Hmmm...what's up with me...basically I've been pretty low-energy here because of the lack of carbs.  I've not lost 10 something pounds, so that's a nice jump start, but I felt terrible for most of the week.  But, I know it's temporary, and yesterday I finally perked up again.

On Wednesday evening I went to James Madison HS in Vienna for their Jamnesty -- I set up an information table on Filep and Yusak.  Boy, they did a terrific job - had 2 stages going, about 150 people came, including parents, little kids, students.  The Amnesty kids were running around with coffee and cookies.  They charged about $2 or so to get in, and put that money into postage, mainly.  The club has 2 sponsors, and they were energetic and involved.  I was able to get tons of signature petitions and went up to the mic to talk about the case.  When I went up I had planned to do some chants, but chickened out...seemed that when I looked out over the crowd, most of them hadn't chanted before and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get them going...then I'd be sitting there with a mic looking stupid...-)  

There was another guy there at a table as well -- Andrew Briggs.  He graduated from the school about 10 years ago and has started a one-man effort (with friends here and there) to work with former child soldiers in Uganda.  Here's his website.  He was one of those super-focused people, passionate about his mission.  He's bringing art to the kids, and then (I believe) either selling or using the art to help fund wells/water development in the villages.  It's complicated and slow-going, but he seems like a patient guy with a vision.  I mean...I almost dropped everything and considered just going off with him next time.  As a mom, I had to ask him how he ate!  He said he just grabs jobs when he comes back, temps etc., to get money to return.  He is actively trying to find sponsors -- I have to hand it to him...rough job, but if you believe it, you keep going.

Last night we had a flag-making party at Amnesty's Mid-Atlantic offices -- it was a fun group hanging out and playing with markers and stencils.  

Doug is in 100% shelving mode -- we now have shelving up in just about every possible space in the basement, and he's working on one more hang-from-the-ceiling project right now.  I wouldn't have believed that we could get all our stuff into the basement, and in a way that you could find it....but he's in his element, measuring, rearranging, etc., and it's worked so well.  He's very much an energizer bunny on his projects...and will be moving to the garden soon.

We're having people from Doug's office to dinner tonight, then family dinner tomorrow, so I'm in cooking mode.  I'm making Beef Bourguignon with rice, asparagus, citrus salad, rolls, and fresh fruit with cheese for dessert.  The asparagus is from Peru, and I try not to buy things that take so much oil to get here...but, I broke down -- it was so pretty.