Cindy's a sneaky mom. Those are the best kind.

Okay, I think I'm gonna go try and nap a little. Later, loves.

Yes! This, exactly. (((Hugs Aimee tight))) I don't feel like such the lonely joke-cracking freak now.

Oh gods, no. You can always make with the jokey with me.

(((Hugs Bev back)))

Uncle M: Dad liked bonfires. I got him a big one. Early birthday gift.

{{{Bev&family}}}

Mom and Dad never pressured us into liking anything, but made us try all kinds of things, and there was never any picky eating. If we hated something (like I hate beets, but everyone else likes them) we didn't have to eat them...but there were no special meals. If we were having pot roast with potatoes and carrots, that was dinner. If you didn't like it, tough shit.

Yeah, my parents had fairly simple rules about dinner: 1. we had to try at least one bite of everything; 2. we had to eat everything we put on our plates; 3. we had to eat a full serving of veggies before getting dessert IF there was dessert (most of the time dessert was what my mom referred to as "imagination"); each kid was allowed one item to hate and be excused from eating, ever - my sister's was spinach, one brother's was mushrooms. Dishes with mushrooms included, mom made on nights when he was not going to be home for supper, or she simply left them out. I tried to make mine pepper, but that didn't work out so well. As I recall each of us kids had one or more sessions of being stuck sitting at the table staring at some portion of something that we didn't want to finish. If it had been up to my dad, we would have been stuck there overnight; my mom would compromise, and if it went on too long, would offer an early release, "Ok just take three more bites, and you can go."

We do that with Em, Cindy. We'll start eating one of her snacks and all of a sudden she wants it. I've also noticed that since I get home earlier and we all eat together, she eats more.

I love idiots. If you bought your car here, you get a BMW loaner while your car is in service, the catch being you have to bring it back as soon as it's done or at least first thing the next morning. So, I had this woman call this morning.

Idiot: "I have a loaner and I my car was done yesterday, and I didn't bring it back and I can't bring it back until Monday. Is that ok?"

Me: "Sure. But you will be chraged for 3 days at $50 a day."

Idiot: "What?? NOONE TOLD ME THAT!!"

Me: "Do you have the contract you signed? It's the first item on the contract."

t cricket

Idiot: "Well, I didn't read that part. You don't need it for the weekend do you?"

Me: "Actually, I do. Someone else had that car reserved and I can not make them wait. I need that vehicle back as soon as possible."

Idiot: "but, but...I *need* it" (Swear I could hear the foot stamp.)

Me: "You can keep it, but it's $50 per day."

Idiot: "I'll be in this morning."

@@

Bring the fucking car back, bim.

We're irreverent. It's how we get through. It can seem callous to people who don't know us.

Oh yeah. We're the same, and I know it's put people off. I didn't even see what you were apologizing for saying at first....

But I find that I often put people off. I got major lemon face for the same thing you see going on in the "Wrassle" photo: I pretend to be a crocodile and roll from side-to-side holding Mal, exclaiming "Oh no! The fearsome croc goes into its death roll! Death Roll!" The lemon-facer thought I was being morbid.

So much love and ~ma to you and yours, Bev, and please please never ever feel like you have to apologize for snarking at the pain. I agree with the Empress--you have to laugh to survive.

Glad JZ is doing okay and hoping she gets some fresh air on the porch today. Being confined inside during the summer is awful.

Hoping S. is doing better and Sean is hanging in there.

Hugging Aimee because I know she misses her grandpa.

Sending good vibes to anyone else who needs them.

The Roto Rooter guy just arrived to fix our plumbing. ND and I took turns driving over to the hotel where my mom is staying so that we could take showers and use the bathroom this morning. I suppose I should be upset but eh...no big deal. When I look around at what everyone else is dealing with, it's completely inconsequential. Besides, one of the benefits of being a renter is that we don't have to pay for this kind of thing. t shrugs It's an old house. No surprise that the plumbing is a little wonky.

I am a bad person.

I was just helping a family into a loaner car. They have a 7 series. VERY expensive car. I have X3's, 3 Series', and a 5 Series wagon. All of which are also somewhat expensive cars, but not anywhere near the 7 series. Anyway - the wife looked like your typical Hollywood Wife. Tanned within an inch of her life, breasts high, perky, and looking like they are trying to get away from her, and Goldie Hawn puffy lips with clearish pink sooper high gloss gloss. Kids were typical, guy was typical. Here's where I am a bad person.

I assumed the wife would be a total snobby bitch. Why? Obvious boob job, obvious puffy lips, thin, tan, designer Jackie O sunglasses.

Turns out, she was the nicest of all of them. She fawned over my charm bracelet, fawned over Em's age, thanked me numerous times, and was just generally sweet. Meanwhile, the husband called the $50,000 vehicle I was giving him a "piece of shit" and his 13 year old daughter turned her nose up at both the $50,000 AND the $60,000 car. The son was quiet.

I think I'm becoming too jaded and might have to leave this job soonish.

Egad, Aimee. I think I'd have to dress in junk yard clothes with paper clip earrings and tell the hubby that he needs to get his wife's fashions up to date. You saw this on Vera Wang's runway in NYC this spring! And cars with obvious scrapes and bullet holes are all the rage in Detroit this year.

Hey Sail - I just signed in to Yahoo messenger. I'm starborn74.