April 2004 Archives

Nate is sitting on my lap, kissing my cheek and telling me he loves me. He's such night owl. While I was reading blogs he cut out cupons (just for the fun of cutting) and made dot to dot pictures of a camel and something else. We can't decide what that one is. He also cut up some ribbon and asked me lots of math questions. He says over and over how much he likes to spend time with me. (That made me feel guilty because I was on the computer, but I took breaks to focus on him) That's the one thing about having so many kids so close together; the one on one time is too limited. But, when I see him play with Willow and they both are giggling and happy, I see that there is a wonderful flip side.

My box of checks finally came today. Sophie got the box off of the stack of mail and opened it with one of her Ikea silverware set butterknives. She was really focused on her task (and it kept her busy while I prepped some veggies for dinner, so I didn't interrupt her) and kept muttering to herself, "Chocolate, chocolate." Boy was she pissed off when she got the box open. I let her keep the check register as a consolation prize.

Tomorrow my mom is taking Willow and me to Santa Cruz for a hair cut. I can't decide what to do with it, but I do think it's too long, especially for summer. Lexy has threatened me about doing anything drastic and John wants it to remain straight. (But let me say that he is not the sort to tell anyone what to do with their hair. I asked his opinion.) I am sort of ready for change, though. I don't know. Last time (over a year ago) she cut off more than I thought she would and I sort of had little anxiety and panic attacks for awhile after. It is very vain of me, but I think my hair is the best thing I have going, lookswise, and when it went from down to my waist to just the middle of my back I felt really ugly. I am a total nerd to even care, I know.

Lexy did the shittiest thing EVER to Nate today. He flung a shovel full of really thick, goopy mud into his face. It covered his whole face, including his eyes. I can't believe I didn't just lay him out with a good right hook. I admit I wanted to. Instead I told him to go to his room and stay there because I was too mad to look at him. He ate dinner in there and did what he could of his homework (not much, I'm afraid) by himself. Nate got a bowl of marshmallows after dinner for dessert and he asked for a bowl for Lexy. I said, HELL NO, well, just NO, and Nate said, "Mom, it's okay. He's sorry now and he's being nice to me." I'm torn, again, between being grateful that Nate is so loving to his brother and wanting to tell him to make that shithead pay for what he did. I know Lexy was sorry. And he was tired and he's had a busy week. But still, that was mean. Fighting I understand. The hitting they exchange is crappy, but somewhat normal. But I explained to Lexy that he had crossed the line. I hope he got it.

This is getting longish.

You'd think that since Willow is my fourth baby (and all close together, so no forgetting between kids) I'd immediately know what is wrong when she has a fever off and on for a couple of days, doesn't want to eat too much, has one watery poopy diaper after the next (sorry, gotta tell it like it is), and barfs a bit. Tonight she shrieked in agony for a good hour and a half, with little nap breaks. Something hurts really badly. Is it her ear, again, or maybe that molar that I can just feel the pointy top of? (A preposition is a perfectly good thing to end a sentence with!) I have no clue. I just gave her tylenol and rocked her and sang to her. We see the doctor tomorrow for something else anyway, and I can't very well run her to the county ER at night with all the kids while John's at work. The post this is from is too long to just link to, so I'll be self-absorbed and quote myself describing the ER when I took Willow in January:

Ever hang out at the county hospital er after midnight? Not too fun. It was packed so tightly that I was afraid to breathe. I was sure we'd get that awful flu or sars or whooping cough or something. The receptionists are behind bulletproof glass. That did little to inspire any safe feelings. Then a man came in the door yelling about his need for a psychatrist and a urine test. RIGHT NOW. He needed that test RIGHT NOW, because his doctor told him to get it. After he piped down, I smiled at another man sitting down near where we were standing (no seats open) and the man growled at me. I decided to pass the wait by watching the tv in the corner where BJ and Hawkeye were having a debate about who was funnier. We finally got called in.

