I have found my perfect wedding dress!

Hello. I am an aunt.

flea went into labor last night around midnight. Her water broke; she awoke mr. flea; she emailed me; and then she woke our mother, who was/is in North Carolina just for that very purpose.

I did not check my email. (Ellen knows this is typical.)

My mother called me at 12:30 to inform me of laborious progress; I proceeded to call brother, grandma and stepmother, and then read flea's email that I shouldn't tell anyone till labor was done. Whoops! (I did manage not to email her list of non-Buffista contactees, which I will do in a second.)

I spent the next 4 hours in phone meetings, some in my office and some in conference rooms. I carried around my cell phone in my back pocket like a high-tech hustler, and only managed to interrupt a particularly rancorous meeting with my brother calling to ask why the hell there had been no news.

I come back to my desk at 5, and of course she called my office phone. And now? Cell phones not allowed in hospitals, so I have absolutely no data as to size, number of toes, or name. Arrrgh!

But I am informed that labor is hard work, and it is done, and mother and baby are healthy and in need of a nap. So that, at least, is good.

More data as phone tag warrants.

Continuing Dark Grey shading into Black as work is trying to bury me alive in paper and I still have no internet access at home.

Love and Hugs, Hairpats and -ma to all who are in need. I will try to read as often as I can, but will likely be unable to post for a week or two at least.

I am a licensed driver. Take *that*, parallel parking!

[Jingles a set of keys]

After several weeks of delays, for reasons I don't quite understand, I finally closed this morning.

I'm a homeowner.

I move in on Wednesday.

I went over to the main part of campus for lunch today, did not stop by the library as I usually do when I'm over that way to see flea (who I just now have learned wouldn't have been there anyway), got back to my office, and was promptly let go from my crappy temp job.

Any and all jobma would be both appreciated and helpful.

Very speedy drive-by to announce that Evelyn Claire was delivered at 3:53 pm on Thursday, weight 8 pounds even, 21.5 inches, piano player's hands like her daddy. Nutty is in e-possession of an adorable photo and I imagine would be willing to post it somewhere accessible (right, babe?) We are home and well and tired but happy - the usual! And now for the napping...

Photo of my niece for the delectation of all. flea may deny it, but my automatic thought is how much Evelyn looks like baby pictures of her mother. Especially with the large, alert eyes.

[link]

(1 big photo, slow load on dialup.)

This was supposed to be a picture of Buffistina. Instead it was a source of mild frustration.

Now it is gone. Like my pie.

I'm a college student! Arrived Saturday morning, got my computer today, classes start later this week. I'm going to my first frat party tonight-- very exciting!