What a *****.

Was this the video from that economic summit or something from about a month ago or more? Or was this live on the show? I have that on record if it's last night's; must go watch it.

How incredibly irresponsible. If the paper is that insignificant, the doctor should have requested he be excused from it, not that someone else write it. Which, apparently he would be surprised to know, is called CHEATING and FRAUD. What benefit to the kid is it to learn that not only can he circumvent the school assignments, but that Mommy will do it for him??? I have always been appalled at the logic from parents who do their kids' homework -- how could this possibly be helping them, are they really so stupid that they don't get that the grade isn't the benefit, it's the learning involved?

Children should be allowed to paint and to put their blocks and cars anywhichway they want, and they should be allowed to make their own mistakes and do their own work. Boy I'm mad. :lol:

Yes, I am somewhat "unclose" to my sis, not as unclose as I am to some of them, but still. I am also a freak when it comes to making phone calls.

Later kids,
Kiwi

Oh, Kiwi, phone calling is not the only way you're freak. You're a freak of love (what a title for a song!) and we all admire you. Except you should call more.

Bush was dancing with some tribe people and waving his hands around and beating a drum. I don't know what it was from but it was on the Early Show as well. Laura was initiating hand movements in the dance. It was the kind of thing that almost anyone would be embarrassed by .. but the president ..may not, I guess.

OK, I made it through today. Three people didn't come in and I was busy. But get this: I spent most of the day in the terrible room. We have a posted policy that there will be no corporal punishment. That new teacher smacked the kids on the butt all day, with her hand and with a pointer. She threatened to do so and carried out her threat. It worked. She should be fired but it worked. This place is too crazy.

I just watched a cute movie and want to tell about it. People who were at the battle at Normany apparently return there to think about old friends and such. The movie involves an American and a Brit who do that, both are looking for the beauty who nursed their injuries and who loved them. They find her. Neither suspected she was a prostitute. I just loved the 70 year old ex-prostitute. Lauren Bacall was in the movie too was she was less flamboyant.

Bye.

I think that baby boomers in general - from the youngest to the oldest ends of the spectrum - will always have varying degrees of fascination for WWII. One of the best novels I ever read was Marge Piercey's Gone to Soldiers. It followed the lives of seven or eight characters through the war, and it was so amazingly well written and compelling that I've kept my old, extremely worn paperback copy and re-read it every couple of years. I read it aloud to my DH (His father was a glider pilot in WWII) over the course of a summer about three years ago in his studio with him painting while I read. He loved the book, too, and we had some interesting discussions about the war, our parents, their lives, our lives, etc. throughout the reading. I've read some great novels, (I love storytelling) but I think that book will always top the list.

Kiwi, I'd like to give you a piece of good advice about your relationship (or lack thereof) with your step?sister, but I'm afraid that anything I could say in that regard would be hypocritical on my part. I'm not a good phone buddy myself - and I don't mean to sound like I have a superiority complex or anything like that, but to me, most "chatty" phone conversations (a) go on long after there's actually anything to say, (b) end up becoming gossipy, and (c) take up time that I'd rather spend DOING something as opposed to talking about doing it. I find more value, frankly, in writing down your thoughts - journaling - letter-writing or e-mailing. Not ALWAYS, certainly, but I'm afraid that I'm just not the social butterfly of the group by any stretch of the imagination. AND if people don't reach out to me - step sisters, *real* sisters, any other sort of relative, and even friends - I'm afraid I'm unlikely - usually - to go out of my way to do any reaching out myself. My *real* sister and I - she is 12 years older than I - didn't see much of each other throughout most of our adult lives. She divorced her first husband when I was just married and in my very early twenties. After her divorce, she moved down to Florida, eventually remarried a man from there, and raised the two children they had together and her two oldest down there. We pretty much went our separate ways, with a card at Christmas, and the VERY occasional visit - my parents were still living back then, and she would come to New England once every couple of years to see them (they went south most winters) and so I would see her briefly then, but we never arranged visits specifically between the two of us. About five years ago, I went down to Richmond, VA, to visit with my best friend - I go down for a week every year, and she comes to me for a week. For some reason - don't ask me why - I called my sister. She asked if there was any way I could get down to see her; she had retired to North Carolina by then. On a complete whim, I extended my vacation for another week, rented a car, and drove down there. We had an absolutely wonderful week together. It was amazing to learn about all the things we had in common, share family memories, etc., etc. Since then, she's been up three or four times to stay with me, and I go back to her every summer. We keep in touch via phone & letters (she says she's too old to learn how to use a computer). It's developed into a wonderful relationship, and I'm so glad to have her in my life. So, for once, behaving uncharacteristically has paid off for me. I don't suggest that you would have a similar experience with your step - or half-sister. I don't know. The only advice I can give you is to go with your feelings - I'm a great one for believing that we inherently "know" the right thing to do, and "know" when is the right time to do it. If it doesn't feel right at the time, then don't do it. If it does, do. But don't agonize over it. We cows will still love you no matter what you do... :D

Wet and rainy today, here...an altogether white-knuckled drive into work over the 'Pike with some people dragging along at 30 mph, while others were racing through at 85 or more, throwing up great sprays of water that virtually blinded me for seconds at a time, not to mention the big trucks...ahhhh...all in a day's commute, eh? At least it's not snow and ice. They're still getting snow in the Denver area...I swear you couldn't PAY me to live there. I did get in another 30 minute bike ride last night when I got home from work, rode Sunday & Tuesday, and hopefully again tomorrow...so I will at least be getting a good ride in every other day. I'm feeling a LOT better just by adding in a little exercise, eating healthier, and of course having frosted my hair... :lol: ...can't turn back the clock, but I ought to be able to slow it down a little bit. But that's kind of a joke, too, isn't it??? I have an acquaintance - old friend, actually, but when I divorced my husband, the friendship kind of fell by the wayside - who skiied every winter, sailed every summer, hiked prodigiously, and was always touting some new health food - or vitamin supplement - or other, and about six months ago, I saw his obituary in the local paper.