That was from this post when I wrote all about Willow's hospital admission.

Sorry, tangent ending now.

I told Nate a bedtime story that he really liked. John told me to write it down. So I did, only I made it into a rhyme. Now I want him to make charcoal line drawing illustrations and we'll take it to Kinko's and make coloring books out of it. I have more money-making from home plans than anyone, including Martha, but maybe we'll really do this one. Because, HEY! my part is done, so what's the hold up??! Wanna buy a coloring book?

I forgot that I was going to work on a writing project tonight. I think I'll do that until I pass out. Willow's piercing wails woke me up pretty thouroughly. Poor baby.

It's hot. I'm inspired to get the AC in the van repaired for my poor drooping, sweaty children. I find it harder (much harder) to part with money since I cut up all my credit cards. Explain the logic here; I tend to spend more when using credit cards, even though with interest I'm paying much more for the item. Cash is more real and immediate, I guess.

Willow said "Opie" yesterday while pointing to Sophie. She's certainly mastered the art of cuteness.

The kids are beginning to wake up, so I'm off to make toast.

This afternoon I sat on the living room floor feeding Willow some yougurt. The windows were open and I could hear a neighbor and his daughter in their yard. It sounded like she was practicing karate and trying to break a board or something with her hands, but I'm only guessing. The girl sounded like she was close to being a teenager and the father was impressively calm and patient. He'd say, "A little more this way," or, "Put your hand there next time," and she kept saying in an exasperated voice, "It doesn't matter," and "So what?? I don't care," and "SIGH, yeah Dad, whatever." I looked at Willow and wondered if she'd ever be so sassy to her dad.

John was sitting in a chair near us and I could also hear the scritching of his charcoal pencil on paper as he sketched. I could hear our windchimes. Well, what's left of them since they're ceramic and share a home with Sophie and Nate and several balls. Then I heard bagpipes. The first time we heard them the kids and I were outside. We all listened. I thought at first they were coming from the nearby jr high school, maybe someone practicing in the field or something. Then I figured that the somber and mournful song must be coming from the cemetery a little further down the street. Today they played a song that sounds like Amazing Grace but isn't. I've heard it lots of times; I think it's traditional. It was sweet and sad, to have all these sounds of life around me and hear that. I don't really know how to explain it, but I was reminded to feel grateful for this life and my loved ones and to feel for the family and friends standing and grieving in the hot sun so close to us.

It's been an odd few days. Willow had her EEG. I sat and watched her breathing irregularly in her drug-induced sleep with dozens and dozens of brightly colored wires sticking out from her head. She did fine, and she is fine and I think she is nearly done with all the testing and visits. Being back in the hospital was eerie. I feel so relieved that she isn't seriously ill and part of me feels guilty because so many kids there are. It's almost like gloating. There was an obituary in the paper on Easter for a young man who died of cystic fibrosis. He was 22, and looked like he could have been Willow's brother; handsome and blonde, with blue eyes. I read it and thought how different our path would have been if she did have cystic fibrosis. And I am so so glad she does not.

On Saturday we were driving to pick up Nate from a party and this man nearly drove smack into us. It would have been a horrific crash and it's good that John was driving and not me. It was really close. Then as we were leaving the party, Lexy jumped out of the van as I was buckling the girls into their seats because he wanted to go back to the house for a drink. He went across the street without even looking and almost was hit by a car. Again, it was such a close call. Five or so seconds of difference could have ended up with him dying. When we finally made it home we decided to stay there for the rest of the day! My mom and my brother came by to see the kids for a little bit. I am grateful for my family and for this life.

This is in the Hidden Villa photo album thing on the right, but I just needed more Willow and Papa.

I am so tired that when I noticed two little parallel nearly healed scratches on the inside of my forearm this afternoon, I thought, If I told the right few people that these were the marks where they'd implanted the microchips in me, I'd earn myself a very quiet vacation.

