But is it really nifty?

Okay, so here it is.

The last day of my forties.

Whodda thunk?

Certainly not me.

Tuesday is the big

5-0-!

And I am thinking they should bring back powdered wigs...

Perhaps we can leave the beheadings to times past

but I was kind of grooving on wearing this wig.

What do you think?

The Wild Rumpus was

SAD!

The Bunny got restless and didn't make it through the whole movie.

He said it was boring.

The Dolly snuggled up under my arm and held my hand.

She said it was violent.

And me?

I cried...

Fantasy for five, please

The Bunny Rabbit and the Dolly Llama have discovered the pleasures of the local library.You can go in there and get books for free! They had never seen such a wondrous thing.

Several days ago I took the Bunny alone because Dolly had a previous engagement (oh, the social life of a seven year old). He was looking for a book about Alien Invasions. Not nearly the expert he had hoped for I enlisted the help of one of the librarians. She took us over to a section where we saws books about planets and solar systems and universes.

The Bunny was unmoved.

She took us to another section that had child friendly fiction about E.T.-esque books.

Again.

Then Bunny was less than impressed.

Eventually I sent the librarian away thanking her for her time.

Finally I got to the bottom of all this...

'Mom, I want a book about REAL Alien Invasions with photos.'

Letter in Mothers Day Card - May '02

Dear Merrily,

Looking through Mother's Day cards, I didn't find many

that applied to us. There were a lot of joke cards and

a lot of cards that thanked moms for cleaning dirty socks

or making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches just right,

but none that said what I wanted to say to you, except

for this card.

"Mother's love is the first gift we know -- and we never

outgrow." My whole life I've been told that somebody

loved me enough to give me away and somebody loved

me enough to take me. I feel like my whole life has been

an extension out of the first love given me - yours.

So even though I've thanked you for this before, I am

thanking you again. Thank you Merrily for my love filled life.

I have to admit that with all the love and gratitude

I feel for you, while writing this, I'm feeling a little sad.

I'm feeling sad because it seems like we're both so busy

and we never have time to talk, let alone see each other.

I miss you, that's why I'm feeling a little sad. So I'm going

to talk to you more and plan a trip out to Atlanta when

it's good for both of us. I still have to meet Bunny and Dolly!

And I'd like to spend some semi-alone time with you

(I know you've got your hands full :).

Congratulations, again, for having the kids.

I know you'll be a wonderful mom to them.

And thank you for everything.

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Bryan

blink, blink, blink

Yes, I embarrass them

Don't you with yours?

The Pack

They are out there again.

Their howls were faint at first but every few days that familiar

eerie chorus seems a little closer as they circle.

Watching.

Waiting.

Sometimes they are silent. Sometimes they retreat a bit.

They are tentative. Not sure the time is right. Not quite sure

if they have been summoned.

I know this pack. They made their first appearance when

I was thirteen.They came very quickly and stayed for nearly

a year.

My mother and her friend Betty talked several times.

'I thought it would be okay - they are both so young.'

'It was so innocent - the most they did was hold hands.'

And yet I felt broken.

They came again when I became pregnant at eighteen.

Then I gave him up for adoption.

Their ranks grew. They must have called for reinforcements.

The rank and file was tired. This turned out to be a very along stay.

A very long stay indeed.

They have come for shorter visits. When they leave and the hazy veil

of despair is lifted I hope it is the last I will see of them.

But their path is well traveled. They know the way in their bones.

They have been visiting my ancestors for centuries.

I was not to be spared.

The very darkest, most debilitating visit occurred when my beautiful

twins arrived. I could not sleep for the incessant howling of the

pack. The noise was deafening when I nursed my babies.

I was a prisoner, a slave to them again. They fed on my panic,

on my feelings of being trapped - a prisoner in my own home.

They finally left after six months. Now and again I would find the

tufts of their undercoats under a high chair, behind a crib.

Little testaments to their visit.

They call to me every few years or so.

This time I heard them early - I went for help sooner.

And I am taking care of myself better.

And yet they wait.

I visualize running them off. A screaming banshee with a big stick.

I visualize them losing interest and wandering off.

I visualize a peace of mind descending and a serenity that stays.

And the seeds of hope fall out of my clenched fists as they

slowly relax and open.

And I pray for rain.

Mommy and Daddy were just exercising

We just returned from our annual pilgrimage to Minnesota

for the clan family reunion.

The weather was not what a Minnesotan might call ideal lake

weather but for this southern crew it was pure bliss.

Nights were down in the 50's and days varied by the hour but I

don't think ever tipped in to the 80's.

Oh, to sleep with windows open and hear the loons. Heaven.

Due to the weather there was some TV watching going on.

One late afternoon The Bunny and some of his male cousins

were watching and a public service commercial came on that

mentioned the word sex several times. There was a lot of

snickering going on in that room every time the word was

uttered.

Finally the Bunny piped up,

'Why do they keep saying sex so much?

Why don't they ever just call it fitness?!?'