#bergen_county

"I tell you, Tove. I'm going out of my damned mind" Dame Anne Marie, Champion of the oppressed, Liam Knight, and Boggan Social worker looks gobsmacked

Tove is trying to hide her amusement. Her own 'job' is very much on her terms, well, except for the mother part, that is an 'on call' duty of love. "Oh?"

"I knew this was going to be the busy season, so I tackled a lot of cases at once. I prepped a lot of such. Working with Kithain in need of cover stories, working with so many poor folk who just want to get by. But ... it wasn't supposed to happen, somehow I got a head. I.. well Pudge was SO useful, too useful. He and Jonas went behind my back, and I suspect others as well, and suddenly my work load is vanished. My work load is NEVER done. NEver, yet it is. Why even Bruce has started taking up more chores at the house despite hsi busy hospital schedule"

Tove is confused "And this last is a bad thing? I thought you TOLD him you BOTH had busy jobs and you wanted those socks off the floor and a few dishes cleaned if he got something alone?"

Hapless, Mrs Lee says "Well, I didn't think he'd be listening!"

Tove is glad for the iron will of trolls or she might have just snorted her coffee. "And Cleo?"

"I love Cleo, I do, and she's SO much better than she was .. .the other childlings have accepted her, her therapy is going well, god bless Gerd for her help too. She's cleaning because she wants to, not because she thinks it's all there is, but so darn quick. She finishes chores in the house for me when I didn't even ask..."

Tove look over at where her daughter has left some big boots in the hallway again and a hoodie thrown in a corner "Gee, must be tough"

"I'm serious, Tove," The boggan grand dame says sounding a bit frantic, "I haven't had free time this much in years. How do you bear it?"

"Well, ssometimes I do a few thing I want to do, or pick up a project that is not a must"

Tove ponders further and adds "For example, I've been working on a hand made Lute , it's slow work but... it's positive. What are your hobbies?"

"Well, I suppose it has been awhile since I worked on some quilts" She realizes

"And it's the perfect season for it" Tove suggests

"I suppose, but getting a Bee together may not be possible" She ponders "still, at least I'd be DOING something. Doing nothing is making me nuts"

"Kerri may have a few ideas too" Tove says, trying the honored tradition of passing the buck as she's out of ideas

"Oh she's very busy, and for the first part of that thanksgiving meal she was a ball of tension.. "

"She was?" Tove is surprised having though Kerri handled Thanksgiving beautifuly

"She got better, my point is I don't need to add to her headaches," The boggan tuts

"Let her decide if it's a headache or not. She might miss the simple notion of helping a friend on personal matters" Tove assures

"Well, all right" A smile "Thank you, Tove. I just needed to talk to somebody and Kerri is busy so.." A shrug

"I understand" And Tove does. She'll never be THE person folks go to around here, though sometimes Piper and she have a rapport which pleases her, but she makes a good second or third and she accepts it, "Got your gifts for your kids ready?"

"OH yes, Symon grown up up so much I'm not sure muffs will do it but I found something I think he'll like. And then there's Dirk, my word shopping for nightmare kith can challenge a mother. Cleo , well, I know what she loves so the easy bake oven classic .." And talk of yule plans goes on.

for a moment, at least, Anne Marie has reprieve from this surplus of TIME and dearth of TASKS

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