There, a new thread. Using my supreme powers of deduction (or is that induction, or seduction? Could be all of them at once maybe) I have come to that conclusion that page two starts on post 15. I'm probably wrong. That would be too easy and predictable.

Went to 6 yo old's kindergarten farewell party today. Lots of hyper kids and two teary kindergarten teachers. They were really nice. The kids in the other groups got the old hags and bags.

I am *trying* to get travel medical insurance on line and no one will let me. Did you know that if you travel to the country of which you are a resident even if you haven't lived there for the past twelve years they won't insure you? I guess they think you're going to go have a tummy tuck and try to charge for it. The only company that will insure us all as a family has raised their prices about 300% since the last time I booked with them. I mean, really!

Yes, we're off to you-know-where next week, as usual, and will be flying over Bagzie's house and checking out the garden. Stand on the roof and wave, Bagz!

I'm so boring. This tiny little life is so tedious. Oh well. I made a hair appt for next week at Sylvia's Beauty Silo (no, it's not really called that. It's called Sylvia's Hair Studio only in German. How original). My regular stylist will be on vacation as usual in moments of crisis where I need to look good, but I got the appt with the other one this time, *not* big fat Sylvia herself. I know you're all just so excited for me.

Wabby, my kids haven't shown any sign of genius so far, either. They're pretty cute, though.

I had to get up at the crack of 9:45 this morning so that I can go to Portland with 5 raving teenagers (and 1 other mother) and see Incubus. Wish me fortitude. I'm sure it will be a good concert, but it's general admission, and I don't think the kiddies will be satisfied with sitting 4 miles from the stage. (Didn't anyone learn anything from the concert crushes of the 70s? I hate general admission)

Sugar, I'm mesmerized by your hair appt. Okay, not. Hope you get some insurance. How long will you be on this side of the pond? Maybe we'll run into each other.

Later, s

Kiwi

But Sugar P, that is so untrue!!! You are a mother! Oprah will tell you that is the most important job in the world. Even more important than her job and you know how important O is.

I'm eating Bodacious Broccoli Salad for breakfast. I found the recipe on AllRecipe.com and I'm addicted. I'm sure all the nutrients in the broccoli cancel out the harm that the mayo, cheese and bacon that are in it have.

Kiwi, you are an awesome mom. I hope the DD remembers this. Unfortunately she'll probably just remember that you wouldn't let her go by herself.

Nothing happening today, just work. And you think you have a tiny life, Sugar????

Hello s!

I had an unusual and distressing evening... we went to a manager's house tonight to look at bunk beds we're buying from them. After DS2 tested out the bunk bed and we decided to get them, we went out to the garage where the manager wanted to show us a toy he has... some kind of ATV thing called a "Mule." Kind of like a large golf cart. Then he bundles ds2 (who is six) into the thing with his son (who's twelve) and sends them off!! I'm stunned... I've never met this boy, I've never been on this property, there have been tornado warnings all evening, creeks are flooding, I can see lightning in the distance... and they mention a lake. I'm so freaked out I feel like I'm going to throw up. Then the manager says "Let's go inside." Like to chat or something. I said no, I'll stay out here. Meanwhile, I'm thinking "These people have no common sense." "How did this man ever become a manager?" Even better, after they returned safely, manager dude wanted to let ds2 DRIVE! He's six! He can't even ride a bike without training wheels! He's just now okay to drive the shopping cart at the store!

Maybe I'm more paranoid than most, but I spend all day writing news stories that include the horrible things that happen to kids. I know what can happen. But this wasn't an intellectual thing... my gut was SCREAMING that it was wrong. The boys returned safely, we chatted some more, and then my family left. I've been upset about it all evening. I don't think I'll ever go back there, even though I liked the wife and I thought the son was really nice. He and DS1 would really like each other. I just don't understand what happened... it was beyond my realm of experience. I mean, my brother learned to drive a tractor at ten, but he never was allowed to drive with another kid on the tractor. So it's not a city vs. country thing.

Other than that... the evening was okay... I had a headache but decided to do a kickboxing tape anyway. Amazingly enough, my headache went away! Now I have a bunch of writing to do.

Cherry, I'm in such a bad mood that I could take care of that guy for you. Some people are just thick. It's unthinkable to take your teensy ds and send him off on a motor vehicle with another child without even checking with you at ALL.

Herbie and I have been getting along really well and I'm very happy here. However, he brought that subject up again last night and I'm deeeeeepressed. Bye.

Hello all,
I'm a bore as usual. I envy Kiwi and her Incubus concert. It is a shame she must go with girls with painted hands. Everyone there will know she is not a perfect mother. At least I can put DD in a hat and pass her off as a good daughter.

Cherry, we're a motorized household....all of my kids can drive all kinds of dangerous things...our rule is that NO ONE who visits can ride anything. Does that guy have no sense?

I heard on the radio that it is impossible for anyone in the US to make it through a day without experiencing some representation of a cow. We've been testing this theory and it seems to be true. Please look around and see if you see cows everywhere. Other than in the mirror.

What subject did Herbie bring up. Do I have to kick his butt?

(sing the following)
My kids are almost out of school, my kids are almost out of school, my kids are almost out of school....hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!

The concert was FANTASTIC!!!!

Honestly one of the best concerts I've ever been to. It had everything a girl needs in a concert: really cool set and lights, great music (the jumping up and down screaming kind), and a really hot lead singer... Click here for hot lead singer

Gosh, Lush, my daughter won't fit in a hat; she's normal sized Seriously, though, what did your DD do to her head that she needs to wear a hat? Spike her hair and dye it green?

