Doctor, horrifying blister and the Eerie Dearies

We've finally reached a critical mass of people who needed to see a doctor today and took ourselves off to the physicians. Girl child and I have raging strep infections and the boy managed to get a pine needle stuck in the bottom of his foot, which festered and then developed a blister over top that wrapped itself through his toes and creeped up to the topside. The doctor called it a riddle inside of an enigma. I will spare you the details of the fix (though it does involve frightfully expensive medication to try to avoid sepsis) but I can consider boy child suitably chastened about walking around outside without shoes on.  

On a brighter note, we've been entertaining ourselves with books as we convalescence and discovered this little gem.  Eerie Dearies: 26 Ways to Miss School is Rebecca Chaperon's beautifully illustrated alphabet book reminiscent of Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies.  Chaperon has taken book covers and pages and enhanced them with her illustrations.

Here is one of my favorites.

None of our reasons for missing school were listed in Chaperon's book, but we stockpiled some responses for the next time girl child is asked why she isn't in school during school hours.