I nearly severed my thumb with a paring knife once. So swords, for me, really not an option.

Backsent, juliana.

I'm debating whether or not to call in sick today. I was violently ill last night but am feeling much better this morning. My tummy is still tender enough that I'm worried about how long the 'feeling much better' is going to last.

Oh, I'm so sympathetic, Anne. (I had food poisoning this weekend.)

Aimee's house is beautifully well kept and she has an excellent design sense. It was so fun getting to see her and MM in their natural habitat and meet Emeline, who is wee - oh she is the tiniest little pretty sprite in the world. She fussed with me, so I mostly got to talk to Ollie the Dog, and JZ bounced Emma to sleep (after some mother's milk).

Ollie, I have decided, is not actually stupid since the Miracleborns have trained him to do a number of tricks which he does with alacrity. My theory is that he's autistic and gets overstimulated. He doesn't get calm unless you physically press him down, and then he needs a lot of ear-rubs to maintain his zazen.

From the site PostSecret, where people send in anonymous postcards that tell secrets [link]

One that throws me just a bit

[link]

t blushes

It was so good to see you guys!!

And to be fair, the cleanliness of the house yesterday was Joe's effort. He cleaned while I kravved. Or rather, got lost driving home from krav.

Research, Cass. Not just cause his name makes me want to snicker, which I didn't.

Krav Maga St. Louis. I can't recommend Sam highly enough.

Squee! Thanks, ita! Is it okay if I name-drop?

My stomach is feeling much better, but still iffy. The queasiness is still there, but not the pukiness, so yay! I have a feeling that I must have had a run-in with chicken juice when I was cooking yesterday.

Is it okay if I name-drop?

Hell yes! In fact, tell him I said hi.

Ugh, Anne. Feel better. Practical Homicide Investigation is now on its way to my house, thanks to my mom and a healthy dose of "Will you shut up about that damn book already?!" So I guess I have to finish the novel, now. On the plus side, Bayliss swore by it.

The Miracleborn home was just so pretty it made my hair hurt with envy, and I want to kidnap MM and make him build us a big-ass crazy cubbyhole-filled warren of bookshelves like the one in their living room, which rocked out loud.

Emeline was very serious and attentive, with a wise old face, and it was lovely when she faded into sleep; she was situated on my shoulder just right so I could nuzzle at her neck and smell the good baby smell of the top of her head. But, really, she was full of milky Aimee goodness and had missed her morning nap and was fully primed to doze off. The true wonder was Hec the dog whisperer, who hypnotized Ollie with ear-rubs and stern eye contact and got him to actually sit perfectly still for, like, minutes at a time (and all who have met this dog will understand what a miracle that is).

So very much not a long enough visit, and so very much not enough LAistas. The ones we did see, absolutely top-drawer; but, alas, too few.