I don't know, I've got a Friday Five here, and kids to bitch about, but what's on my mind the most, really, is my best Chum's husband, who's going through weird stuff, and consequently, so is she. Last week's pneumonia was quickly treated, but they found a problem with his heart (he had quintuple bypass last fall) and scheduled a magic pacemaker for next week (like the one Dick Cheney has) but suddenly last night he had to go back to the hospital with severe stomach pain. This guy is 70, and is absolutely the most active, vital person of any age anywhere. He rock climbs, he ice-boats (and builds the boats), he mountain-bikes, he restores antique cars. This is one helluva guy, incredibly healthy all his life until the bypass thing last fall. So anyone with good thoughts for Jim, just aim them at New Jersey. Thanks.
Just general bitchiness at the girls, although really, it's been a good summer with them so far. (Yes, I haven't even been off a week yet, but they've been home for more than a month.) But every so often they still slip into sullen teen mode, however briefly, and it annoys.
And then there's the Supreme Court ruling on the Texas sodomy law yesterday, which was better covered by marn than it will be by me, but really, how excellent is that the government -- pardon, even the Bush government -- has decided it has no business being in the bedrooms of consenting adults? Why -- how -- does any government feel it has the right to meddle in some of the so-called moral issues and yet leave others totally alone? Why are they so adamant against abortion, but then they cut funding to any programs that take care of these unwanted children once they're here? Why does government take one moral stand and then completely violate their own standard by their actions?
Anyway, the striking down of the Texas sodomy law. A good thing.
As for David the Gnome and trinity's concern for his safety: as the over-protective mother that I am, I am for now having David as our prisoner indoor-gnome for these very reasons. In fact, R's good friend Andrew has a known penchant for sending garden gnomes on vacation, so David is safer indoors for now.
The Friday Five
1. How are you planning to spend the summer [winter]?
Not working at all, for one, which is unusual for me, as I generally do some part-time stuff at school. I'm going to try to make some headway in the basement (oh, calm down), get the girls ready to go back to school in the fall (including sending one to Europe for a year), and doing a little bit of traveling.
2. What was your first summer job?
Hmm. I got a job in a super-huge discount department store called Alexander's, which is now out of business, but was a real big thing around here years back. I lasted two days. I couldn't take the pace, I couldn't do the math (as in, cash register.) A couple of days later, a neighbor got me a job in her office, where I worked every summer while I was in college.
3. If you could go anywhere this summer [winter], where would you go?
I'm going on two trips: next week to Florida for four days (a mini family reunion) and the week after, to Colorado for five days, visiting family as well. If I could go anywhere, I'd go to DisneyWorld on a moment's notice, anytime.
4. What was your worst vacation ever?
Again, hmm. No matter what happens, a DisneyWorld vacation is always good. To paraphrase, a bad DisneyWorld vacation is better than a good day at home. At the moment, I can't recall a vacation disaster, although I'm sure I've had them. Mostly, I remember disastrous moments within vacations, but they really just stand out as amusing memories. These include
- the flight home from Brussels that hadn't left Chicago yet
- the frog in the bathroom
- the cup of orange juice that exploded in the mini-van
- Hubs wearing a three-piece suit to the Magic Kingdom
5. What was your best vacation ever?
I don't think I could pick out a "best." Every trip to DW was good (see above), but I also loved the state park on edge of the Pine Barrens that we went to with the kids for a few years when they were little. One summer I went to visit Chum in Maine and to see my nephew in Northern California, which was cool. When I was in college, a friend and I backpacked around England and Wales for two weeks, also excellent. All of these were good, and good memories. (I post pictures from past vacations in my fotolog, as I come across them and scan them. Look for Maine later today.)
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I'm watching SNL on Comedy Central
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