Hec, do you and JZ ever get over to Berkeley? The kids and I were on Telegraph yesterday and wondered into a vintage shop that had me thinking of her.

Of course, I don't remember the name of the joint, but they did sell neon green wigs along with the nice assortment of vintage clothes.

I don't think we went through the cold a month thing. The boys went to work with me from about a week old so they had the germ exposure right away. We were in a retail store and countless people handled them. Their doctor said it wasn't going to hurt them.

I'm sorry Nora. It's not stupid if it's upsetting you. I find it is usually the stupid stuff that does set us off.

It's not stupid if it's upsetting you.

Oh, I don't know, in this case. But thank you.

The new issue of CBG, the one with the Red Sonja cover, has another column on manga written by me.

Was it here people were talking about wanting yogurt that wasn't overly sweet but didn't have artificial sweetener, either? Stonyfield Farm has one now: [link]

Moo.

MG, I lovelovelove Telegraph but don't get to go there often anymore. Anytime you and yours feel like hitting the girlie stores, feel free to call me!

Teppy, OBVIOUSLY the answer is Monkey. My brain is all sludgy and trivial lately and I'm having trouble bearing down on myself enough for sustained discussion. You're not the only Buffista to whom I owe a thoughtful response to some very wise and kind words. If I get enough shit cleared away from my desk over the next day or two, I'll buckle down and do it.

But, to sum up, Monkey (i.e., I kiss you up for your kind words -- but not the other Buffista who had the kind words, as it's not a Buffista who is so much into indiscriminate kissage).

Ai, Laura, how scary! Is the kid doing okay now?

JZ, have you tried any of the other crunchy colors? Herbatint, etc?

Plei, nope. Have as yet tried none of the others.

You're not the only Buffista to whom I owe a thoughtful response to some very wise and kind words. If I get enough shit cleared away from my desk over the next day or two, I'll buckle down and do it.

Silly girl -- you don't *owe* me a response! Not at all. I just wanted to be sure that I hadn't spouted off nonsensical, pompous, unwelcome, unhelpful crap.

Is the kid doing okay now?

He was not thrilled with the cutting, but putting on a macho face. His mother said they will have to watch closely because they can't know for sure if they got it all. Eeeeek. I'm suddenly pleased that the boys aren't into surfing. They get enough sun just walking around.

Aimee, what Betsy said about daycare/school and sickness. Chris had a lot of sick times when Ben went to school, when Julia went to school, and then when he started pre-school. It will level off soon. On the plus side? He had perfect attendance for the first half of the year. We just got his report card on Friday.

[note to self: write up report card in LJ so you don't forget, you bad mother, you]

And Aimee, what Trudy said about calling the Ladies Aid at the church. If we got that call at our church, we'd make sure to dig it out for you, or even hunt it down if someone in the church had already bought it. You want to get it back before they sell it at church fair, or tag sale, or whatever, because then you'll have no idea where it went.

Silly girl -- you don't *owe* me a response!

Well, but I kind of feel like I *do*. Because this is all shit that I'm stewing over and agonizing about, and the experiences and perspectives of peeps I love and respect who've lived the stepfamily life in the kid's shoes are hugely valuable to me. Really. A couple of y'all have written things that I go back to again and again, and it took thought and effort for you to revisit your histories and find the words to speak them in. So, mwah, and probably a maundering, rambly email at a later date.