I then went for the healthier daydream approach. It went a liitle like this:

Someday I'll drop all the kids off at school. I will come home, drink coffee and read the paper. Then, I will garden and clean the house. After that, I will make lunch and sit down to read and write and blog. Then, I'll go pick up the kids, hang out with them, and cook a great meal that they will all eat. John will get home from work in time to join us. After dinner the kids will clean up, happily (because I'm fantasizing) and competently. Then they'll all sleep in their own beds and they won't pee in them and I'll get to curl up with John for the night, 'cause there are no night jobs in my pretend future. And I will listen to NPR and I'll knit and sew and grow sterling silver roses without killing them. And I'll maybe have one or two Bengal Cats.

But really, I think that when all the kids are in school I'll probably have a job! Maybe I can put it off and have a few days like that first. Maybe we could breed Bengals. Hmmmm, more daydreaming.

1. Virginia:: slims
2. Soft:: touch
3. Carol:: channing
4. Vanity:: city
5. Feminist:: platform
6. Alias:: psuedo
7. Coward:: hide
8. Beer:: sweet
9. Chance:: meeting
10. Honest:: abe

Well, that's an interesting little game. I saw it on Pea's site. I hate that my first one is a commercial. And why is beer 'sweet?' Hmmmmmm.

Nate loves preschool.

Instead of being greeted with an earnest, quietish "Good Morning, Nathan," he gets a teenaged guy who says, "Naaaaaaaaate, dude! Punch it!" Then they have a rather complicated routine that ends with them punching each others' fists. Heaven.

That girl with the scrawny braids is Sophie.

Today I took Willow to the eye doc. She's fine, which we knew. I had to fill out a form (cause, ya know, a three inch thick medical chart just doesn't suffice) that asked for our address. It had an area under the address that asked you to indicate what type of address you'd given. Was it:
a) permanent, or,
b) temporary?

If temporary, were you:
a) staying with a friend
b) in transitional housing
c) in a shelter
d) living in your car
e) homeless
f) in jail
g) other?

I thought about checking other and writing in, "being held hostage by small, demanding children who pee all over the house, please help!" but then I thought maybe it's not always a good idea to be a smart ass.

Lexy's loose tooth came out while I was gone. He then lost it by accidentally (get it?) throwing it on the floor into a big mess of spilled popcorn. Vaccuuming was verboten! until the tooth was recovered. I made them vaccuum anyway, promising to check for the tooth in the canister thing. Never buy a bagless vaccuum; they suck in a bad way. Anyway, he went to sleep without finding the tooth. I cleaned up the living room a bit, and there it lay under a chair. When he wakes up tomorrow he will find a note folded over a small plastic bag (the extra button size bag). In the bag, with lots of glittery fairy dust, is the tooth. The note says, in a super-flowery script, "I found this tooth. If it belongs to you, Master Alexander, leave it under your pillow and I will return tomorrow evening." I love this sort of thing. I know it may be unhealthy to sell the santa/bunny/fairy myth to them, but it's fun!! And they can go to therapy. Uh, more therapy.

Good golly, last post was titled "girl's night in," when it should have been "girls' night in!" Slap me. I hate those sorts of errors.

I'm listening to a Cowboy Junkies cd that John thoughtfully gave to me ages ago. I find it nearly impossible to listen to music. If we're in the van the kids want the same song over and over and if it isn't what they want the resulting noise drowns out what I'm trying to hear. Makes me crave an adults only road trip.

I need to put the kids to bed. Make this sometime. It is very good.

Sautee 4 cups corn, one bunch scallions (sliced, including half the greens) and 1/2 tsp paprika in a tbsp of butter or oil for about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/3 cup chopped parsley or cilantro, and 1 tbsp minced basil or dill. Remove from heat.

Put 5 cups bread cubes (I bought french bread on tues, left it out till friday, cut off most, but not all of the crust, and cut into 1" cubes. Careful with that bread knife, now.) in a large bowl. In another bowl whisk 4 eggs with 2 cups milk. Pour the milk and eggs over the bread. Add the corn mixture and 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese. Mix.

