Normally today would be the last day of February

But today is the the second-to-last day of February this year because it's a leap year, which last happened in 2008, I'm told. Do you know where I was on Leap Day in February 2008? Me either.

I feel like Leap Day should be a huger deal than any holiday because of its relative rarity. Something that happens only once every four years has to be cooler than something that happens annually. I mean, really. I'm not sure what I would be celebrating if I did celebrate Leap Day, but I feel a lot of holidays are arbitrary, so that's not a reason to stop anyone. I should have been planning what to do tomorrow for the last four years in order to commemorate it. Unfortunately I've got nothing.

But nothing seems pretty appropriate, doesn't it, because normally this day doesn't exist? Time is weird; it's weird to think of time as a construct and not a constant. Who came up with the units we have that don't quite work with how long the sun takes to get around? Probably someone smarter than me, but still. The section about the Gregorian calendar on Wikipedia's "Leap Year" article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year#Gregorian_calendar) is kind of confusing. In 8000 years, we may or may not be a whole day off. What does that mean? It sounds like an existential crisis waiting to happen.

Also, it's weird to think about how time changes when you travel, right? Also traveling takes time. I need to stop thinking about this.

I've been feeling a little sensitive lately (probably attributable to hormones). A while back, we saw a blind man using a cane to find his way to Great Harvest Bread. I was amazed that he could get anywhere. Our car was in the parking lot and he bumped it with his cane and then averted it. We watched him fumble for a while when his cane hit the curb at the head of the parking space next to us. He eventually figured it out and stepped over it, continuing on his way. Then a woman came up and asked him if he was going to Great Harvest and offered her assistance. He accepted her offer gratefully. When he spoke to the woman who offered her arm to him, his voice seemed to indicate some mild disability.

Describing the experience makes me feel like we were observing him for much longer than we actually were. All of this happened in a few short moments as we were getting in our car and leaving the parking lot. It made me sad, though. I guess I just keep thinking about the little person we're bringing to our family, and I want so much for him to have the best chance at life and happiness, whatever that means. Even though I think it's important for us all to experience and overcome difficult things in our own lives, I want to protect him from any disadvantage, any meanness, any unfairness in the world, any confusing unanswered questions. I'm not sure what he's going to have to face outside of our home, but I hope that in spite of how badly I fail at expressing it, despite my own inability to explain the world, that he will always be confident in my love.

the ring to rule them all

I've been wearing a ring on my left-hand ring finger for the past three years straight, plus a little. I took it off recently because my finger is too fat and it doesn't fit anymore (dash pregnancy swelling?). Three days of no ring-wearing after three years of constant ring-wearing feels pretty weird. So I guess what I'm trying to say is this: Happy Valentine's Day.

I can't figure out how to work Lord of the Rings into this situation more fully. Any clever ideas?

more Rancho love

1 bunch cilantro	$0.17
3 red bell peppers	$1.01
3 yellow bell peppers	$0.97
2 limes	$0.30
1 cucumber	$0.33
9.48 lbs navel oranges	$1.17
3.48 lbs fuji apples	$1.72
total bill	$5.84

I am a big fan of produce prices at Rancho Markets.