I am as horrified as you, Cherry. Your gut feeling was good common sense. It's a shame that morons like that are able to exert the kind of authority that makes it so hard to keep them from running right over you and doing whatever they want. I mean if a stranger had taken your son and stuck him on a vehicle like that, you'd have screamed bloody murder, right? You think someone you know wouldn't pull something like that, plus you're hampered by having to work with/for the man.

Well, I think I need to go wake up the kid, if you can believe it -- 3 PM and she's still sleeping. We didn't get home until 4 am this morning.

Kiwi

Herbie and I are breaking up I guess. I don't want to go into details of what he said last night because it's too off-the-wall and upsets me.

I have not been to a concert but Janet Reno was in Dogpatch today. She stood before the crowd of 15 and asked if anyone had questions. No one did. She thanked us all for coming and walked away to her truck.

I'm simply amazed that you went to a concert w/ screaming kids, didn't get home until 4am and you liked it. You are the mom that all kids want.

I'm going to respect the fact that you don't want to talk about the Herbie thing, Peaches, and I won't ask you just what kind of moron would want to break up with a sweet southern peach like you.

Cherry, I've been amazed several times with ppl like you described. In fact my dear old Dad would always want to take the grandkids for rides on his tractor while he was working. Driving down hills. I wouldn't let my kids do it, and I always stuck my nose into it when he would take other nieces and nephews on his tractor, but I was always amazed that other ppl didn't seem to think it was dangerous. I would just always give him newspaper articles every time somebody would be killed or maimed in a tractor accident. He actually left my nephew,(5) sitting on the tractor seat, with the motor running while he went in front of the tractor to clear some debris out of the way. It makes me crazy.

It's hot, hot, hot here today. 93 degrees in the shade.

Yeah, it sucks that he's the boss of DH's boss... thanks for backing me up. I won't go back there, though.

Peachie, I'm sorry about you and Herbie. If you're talking about the subject I think you're talking about, DH and I had quite a few tearful conversations about that (most of the tears were on my part) until I finally wore him down. You know best about your own situation, though.

I wonder if Reno will actually get elected. You never know with these things.

Kiwi, I agree that the Incubus singer is quite adorable. Also surprisingly talented for a popular act in this day and age. They backed Osbourne baby Kelly in her "Papa Don't Preach" remake. I'm glad you had fun at the concert.

Wabby- hills and tractors terrify me. I've written way too many stories about guys (usually older men) having their tractors roll over them on hills. Almost always fatal. I'm always thankful that I'm more of an editor than a writer, so I don't have to go to those scenes.

I've had to do battle over vehicles and kids before. Last year, some workers (who are no longer there) wanted to double-buckle kids in the daycare van. I stepped in real quick about that and wouldn't agree to send DS this summer unless there were fewer kids than van seats. (I was going along on field trips last year with my own car, so I took ds2 back to the center a couple of times. In that incident, they had taken two trips to get the kids there but they wanted to "save time," I guess) The new director is great... she's as big a safety freak as I am. It amazes me how people take safety for granted. I had to fight with ds2's very own Godmother, who wanted to send her two boys and ds1 in a car with only two seatbelts for the back seat. I was surprisingly meek last night and I wish I had done more.

Lushie, yeah, it didn't bother me so much that that boy could drive... because I've lived in a rural area and know what that's like... most of my family was driving cars by 12 or 13. Heck, if we lived out in the country, we'd probably have something. I know DS1 drives the golf cart when he stays with his grandparents for the summer, and he's learning to drive the boat. It's good training, so he knows what to do. Of course, he's also 13. DS2 is learning to steer the boat (with us in the boat and with his lifejacket on.)

Speaking of cows, y'all would love my dining room and kitchen. The collection was confined to the kitchen, but has now spilled into the dining room. So, no, I can't get through a day without seeing a representation of a cow. :-)

On Topic (is there a topic?) I have eaten two salads a day since Sunday. Go me! I've reduced carbs, too, in a pathetic attempt to lose weight.

You must go to the forum "Lighten Up" under the topic Favorite Member Titles (Click here) !!

Wabby, you're too kind. I think it's just that I never grew up, so naturally I'm willing to drive 4 hours and stand in the rain to get into a concert And here's an advantage to taking kids to rock concerts: you get to buy the t-shirt and then see it on someone it looks good on!

Peaches, I sure am sorry you and Herbie are not on the same wavelength these days.

I do think it's hilarious to picture Janet Reno speaking to 15 people in Dogpatch I'm getting thoroughly disgusted with the campaigning in our state. So far 2 candidates have each called our house with automatic dialers twice. I could forgive once, but not twice. I mean, it's not like they need to catch us at home--the messages play on your answer machine if you're not. One of the same candidates also has put so many signs in a nearby town that it looks like a G**D*** parade. He is not getting my vote--and he would have gotten it before this. I think I'll go send him an email to assure him of this fact.

Rant Rant Rant.

What am I going to do all summer?

Kiwi

I'm reading A Walk in the Woods by Bryson and Kiwi's town is mentioned in it!! I was so excited.

I went to that thing Kiwi pointed out and found myself in a mirror.

Today .. the ortho visit before the braces come off .. ds and I were having a lovely lunch when he complained that his mouth was bleeding. You know how kids are ... complain complain complain. But since I'm an understanding mom (he wAS reading over my shoulder til I wrote that) we returned to the ortho office and learned the wire was on backwards. It has a left and a right and was reversed.

Lush acts like she cares but does she really??? nope. She's gone again.

Frozen Tootsies, Maine was mentioned in a book? Amazing. Did it mention something more than the previous publication you found my town in ? Remember?

DS is getting his braces off so soon? Lucky guy -- I think DD was in them for 4 or 5 years. Of course I can't remember exactly. I'm old.

Got DD's final report card today. All A's and A+'s. What a kid.

Kiwi