Pour into a buttered 3 quart casserole or gratin dish and top with 1/2 cup half and half. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, till browned. After taking out of the oven sprinkle with paprika.

Yum.

I should go put the boys to bed. The girls are sleeping--Soph on my lap. John is up in San Francisco with M at a show (someday I'll go, too!) so Willow and I had a couple of hours together while the big kids went to visit their dad. My littlest girl and I went to Whole Foods for a couple of items. We came home and ate chunky chickpea guacamole in piata bread for dinner. Then we took a bath and I washed her sweet little fluffy hair and drank my soy latte from Whole Foods. After that I dressed her in a long sleeved white cotton onesie that once belonged to Lexy. It's almost too small. Then we came back here and I drank a beer!!!! and read blogs while she nursed to sleep. When I knew the kids would be home soon, I put a lantern with a lit candle on the porch so they could see their way in since the porch light is burned out. They thought that was really cool.

Time to read a little Harry Potter.

leads to this.

I made a little photo album. If you look on the right hand side bar and click on the Hidden Villa link, you will see evidence of our wonderful hike and my crappy scanning skills.

The weather has cooled off and it may even rain. I love cool rainy days. Enough to live further north, probably.

My mom made a lovely Easter dinner! There were crepes with creamed spinach and mushrooms; tomatoes baked with garlic, breadcrumbs, herbs and parmesean; grilled asparagus with shaved asiago, and a dish that I can't remember the name of that's like a vegetable pot pie, only instead of a pie crust there is a dropped-biscut topping; asiago bread; soudough bread shaped like a rabbit; hot cross buns; honeybaked ham; crepes with nutella and peach jam for dessert. It was amazing. I ate and ate and ate while John chased the kids in the front yard. I didn't even have to feel guilty about it, since I didn't get to go back to bed after the 6:30 am egg call like he did. The EB was too kind to these children. They ended up with lots of chocolate and fun toys. Nathan recieved a knitting mushroom which has been lots of fun. He and Sophie are both sporting little bracelets. I taught the boys (and myself! hey!) how to finger knit. I am wearing the necklace that Nate made for me. Sophie took Lexy's long finger knit chain and, well, sort of stuck it in her bottom so it would hang down like a tail. She was naked because she's potty training and has much better luck without the underwear at this point. Lexy wants me to wash his chain, and we all laughed so hard that now she's trying to put other things in her heinie. Lord help me. While I'm on the subject, early this morning she came to me in just a diaper with a plastic sword sticking out of the front. The hilt of the sword was in the diaper and the sword pointed up. "Look, mama," she said, "I gots a peepee." I am scarred for life, thanks very much.

pushing Ctrl W will close the window you are in?? So next time you're blogging beware the capital W.

I found this on This Woman's Work. It's one of those survey things, if you want to know lots of silly things about me.

I know I should not complain. But the hormones or the cabin fever or something put me in a foul mood today. I was even more than a little pissy to John, but he is patient and good at not being pissy back. I'm very very grateful for that.

The children are all sleeping, and have been for about an hour. Don't you know that someone will wake up crying now that I've jinxed myself? I have had a chance to check my email, work on my book (I'm going to talk about it a lot to make sure that I really do write it. Because I want to do it and a little pressure will help.), and pour one smallish glass of wine so I can get rid of this seemingly permanent headache without taking tylenol. I feel ever so much better now.

I have to babysit in the morning and go meet with Lexy's therapist in the afternoon. In the late afternoon, we will dye Easter eggs. We even sort of whipped the house into shape for the occasion. It was bad. I think it was mostly to blame for my crabbiness. So, egg coloring and such. I won't take any pictures this year because Sophie got to my camera and most likely opened it with film inside. That would be film with pictures from Nate's first day of school, Lexy's cake from his play and the mama dove nesting right outside our back door. The hummingbird mama moved on and I guess we have a prime location. I think I'll take my whole camera in and see if they can salvage anything. I might as well have them clean it, too. I pretend to have money sometimes. It's a good fantasy!

