Robin, that's encouraging. He really doesn't sound like himself now.

We were sitting in the living room eating lunch and watching TV when we heard a loud THUNK.

Our washing machine shakes a lot on its spin cycle, particularly if there's a small load. I was washing sweaters. It shook so hard that it knocked the full 96-load mondo-sized detergent dispenser off the dryer. The lid broke, and half the detergent went oozing out onto the pantry/laundry room floor. Right now DH is trying to clean it up while I watch Annabel. So far every towel in the house has been pressed into service.

Y'all get schmoop and all I got in my mouth today? Dental instruments. Being me is sometimes of the suck. Longest morning evah.

I just had a shining light of clarity. (Don't worry, it isn't contagious)

Reasons why I'll never be a Catholic:

In another change, not all cardinals will kneel before new pope to pledge obedience to him since they have already done so, Valenziano said. Instead, a representational group of 12 people — again because of the 12 apostles — will swear obedience: three cardinals, a bishop, a priest, a deacon, a married couple, a nun, a religious brother and two youths who have received the sacrament of confirmation.

By my count, of the representational group of 12 people, precisely four can be women, and more likely three -- I'm guessing that the confirmed youths wind up being a boy and a girl.

Could the deacon be a woman?

edited to clarify, that is to say, could a deacon be a woman, too?

So, the daughter lost the money card for the laundry room. I'll have to go to a laundromat to wash clothes this weekend. Joy.

edited to clarify, that is to say, could a deacon be a woman, too?

Not in the Roman Catholic church, I'm pretty sure. In the Episcopal church, yes.

I don't think it's funny when a man takes a baseball to the groin.

I do, however, think it's funny to hear announcers talk about it without ever directly mentioning the obvious reason the second baseman is writhing on the infield dirt. I think the phrase was, "Now, that didn't hit his glove, did it?"

Oh, geez, Susan. Yeah, not funny, but...fuuuunnny!

Oh Susan, your night sounded like mine, only in our case Franny has bad ear infections in both ears, plus a cough, and every time she coughs it hurts her ears. Poor thing! She was fairly miserable all day, even with painkillers, so I have been very busy just trying to take care of her.

Burrell, how did Franny ask for pancakes? I'm trying to picture it -- words? arm waving? I bet it was adorable, and obviously she's brilliant.

Apologies for taking so long to answer this (see above).

We were sitting on my bed and I was asking her what she wanted for breakfast, giving her a couple options like, "do you want oatmeal?"--head shakes--"or waffles?"--head shakes again. Then she says something like, "mancake." So I asked her if she said pancakes, and she nodded her head emphatically and smiled widely. And yes, it was pretty dang adorable.

She's been trying out a lot more words lately. It's very exciting.

Oh ouch. I hope both babies get to feeling better soon.

That is adorable. What a sweetheart.