Thanks for the invite!

They'll be much more mature and professional about it this year.

This made me laugh. Being Professional Babies!

Speaking of pools:

I had a goal to learn to swim last year that I totally failed to meet. But I'm joining the pool again this summer and will try again.

Yay, lisah!! My mom was a farm girl with no access to a pool or even a swimming hole (not a lot of those in rural Midwest farmland), so she never learned to swim, not even when she had all three of us kids in lessons at the local HoJo's pool. But, about ten years later, when she was over 40 and I was in high school, she finally signed up for lessons at the Y. She can now dog-paddle and tries to get a few strokes in with her head under water, but that only lasts a few seconds. I'm still so proud of her, that she managed to learn that much and can now enjoy being in a pool deeper than her waist.

Oh, and the pool last night was outrageously cold. So much for being indoors and supposedly heated! They must have problems on Thursdays, because last week it was overly chlorinated (stung my eyes).

"I know I'm still obese, but, hey--I've lost over 100 pounds already!"

That is very impressive. I know your family was pushing you to get the stomach-stapling surgery and you wanted to try this. I was wondering if you were going to be able to maintain the discipline and focus, but you really have. Its so hard to break lifelong patterns, but you're doing it and I have so much respect for you.

In sum: Go Kathy!

[link]

Bet the arrest stemmed from that dress.

Have you seen his movie Cool As Ice?

No, but I think it needs to go in my Netflix queue. Oh, Vanilla. WORD TO YOUR MOTHER.

More fun in Miami Beach. You can pretty well misbehave there since there are many people that are going to act worse.

Go Kathy! My sister has recently broken the 300 mark after losing a little over 50 pounds. Tough damn work and we are all delighted since we would like to have her around a long time. What program are you using now?

Kelis & Nas live near me-- Bob reports that the UPS guy thinks they're in trouble! But I think the UPS guy is probably taking things out of context.

WORD TO YOUR MOTHER.

I believe that would be "Word to your mother's UNCLE."

"Has [X] increased your participation in important convenings concerning topics of value to your organization?"

X being attending that Proper Coven Etiquette Seminar.

Doctor appointment, car trouble, plantar warts, granddad fought in World War II. Use your head, man. I keep mine in here. Look alive, Halpert. Welcome back.

bon bon's tag (a quote from The Office) reminds me of something I've been meaning to mention specifically in Natter, for months and months.

Last year, Julia got a plantar wart. I called the pediatrician and he said to try Compound W on it first, and if that didn't work, to bring her in. It worked.

A while later, Ben got a plantar wart. Compound W did the trick for him, too.

Another while later, I got this freaking mosaic of plantars warts on the bottom of my right foot. Now, set aside the fact that I always wear something on my feet, and shower in a different bathroom, because all I can figure is that Julia wore my sandals or slippers before her foot was cured -- otherwise it seems nearly impossible that I got one.

Anyhow, I faithfully applied Compound W. They laughed their little warty heads off and continued to plague me. Plus, they were painful. I tried the foot pads Compound W makes, specifically for plantar warts. Again the warts scoffed at my efforts.

You know what finally cured them?

DUCT TAPE.

No lie.