I feel like blog reading before I go to sleep. I keep finding new ones and I'm going to have to put myself on a time limit or something. I'll add the new ones to the list. Goodnight!

My blog has been boring me to tears lately, so tonight I'll just post this week's dinners. I generally use a piece of scrap paper and magnet it to the fridge, so this will be super formal for me. Also, if the kids are with us I make them something else, like chicken or mac and cheese or soup. I'm not going to make them eat what I like, but I'm sure not eating what they like either! Ususally Willow and Sophie will eat what I make for the grown ups.

Monday
pasta with greens and ricotta(Moosewood Cooks at Home)
While cooking a pound of whatever pasta you prefer (we used bow-tie), sautee a couple of smashed cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add about six cups of chard (or whatever greens you like) and a cup of watercress. You want to rinse and chop the greens and leave a little water on the leaves. Cook until wilted but still bright green. Take off the heat and add a little salt and pepper and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. Add 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese (or perhaps silken tofu if you're better at being vegan than I) and process in blender or food processor until smooth. Mix with the drained pasta and top with toasted walnuts (yummy!) or pine nuts or tomatoes or whatever grabs ya.

Tuesday
gingered greens with tofu
coconut rice (Moosewood Cooks at Home)
I do the rice first. Boil 1 and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan with a tightly fitting lid. Add one cup of basmati rice, 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teasp salt, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 cup rasins or currants (I use golden rasins) and 1 dried chile if you want. Stir. Return to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and come back in fifteen minutes to take out the cinnamon and chile and be happy. Don't forget to fluff before serving.

This part sounds hard with all the ingredients, but it's easy.
Mix 1/2 cup each of soy sauce and dry sherry, 1/4 rice wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring to a boil, simmer for a minute and remove from heat. Cut 2 cakes of tofu (about 1 and 1/2 lbs) into 1/2 inch slices, then into 1 inch squares. Put the squares in a "nonreactive heatproof pan." (Uhh, I used some pyrex casserole dishes. They didn't react at all.) Pour the marinade over the tofu, then sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of peanut or veg oil, and set aside for 5 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Get the stir fry things ready: 2 tablespoons of peanut or veg oil, 2 tablesp fresh grated ginger root, 6 cups coarsley chopped greens, packed, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, pinch of cayenne or dash of chili oil.

Broil the tofu for 7 or 8 minutes, until lightly browned, then turn over with spatula (I did such a half assed job here, these are little squares, and it was fine) and brown the other side.

While the tofu broils, heat the oil in a wok or big big skillet. Add the ginger. Add the greens (I used a bunch of greens and added a little at a time). You are stir frying, so stir, on high heat, till the greens wilt. Add the lime juice, cilantro and hot stuff and remove from heat. When the tofu is done, toss it with the greens and make sure to add all the tasty marniade.

Wednesday
Fettucini cacciatore (Vegan Planet)
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over med heat. Add 8 ounces of tempeh, cut into 1 inch pieces. Cook about 5 minutes, till browned on all sides. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup dry white wine, stirring to scrape up the yummy browned bits of tempeh from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by one half and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over med heat. Add one coarsely chopped celery rib, 1 small chopped carrot, 1 small bell pepper (seeded and chopped), and 1 minced garlic clove. Cover and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add a 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes and the juice, 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (1/2 teasp dried), 1 teasp fresh minced marjoram (1/2 teasp dried), and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the reserved tempeh and reduced wine and simmer for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

Cook 1 pound of pasta until al dente, top with sauce and chow!

Thursday
riblets for the vegetarians, chicken for the carnivores
corn on the cob
green beans

this is a night of opening cans amd microwaving stuff.

