FizzyLizzy

At least until after Halloween.

Did you know that right now one can buy any variety of Christmas light known to man but only one type of space heater at a store whose logo is two red circles?

Stop the insanity.

So. I went to the dentist yesterday for the first time in years. I'd been putting off making an appointment for several reasons but mainly because of insurance issues. I've got good teeth so cleanings seemed a bit like a luxury. Until yesterday. Three cavities. No cavities my whole 40 years then, bam, three. Way to go Fizzy "Dental Hyg" Lizzy.

So. I went to the hospital yesterday to visit a pregnant friend who was admitted for high blood pressure. They had been going to induce her on Thursday, but it turned out she was in labor. When I got there her door was closed so I asked at the desk if she was taking visitors and the nurse said "Oh yeah." So i get in there and she's lying on her side in pain and her husband is there. I said "It's Elizabeth" and I heard her say "Elizabeth who?" I think her husband recognized me at least. She figured out who it was. We're not that close so I thought it was best to just say a few kind words and ditch.

William is currently in his room on time out. Paul, Katherine, and he were on their way to the garden center this morning when William spat in Katherine's face in an unprovoked moment of rage. Paul turned the car around, brought William up to his room, and resumed his trip to the store. He just called on his cell phone to tell me that on the return trip he noticed that the exact spot where William lost it was right in front of a church with this quote on its message board: "He who can suppress a moment's anger may prevent a day of sorrow."

This morning at breakfast William said, "I want to make something out of Martha Stewart magazine." He went on to describe a broom thing which is this:

I'm no different than everyone else. As a shopper, I thrive on familiarity. I want to go into a store, know where what I need is, and get out of there. Efficiency. I've been without a Target home for over 8 months and it's taken its toll. I've wandered and wandered, searching for an enjoyable yet convenient Target experience. Not to be had. I usually settle for the Southtown Target--a traffic nightmare both outside and inside (what genius puts large pillars in the middle of the main aisle?) or the Apple Valley Target--a stiff breeze from the south and you're greeted with the smell of manure in the parking lot. This past weekend we drove through the parking lot of the new Target that's just 5 minutes away. Only 27 days until it opens.

Do you approve Ildi?
























I brought it out for my beef stroganoff tonight.

Me (while going over Katherine's geography notes): What are the four oceans?

Katherine: Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic...

William: Indian!

One of the main (but by no means only) reasons I don't want a dog is the picking up after it. This summer, however, we have picked up at least a dozen small poops from our yard--and not the part near the sidewalk either, mostly around our house. While there are a couple neighbors with small dogs that from time to time escape the confines of their yard, one would think that for the number of droppings, I would be seeing dogs running about all the time. I am starting to wonder if these could be fox droppings. It would not be unheard of as we did spot a fox here several years ago. There were also a couple of violent-looking small animal deaths in between our house and the neighbor's recently that I had blamed on a small hawk that has been seen on our block. In some ways I do hope it's a fox. That would spare me this conversation: "Excuse me, but is it possible that you're ignoring the fact that your dog is running over to our yard and pooping?" On the other hand, no one's going to curb the fox.

Addendum: those of you with dogs, does it regularly contain hair?

"I hope that I will be able to have a positive relationship with my daughter when she enters middle school."

I hope I will too, Mrs. B! Ha ha. No, I really shouldn't complain but we do have our issues. "Can I get (a dog, a cell phone, pierced ears)?" No, no, no. "Can we go to Claire's?" Not today. And my refusal to buy her clothes from Limited Too. (No offense to you L2 fans out there, but their color palate--it hurts my eyes.) I take it just one day at a time. Starting seventh grade on the cusp of thirteen will be a whole different ball game than going into fifth grade. No matter who we were as girls and are as women, we all know the bumpy road they have ahead. I want things to be easier for her than it was for me. I want to know when to step in and when to watch from the sidelines. I want her to feel that I am a safe haven for her. Whether she is ten months or ten years, I am her mother and want to love and protect her.

I love this. William, while he hasn't yet come to that self-realization, also likes to do wrong things but not get caught. Unfortunately for him, denying that he was the one to nab the fruit snack pack, yet not having the foresight to remove the empty wrapper from his pants pocket doesn't do him any favors.

Like maybe the name of this gardening software:

"Some software may try our patience, but happily that isn't the case with ECG-AS V 1.3.1 for PC."

That an out-of-town relative here for my great-uncle's funeral would be interviewed as a "witness" of the fatal bus-bike accident near Lake Calhoun?

Did you know that you can spend an hour and a half instant messaging with someone and have no idea how much time has passed?

Because the official printout of her schedule was not very first-day-of-school-student-friendly, I made this little card for Katherine to slip in her pocket Tuesday.

Is it the sound of crickets chirping?
























Even I was a little overwhelmed by her middle school schedule. Seven periods?!? For some reason, though, I'm a little more nervous about William's first day of first grade. He's my baby. And maybe also because of the unplanned-for start of the day. His bus was early, so early that we weren't there yet. Then I was flustered and didn't get a photo. Katherine did not want me walking to her bus stop: "I'm walking with Sadie." See you after school, kids.

Truly one of the Greatest Generation

They couldn't forsee that this really doesn't work beyond a 30-second commercial?