On the other hand, I had much more freedom growing up than Emmett's ever had and he's going to be in middle school next year so we had to start letting out the rope now.

I'm boggled by how much freedom I had growing up when I look back on it. Things parents would find unthinkable were beyond routine. Granted, there are aspects of being a kid today that are beyond routine that would be unthinkable when I was growing up, so I guess it's a trade off. I'd say I had more physical freedom but less cultural freedom (mostly because the technology was what it was then vs. now).

Granted, I also grew up in a town rather than an urban environment. It may be the largest town (as opposed to city) in Maine, but it's in Maine so in the grand scheme of things, not so large.

And it's comments like this that make me think it will all be worth it in the end.

Yes, Jessica! It will be worth it all.

In non-related commentary: Don Imus, Shut the fuck up.

I'm going to start dropping by Jess's apartment unexpectedly, carrying laundry. (Around dinner time, naturally)

I'm boggled by how much freedom I had growing up when I look back on it. Things parents would find unthinkable were beyond routine. Granted, there are aspects of being a kid today that are beyond routine that would be unthinkable when I was growing up, so I guess it's a trade off. I'd say I had more physical freedom but less cultural freedom (mostly because the technology was what it was then vs. now).

Yeah, I suspect I'm going to be something of a hypocrite with Emeline. When I was a kid I would play in the swamp across the busy street from my neighborhood, or in the quarry down the road, fully confident in my invulnerability. Now, I get paranoid about taking Em to the park. Granted, LA is vastly different from Ann Arbor, but...

I'm going to have to try really hard to not be one of those parents. I'[m not paranoid about germs or anything, but...I am more paranoid than my mother apparently was.

(More electrician update...I just heard a "Oops...I did something..." from the other room. Ran in expecting the worst. Turns out he just accidentally turned on the electric kettle -- not difficult if you bump up against the lever. So no harm done.)

The disturbing noises have become less disturbing. I don't know. There's a lot of dust being kicked up, so I'm hiding in the bedroom with the door closed.

Years ago, my parents hired some (hot!) illegal Irish guys to redo their kitchen, including putting in bigger windows. At one point, the guy who was cutting a hole in the side of the house looked at my father and said, "Wow, we don't have tools like this back home!" Somehow it all worked out OK.

I'm going to start dropping by Jess's apartment unexpectedly, carrying laundry. (Around dinner time, naturally)

I accept your offer to cook us dinner in exchange for free laundry. Thanks!

Words my mother did not want to hear when having their septic tank pumped: Oh shit!

(It turned out the truck cracked the driveway slab, so it wasn't that bad. But traumatic enough for my mom that this last time, she made my dad stay home to supervise while she was off in town.)

You want the Kraft mac & cheese, or the Velveeta mac & cheese?

You want the Kraft mac & cheese, or the Velveeta mac & cheese?

Don't forget the cut up hot dogs.