Friday
not so dirty rice (Vegan Planet)
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over med heat. Add 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 small bell pepper, finely chopped and cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 cups of burger crumbles (or 2 thawed veggie burgers), 1 teasp of Tabasco, 1 teasp dried crumbled thyme, 1/2 teasp salt and 1/8 teasp cayenne. Stir to combine and heat through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups freshly cooked long grain white rice and cook until hot, 5-7 minutes.

Saturday
baked polenta with red beans and tomato salsa (Vegan Planet)
ooh, this is long. I'll tell you another time when I'm less tired.

Goodnight.

I fell asleep earlyish tonight and was just woken up by Lexy, yelling for me to come and wipe him. Ahem. Instead of being mad about it (he's going to be eight this fall!) I will take the opportunity to write down a few of the elements from the hilarious dream I was having. Plot is irrelevant here.

Peter Falk (yay!!)
my former mother in law
linguini with clams with a ton of butter and wine (I would never eat that, ick!)
an elementary school stage with Tracy Chapman, Roy Orbison, Robert Cray, and I forget who else
a pencil that I kept sharpening and the lead kept breaking
a moral to the story

Click here for kugel directions!

Yesterday Lexy took the stage as the big bad wolf. He did pretty well, even though he had to be prompted for a few of his lines. At least he wasn't compulsively picking his nose like the boy who played one of the frogs. John's mom came and gave me a ride to the show. Our van is d.o.a. in the driveway. We'll have it towed to the mechanic today. I think it needs a new starter. Anyhoo, after the show, John's mom took Lexy and me to my mom's where we met John and the remaining kids. They walked from our house to hers since a) not everyone fits in John's car, and b) Willow has another ear infection and needed a little extra distracting while the milk truck was away.

At my mom's we ate the horrible dry cake that I made. In my defense, it would have been a lovely cake had I not stored it in the fridge to keep the buttercream frosting from sliding out of it's funny little picture of a stage door with a star with Lexy's name in cursive across it. I try, ya know?

We left my mom's and walked home by way of the ice cream shop. It was a lovely walk and gave us a chance to look at the yards we usually drive past. There were lots of pretty ones and that's always inspiring. So when we got home I put Willow down for a nap, changed into some shorts and a sleeveless shirt, poured myself a big cup of coffee and weeded the patch under the mailbox where the weeds were trying to choke out the poppies that came back from last year. It was a wonderful feeling to sit outside, alone, and pull weeds. The sun was still shining, but the cool breeze made the weather just perfect. I thought, while sipping my coffee, how relaxing it all was. That lasted for about forty five seconds before Sophie woke Willow up and everyone joined me outside. John took care of the front lawn and the screaming Sophie who was supremely pissed off because she couldn't play in the street. I held Willow and weeded. It was still fun. The boys even came out and helped rake and pull weeds.

Today we will take care of the van and do our weekly grocery shop. That means I should go sit with the cookbooks and plot my little plan for the week. I am so proud of myself for planning meals. It really helps me stay on top of the dinner work. I get a lot of the prep work done during Willow's nap in the morning, so the evening is a little less hectic. But just a little.

So here I was, reading Chez Miscarriage and eating my kugel, when I hear the sound of somebody peeing. The bad kind of sound of somebody peeing. The kind that tells me that the toilet is not involved and it is time to find some towels and the fabulous spray cleaner I bought from that woman who came door to door. I get as far as the hall and there is Lexy, pulling up his pants. I said, "Accck!!! You peed all over the floor!" He looked right at me and said, "I DIDN'T DO IT" and then pulled up his pjs and went back to bed. I got to clean the carpet and the wall, how icky, huh? Then I put the exersaucer outside (after I wiped it down) because he peed all over that, too. There were puddles where my girls used to put their snacks while they played. How sad. It was only there because we need to sell or donate it and it's somewhat out of the way there since our hall is sort of square in front of the doors to the kids' rooms.

