Alex had to wake up at the butt crack of dawn Saturday morning to get ready for his all day, 2nd-degree, Karate blue belt training and exam. I couldn’t sleep the entire night because I’ve been training for our dinner party and in my half-dreams I was cooking roux and subsequently burning it one attempt after the other. On top of that I’ve been fighting a cold and my lymph nodes are the sizes of walnuts. Ouwee!

Buzzz went the alarm and the light magically warmed the room. Alex, obviously fresh from a well-rested night’s sleep started repeating in my ear his Mr. Miyagi impersonation, “Wax on. Wax off.”

Don’t ask if he was gesticulating, I was already too annoyed by his chipper mood to open my eyes. So I did what only an exhausted girlfriend could do: In my worst morning impression of the dancing hamster in a karate suit, I squeaked out an, “Everybody was kung-fu fighting, (ding-ning-ning-ning ding-ding dung-dung ding) Those cats were fast as lightning, (Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh Oh-oh-oh-oh)“

True. I’m the devil. He said so. He was still singing it after he left the apartment. Satisfied, I closed my eyes with a smile and drifted to a peaceful sleep.

Oh, and yes. He got his belt without any complaints from the judge.