Hil - weird! Do they hurt? My sympathies either way.

Nope, don't hurt at all. Just little bright red splotches all over. Didn't even notice them until I glanced in the mirror. They look really weird, though. I'm a bit hesitant to go out in public looking this weird, but I've just got to walk a few blocks, and I'll be mostly covered up by my scarf and hat.

Can I have a little smiting, please? I called the insurance company to see if they'd help expedite the authorization for my surgery, and they kindly did some poking around for me. It turns out that my doctor's office faxed the form a week ago, but the medical group office misplaced it. It was in the "wrong pile of papers," apparently. I kinda hoped an office which exists ONLY to handle paperwork would have a better system than "piles of papers," But I guess not. I am very glad I stirred the pot, or it could have been another couple of weeks before anyone figured this out. I just want to know when this goldarned surgery is going to happen, so I can make some goldarned plans.

grumblewrongpilegrumblemajorsurgerygrumble

Well, the Empress is at home with Lil Empress (no daycare today), so I suppose the smiting duty falls to me.

Okay...lessee now...

To: Robin's Dumbass Insurance Company

To Whom It May Concern,

KNOW THAT FROM THIS DAY UNTO THE SEVENTH SEVEN OF GENERATIONS YOU, AND ALL YOUR UNHOLY OFFSPRING, SHALL SUFFER TO HAVE THY VISCERA CHURN WITH BOILING ACID, THAT VILE FLUIDS SHALL ISSUE FORTH FROM THINE EVERY ORIFICE, VERILY FROM EVERY PORE OF THY HIDEOUS, WARTY SKIN AND THAT YOU SHALL EVER SUFFER THE MADDENING BURN OF DEVILISH PARASITICAL WORMS GNAWING UPON THINE BRAINS, CAUSING NEVERENDING ANGUISH TIL THOU SHALL CRY UPON EVERY PASSING PERSON TO END THY MISERABLE WORTHLESS EXISTENCE BY BLUDGEONING YOU TO DEATH SLOWLY OVER THE COURSE OF MONTHS WITH THEIR FOOTWEAR! AND KNOW THAT YOU SHALL EVER SEE DEVILS AND DEMONS POKING YOUR ROTTING FLESH WITH BURNING BRANDS AND SHALL EVER HEAR THE INSANE HOWLING OF THE VORACIOUS VOID-THAT-CONSUMES-ALL AND SHALL LIVE EVERY DAY WITH HEART PALPITATING FEAR! AND KNOW ALSO THAT, UH...THINE MOTHER WEARS BOOTS FOR COMBAT AND THAT THOU SMELLST PECULIAR AND THAT THINE MATER DOES ENSHROUD YOU WITH RIDICULOUS SARTORIAL CHOICES THAT INDUCE ALL THAT SEE YOU TO MOCK YOU AND THROW ROTTEN PRODUCE. VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE "NYAH NYAH NYAH *NYAH* NNNNYYYYAAAAAHHH".

Hope all is well,

Miracleman (Acting Smiter)

Wow honey. That's lots more eloquent than your usual, "Ass 'em in the ear."

Thanks for all the good ~ma for my mom, everyone. I'll know more after her ultrasound tomorrow.

Robin, I would add to the smiting, but I think it's been more than covered. Wow.

YAY tattoo, vw!

Sorry about the ick, Hil.

My motivation appears to still be sunning itself in St. Thomas. Dammit. I kind of need it today.

vw, that sounds like a really awesome tattoo.

Miracleborns, bwah!

Robin's insurance company, phhbbbtt!!!

According to Wired, today is also Copernicus' birthday.

Our plans to keep Mal in his crib until we move appear to, like all good plans, not have survived first contact with the enemy toddler. He was pitching a fit in his crib tonight, had thrown everything out, and was bouncing up and down so hard I had to pick him up. I set him on the floor to get a book, and he raced around, flinging everything back into his crib, then tore into the big bedroom, flung the covers back on the bed, and crawled in. Then beamed at me.

We're done for.

Thank you for the AWESOME smiting!

Kristen, all the best to you mom. I know how dear she is to you. This must be scary. May whatever is going on be easy to fix and leave her stronger for the fixing. Peace and strength to you too, dear.

Oh, Raq. Oh, Mal. Oh, Raq.

Tons of ~ma to your mom, Kristin.

Our plans to keep Mal in his crib until we move appear to, like all good plans, not have survived first contact with the enemy toddler. He was pitching a fit in his crib tonight, had thrown everything out, and was bouncing up and down so hard I had to pick him up. I set him on the floor to get a book, and he raced around, flinging everything back into his crib, then tore into the big bedroom, flung the covers back on the bed, and crawled in. Then beamed at me.

We're done for.

Ah, I remember those times. We eventually settled on keeping the crib side down so that Owen can crawl in and out of his bed whenever he wants. A few (ok, more than a few) horrible nights were spent with him screaming and crying at the door of his bedroom (thankfully, he couldn't turn the door knob) and falling asleep on the floor. Now he knows to play but to crawl back into bed when he's tired. We're planning on a twin bed for the spring, but he still gets along ok in the crib.

There were also a few incidents of him falling out when in the middle of a screaming fit, he decided to try to crawl out but I suspect those were more traumatic for me than for him.

Depending on how long you guys have until you move, you may be able to continue to make the crib work for you.

I'm referring all my smiting to Miracleman. He does good work.