Guess he got the best April Fool of the day. I'll have to remember to tell him about it in the morning.

How could I forget??

Tonight's dinner was a vegan (except I was out of soy milk so used the cow kind) apple almond kugel. Every time I looked at the recipe I thought of my German midwife asking me if I'd been doing the exercises. Really it's fettucini (alright, I used linguini but whatever) with grated apples, golden rasins and lemon juice, baked in a 9x13 pan with a sauce made from silken tofu, almond butter, sugar, cinnamon, soy milk and vanilla. Then you top it with a mixture of corn oil, bread crumbs, ground almonds, sugar and cinnamon and bake it a little more. Willow and John both loved it. I served it with cantelope (a very poor specimen, but nobody seemed to care) and broccoli, which didn't really fit in too well, but that is what Sophie wanted to eat.

Oh shit. Now I have to go eat some more.

Woe is me. Me and my mastitis (if you don't know, you don't want to!) and my stiff neck that is finally moving a bit. My homeopathic stash that mom brought from London last year is saving me. Arnica gel gives good instant relief for the neck. I've been trying to sleep more and so haven't been on line much.

The little folk around here seem to be getting ill just in time for the weekend: a green snotty nose here, a little (okay a lot of) diarrea there, infrequent coughing, frequent whining and shrieking. I just reminded myself that Sophie stuck q-tips in her ears and said, "I Sheck, mama." Funny girl.

Lexy's play is this weekend. Please, whomever oversees these things, let him remember all his lines even though he didn't practice much. Otherwise he will collapse into a puddle and I'll need a sponge to get him home. I was very encouraged though tonight while reading Harry Potter. Yes, again. They wanted to start Prisoner Of Azkaban again, I think because of the upcoming film. We were on the first chapter and came to the part where it's Harry's birthday and the three owls come to him in the night. Now, mind you, we read all five books in a row last year, and only read each one once. Since it's April Fool's day, I was being silly and saying that Harry looked out the window and saw (instead of what was printed) "Lexy, naked as a jay bird with a bow and arrow pretending to be Cupid! Ha ha ha!" I kept that up until it got old, then did it a few more times. Anyway, we got to the part where Errol was exhausted and Harry picked him up. I said, ". . . and fried him up and ate him in a single bite." Lexy laughed and said, "No, mom, he put him in Hedwig's cage and gave him a drink of water!!!" He was exactly right. It's spooky. That is a long book and we read it long ago and he remembers the tiny details like that.

I'm never going to get away with anything with that one.

The first grade sex scandal is getting really snippy and horrid among some of the moms and it's kind of my fault. I didn't intend anything bad, but I told one of the other moms about what had happened because Lexy plays with her daughter and was going to go over after school. My thought was that the mom could make sure the kids were in earshot and that all hands stayed on deck. Instead, all the moms now know that K wanted to experiment with Lexy and they came to K's mom all upset and pissy. Yikes. Then K's mom called me and we talked. Luckily, she is very nice and I am not too proud to apologize when I need to. I think she understood my motive, and could tell that the last thing I wanted was to hurt their family. She kept her daughter home yesterday, but was back today. I'm really relieved we'll be starting at a new school in the fall.

The other day I went to get Lex after school and the road was closed because a man was on the overpass trying to jump off. I looked up at him and the first thing I thought was that he was standing in such a beautiful area (highway 17, near the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains) and how sad it was that he wanted to be dead when there is so much beauty in the world. That's probably a stupid thing to think, but it was what popped into my head. When I got up closer I saw all the gawkers and it made me very glad that Nate and Soph weren't with me. Poor man. And, I did also think he was kind of an asshole because the overpass wasn't high up enough to kill him (I don't think, anyway) and there are better ways to get help when you need it. I was also really late getting Lexy from school and I knew he'd be worried. See, I'm really not all that nice.

Willow has a 9:15 doctor's appointment. Ick. So, early to bed and all that.