Books Are Safe With Me

JoJo's orthodontist appointment first thing this morning, took a grown kid to the doctor office later as her infected eye precluded driving, got the prescription, home for just a minute, long enough to down a sandwich, gotta get to yet another Miss P meeting, keeping family safety as our priority.

I'd painted ten solid hours yesterday, Grandma again cooking a lovely supper for everyone. Marcela kept me company as I turned the living room a grey blue hue. "Looks like a dang playhouse," CW critiqued, as the Caribbean colors from several rooms are now all visible when one stands there watching me paint.

To alleviate the sting of his words, he fixed my shower nozzle thingy, coming back downstairs to tell me it was growing on him now. I love it.

I'm not done, a thousand interruptions slowed me down, I've been very busy with wall patching kits, fixing where fists and feet made monster holes.

What if I went to someone's home and routinely punched holes in their walls or broke windows? How is this ever considered acceptable behavior? Yet it's a behavior I'd much rather see occur in place of a kid getting hit by a rager. This can't be real life, can it?

"Come back and get me tomorrow," little Marissa ordered her mother when it was time to go. We decided on another time, when Hazel'll be here too for a grandbaby slumber party.

Tabby is so excellent with my grandchildren, playing school, jumping on the trampoline, swinging and dragging out all the toys. She was born to be an aunt. The baby of our family, she truly enjoys not being the baby when the babies are here.

I had to address an unacceptable behavior, "I don't care where you find matches," I hollered in aggravation, "Do NOT bring them into my house." Yes, lighting birthday cake candles has been a bear, going out to the van to use the cigarette lighter on a whorl of paper. Are you kidding me? No matches, no lighters, certainly no guns, and very few kitchen knives have been in evidence over the past 25 years.

I sent the 13 year old to his room, followed him, and gave him the lowdown on what would happen if he had accidentally started a fire. Thank God for the tattletales, narcs, and confidential informers who live here. This is not a difficult kid, but this behavior will not be tolerated. He was repentant which is all I ever ask of anyone, apologetic and contrite.

I can live with that.

Elizabeth sent me the following picture and I cracked up laughing.