!  I can't wait until the new semester starts so Ruby can take a few weeks off before the cramming begins.  Just kidding, Rubes.  Now GET TO WORK UNTIL YOUR HOMEWORK SHINES LIKE THE TOP OF THE CHRYSLER BUILDING!  Ruby rolls her eyes at that one, but I think it's funny every time.  Right, Ruby?  Ruby?...