OK, we need to plan our R&R. The choices are Washington DC (of course), England, Germany, Italy, or East Coast Canada. Votes?

I think I'll vote England. I would've voted Germany (and still think it's a great choice), but if you have a baby in tow you don't want to worry about language barriers. (I suspect they wouldn't be much of a problem even in Germany, but I have to choose between them somehow.)

This afternoon I took Annabel to the mall to escape the hot house. She was decidedly un-cute and angry when it was time to go home, because that meant leaving the little play area they have for toddlers and preschoolers. Since she was still a crank when we got in the car, I put in the West Side Story soundtrack rather than leaving the radio on NPR. I had to tune out the opening bit of "Tonight" as I was dealing with a knot of traffic. I'm a big sappy sap over that song, so I decided to start the track over. When I hit the track button and it went silent for a few seconds, I heard this loud "Uh!" of protest from the back seat. Which same noise was repeated every time a song ended until the next one started.

Oh, Susan, what a darling girl you have. Obviously brilliant as well.

Em is getting so big! She's tall and getting toddlerish. I don't know where the time went.

Yay for the Wally-report!

Raq, I think Canada is quite neat if you've never been there. You could visit the Haligonistas.

Beverly, I think that's a perfectly cromulent dinner. Sweet dreams.

I played too much earlier today and had to get some work done before I could sleep. Time for me to go night-night.

Yay for the Wally-report!

Good point!

I'm thinking of things to put down for 'interesting stuff about me'. Things like "Once at a high school sports day, I managed to hit myself in the back of the head with a javelin" or "I once caught a pigeon with my bare hands" (released it unscathed, of course). Problem is, I keep veerig off into stuff which I think is much more interesting. This could be a problem.

Her: This card says "The southern right whale has testicles that weigh half a ton and a twelve-foot long prehensile penis"! That isn't about you!
Me: I think you mean that you hope it isn't about me.

Susan, which mall?

I ask, because I know Northgate is closest to you, but I don't remember seeing a play area there, though Bell Square has, like, two of them. At least.

Alderwood. It's by the Mariners Team Store, on the same end of the mall as the new Borders.

(I wish Northgate would hurry up and get a big box bookstore, because when you're going to spend hours basking in AC, nothing is better than Borders or B&N.)

I usually just go to U Village, as I'm comfortable in that particular B&N, but I agree about Northgate.

Westwood's getting a B&N, right by the Target. I'm kind of excited, but I suspect that UV is still a quicker drive.

More Lily pics, and a couple of the old China shots: [link]

I really like the picture of the stairs at the Great Wall. Paul says that what you don't see in that picture are the two elderly women who've just dipped below visual range, to give an idea of how steep the climb really is.

you don't want to worry about language barriers

We both speak German, actually, so this isn't too much of a problem. The DH grew up there, so his is better than mine, although I use mine a lot more.

But hell, I use Greek a lot more than he does. Yesterday I had to explain Mallory's birthmark to a granny. Thank Zeus "hemangeoma" is a Greek word. I had almost gotten a promotion from "Talking Horse" to "Talking Dog," but then I forgot the word for onion while at the farmer's market.

I heard this loud "Uh!" of protest from the back seat. Which same noise was repeated every time a song ended until the next one started

BWAH! And I've got a kid who sings along with Green Day. (Either that, or Green Day songs sound just like baby cooing.)

You misspelled San Francisco.

I actually put in a plug for the West Coast, pointing out the high concentration of Buffistas. But that's a long flight w/ baby, and I want to go to the F2F next year.

BWAH! And I've got a kid who sings along with Green Day.

Ha! Owen does the exact same thing!

Getting ready for a trip to Indiana. DH is going on a business trip next week so we're going to stay with my sister for several days. I hate her crappy dial up.

Timelies!

Cutie Annabel stories and darling Emeline pictures! Keep 'em comin'! The aunties who are far too far away just love them.

Go Wally!

I don't see Boston on Raq's list, so the list is dead to me. Hee! Actually, any of those places sound wonderful. I've never left this continent, so I'm a little bit jealous.

Poor Cashmere on dial-up. No fair. We need our Cashmere!