Hodge-podge of hum-drum

OUR EXCITING NEWS

Tim and I are pleased to announce that we are eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new little backyard! Two spindly trees were put in on Saturday, and the grass seed was frantically planted on Monday evening before anything else could try to get in the way. The estimated due date? I forget.

All relatives will please note the pathway strategically placed down the center of the lawn to allow unrestricted access to our back door (and conversely, unrestricted access to YOUR house as well--teehee). We must only use the gate and this pathway. Straight is the gate, and narrow is the pathway which leadeth to green backyards. If you can't remember this, I can leave you a note. You know how good I am at leaving notes.

Now I guess we have to figure out what to do with this. Sigh . . .

I HAVE TEETH LIKE A GIRL!!

My mouth is a little sore right now. I got back from a dentist trip this morning with a brand new filling. This wouldn't be such a big deal, but I'm feeling a little betrayed. After my last dentist visit where I was repeatedly admonished to start flossing, I decided that it really was high time that I developed the habit. So I'd been gradually working on it, till now I can report I am a regular flossing fool. I've even started using a mouth rinse for good measure. But I still got a cavity!! Why?!!

Well, according to my mom, not only is it hereditary, but she was also told that women are just more susceptible to tooth decay. She was relieved to hear this because she was getting pretty tired of doing all the preventative work and still coming home with cavities while the boys in our family would dance in and out of the dentist office with lesser dental habits and nary a punishing tooth rot spot to be seen. I haven't verified this information via the internet (the source of ALL accurate scientific information), but I did see something on the news (another veritable fountain of objective truth) that said that women with 4 or more children have a greater risk of losing their teeth. Pregnancy apparantly changes the chemistry of your mouth and causes it to become susceptible to all sorts of icky-yuck disease. So I'm doomed, but at least when my teeth are falling out, I can comfortably blame everyone--my mom, my children, heck, I might as well throw Tim in here too--EVERYONE but myself.

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE

Meriel is becoming more and more . . . difficult. In an attempt to gain greater and greater independence in spite of her obvious incompetence (no, I'm not being mean--she's TWO), our days consist of her finding new ways to refuse to do anything we ask, tell, beg, command, or scream at her to do. I am trying to counter this by playing all sorts of unhealthy mind games. The result is that both of us lose. Her two favorite phrases are "No! ME do it!" and "I don't wanna." She often uses them one right after the other, leaving everyone confused, including herself, as to what it is she really does want. I can only hope that all of this rebellion and non-compliance will come in handy one day, say, when a stranger offers her candy or when a boy tries to park the car. The picture here is one she insisted that I take. I told her to smile. This is what I got. Why is her hair not done? Because on some days the sheer power of her defiant spirit makes all combs and elastics shrink back with fear. She's a loner, Dottie. A rebel.