I don't think there's anything we can do to lengthen our life spans. I'm pretty convinced that we're just like Bic lighters - programmed to *click* only so many times, and then that's it. We go when it's our time to go. Which isn't to say that we shouldn't try to be healthy while we're alive....I think quality of life is important...but I've heard people say they want to lose weight because they want to be around to see their grandchildren grow up, you know? To me, that's just silly. Lose weight so YOU'LL feel better and have more energy, etc., but don't expect it to change your life span. I just have to admit to having ONE little regret...I'd kind of hate to say "no" to a hot fudge sundae and then get run over by a truck fifteen minutes later, you know? :(

Well, I KNOW I run on, and I apologize. The truth of the matter is that I don't feel like starting the workday.. :dizzy:

Cowp, Have you ever thought of changing careers? With all your experience with classroom politics with what...3 & 4 year olds(?)...you'd be a NATURAL as an advisor in the White House... ;)

TTFN,

Ella :moo:

What movie was that, Peachers? I think my favorite WWII movie is always going to be that one with the woman's name, um...... Mrs. McGillicuddy's Chowder.. no.. Wow, it sux to lose your memory...

It makes a tremendous difference whether you grew up with a sibling or not. I didn't grow up with the 6 siblings that my dad had after my parents' divorce. I grew up with an older brother and my younger (half) sister (my mother remarried too). I am entirely comfortable with my brother & half-sister, but all those half-sibs that I didn't grow up with -- totally UNcomfortable. This one in Mass. is the one I get along with best, but even her I haven't seen much. There's a lot of painful history in that part of the family, and I'm an emotional chicken.
Well, if that's the motivation that works, I say Do It! But I agree, you ought to be doing it to feel better about yourself or just to feel better!
:lol: good one!

Psst: Bagz! I saw those 2 adorable pics that DD? posted with you in them. I really think you should use the 2nd one as your avatar :devil: What a great shot!

I have to figure out my weekend. I think I'm driving to Boston tomorrow, staying overnight, going to DD's chorale concert on Sunday, and driving home Sunday night. I did try to call my half-sis, but got constant busy signals, tried emailing again, haven't heard anything. Don't have the heart to keep trying, I'm abandoning that idea.

Excellent, maybe I CAN loooose weight someday..

Would you believe I went snowshoeing yesterday? I've been impatiently waiting for one of the woodsroads to clear enough to drive down to take the dog for a run, but they all seem to still be covered with snow still. Most areas that see the sun are clear and muddy, but these shaded woods areas will be forever thawing. So I couldn't drive in the road, but I could bring snowshoes with me and get down almost the whole road on them. The dog was very happy, and I got some exercise, so it's all good.

I need to do laundry... Have a good day y'all...

Kiwi

Sorry. I promise to be nicer. I'm having a nasty bad day.

Don't do it on my account. How are things going?

Nasty bad. I could write a book..... or a screenplay to a really bad made for tv movie.

Hey Wabby, I don't know you as well as the others do, but I DO care. I'm sorry you're having a bad time of it.

We're pretty good listeners, if you want to talk about it, you know.

Please take care of yourself.

Ella :)

Damn, I am so sorry you all are going through this crap. Is your DD doing okay?

Rosie the Robot developed an obsession with the bathroom, and I had to declare it off limits. Who'd have imagined that a machine could get neurotic?

Here's something (barely) annoying: our local tv stations don't carry Martha Stewart or Regis Philbin. Not that I really feel like this is the end of the world, but I would like the option of watching them if I feel like it, you know? At the beginning of this year, our DishTV started including the local stations; before that we watched network shows on NYC stations. Now, we can't get those at all. I feel so much more provincial than I did before. Must be why I gained about 5 lbs since then. Follow that logic. I dare you.

My DD is on her way over to Harvard to perform in a skit that she did during Muslim awareness week. Tomorrow I will drive down and interrupt her studying -- yay!

Later gators
Kiwi

The movie was A Foreign Field. Will post more later.

Why did I not think that talking about a 70 year old hooker would set Ella off. Why oh why. I am going to stick my head in a bag now and pass out.

Good grief, Cowp, I'm beginning to grow quite fond of you :hug:

Ella :crazy:

I have revived after cuddling with that magazine that has Imus's picture on the cover. So sad to see him used as a whipping boy.

My friend who is writing the paper for her was going to come visit me in the summer. I was so looking forward to it ... sorta. I LOVE HER but she is bossy and difficult to be in the same state with. Anyway, she's not coming now as she has to monitor her ds's medication and .. get this .. suggests we get together with our ds's and 'make them get reacquainted." A playdate for young adults. Pretty sure mine would not be interested.

Love to Darling Wabby.

I enjoy Regis as he is always cheerful. Martha does weird stuff and since seeing her fire people on that show, I've never trusted her. What happened with the step-sis?

Going to curl up with Imus again.:twirly:

Very Eva Braun-ish of you, Cowp.

http://www.familyguy.com/images/sear...0and%20eva.png