Thanks Ailleann and Toddson. That was exactly what I was looking for!

There was no physical violence between my siblings and me. Of course, they were 12 and 14 years older, so that may have impacted things. There was some violence between my step-sister and me. I always felt horrible about it, but I see now that it was really pretty mild. Whew.

You people are all making me VERY VERY GLAD that I'm an only child.

(And I may have added veracity by, er, hiding under the bed and waiting until she stepped sleepily out of it, and then grabbing her ankle and biting it while she screamed and flailed and screamed and screamed and screamed. A few times. Maybe. Which STILL amuses me so much that I'm actually weeping with laughter as I type, and making odd snorfling noises.

snogs Fay

I did the same thing to my sister. I even ripped the gauze off of her box spring so I could pull myself into it if she looked under the bed.

The only bad thing I did, really, was convince her that there was a monster under the bed. (And I may have added veracity by, er, hiding under the bed and waiting until she stepped sleepily out of it, and then grabbing her ankle and biting it while she screamed and flailed and screamed and screamed and screamed.

My sister did that to my brother when he was about 8. I was babysitting and had to calm him down while stifling snorts.

I'm off for a hair cut!

...I also terrorised her with seaweed when she was 6. Because there was a Rupert the Bear book that we'd both read, which had the creepiest seaweed creatures in it. They were seaweed, lurking on a beach, and then they were all creatury, and they captured him and dragged him off to the King of the Sea, and it was just very disturbing.

And she was a bit creeped out by the seaweed on the beech in Jersey, and so was I. But less so, what with being 15. So I grabbed some and chased her with it. Because it was funny. Um.

...she screamed and screamed and screamed.

...actually, I may have had my moments of evil. But for the vast majority of the time I was a Very Good And Caring Older Sibling. I changed nappies, I cooked, I read stories, I entertained, I took her sledging, I made her fantastic birthday cakes shaped like the teddy bears' picnic, or a 3-D dragon covered in chocolate scales - most of the time I was Very Good.

Just, occasionally, I was a wee bit evil. But not in a beating-her-up way. Um.

Owen and I were listening to Dan Zanes today and heard Jamaica Farewell. I have to say, I immediately thought of ita.

Down the bay where the nights are gay

And the sun shines daily on the mountain top

I took a trip on a sailing ship

And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

But I'm sad to say I'm on my way

Won't be back for many a day

My heart is down, my head is turning around

I had to leave my friends in Kingston town

Down the market you can hear

Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear

`Akey' rice, salt fish are nice

And the rum is fine any time of year

Sounds of laughter everywhere

And the dancing girls sway to and fro

I must declare my heart is there

Though I've been from Maine to Mexico

You people are all making me VERY VERY GLAD that I'm an only child.

WORD.

Oh, and hair wax has been achieved. Giovanni, for those playing along at home. The song stylings of Steve Earle have also been achieved. V. exciting.

You people are all making me VERY VERY GLAD that I'm an only child.

t sits with Jilli and Juliana

t shudders

ION, I am at the laundromat. It's brand new with shiny stainless steel washers and dryers. I am doing all of my laundry...ALL of it...in two ginomous loads: one lights, one darks. The entire wash and dry cycle should take about an hour.

I'm...I'm...well, kind of enjoying myself, if you want the truth. All of my laundry done in a single hour? Really? Cool! Look at it spin!

The post brought to you by Damn-I'm-Getting-Old.

Heh. You'll stop enjoying it when you have to fold.

Not that I know anymore as Joe does all of our laundry.