Happy Birthday Jeff Mejia wherever you are!

Nilly - you scared K-Bug? Shocking!

Oh, I'm so sorry to read that I frightened her!

I just thought she was such a lovely almost-young-woman whom I wanted to meet so much, because I've read so many lovely things about her.

I do remember that there was a point, during that lunch at that place with the high-high-piles of food, when I noticed that sitting next to her and talking straight to her was a bit too much, so I sorta backed off a bit, and went to sit at the other side of the table. But I also remember that on the walk back (around the time y'all were trying to find the most ridiculous shoes for me to buy, my size or not), she seemed more comfortable, and I had what I thought was a very fun walk with her. Oh, now I hope I was right, and she wasn't just being polite and nice to humor that strange girl from far-far-away whom her mom insists she met and behave to.

I liked her a lot. She was one of the few people I got to meet without ever "seeing" online before, so she was one of the lovely surprises of the trip. So, in a way, even when she is frightened and scared and forced, she still makes a great impression. I have no idea how that is for a silver lining, but that's all I've got.

Gosh, that was how many years ago? Feels like yesterday.

It was three years ago. I can't believe it's been so long.

Oh, and how is your mother doing?

She has good memories of you, Nilly. No worries. She did love the shoe shopping and chatting.

I think it was just that first bit that startled her. Three years ago, eh? Well, she was 14, dragged out by her mom to meet her mom's invisible friends, friends her mom hadn't met face to face either, and here is this adorable woman from the other side of the world who speaks beautiful English and knows she plays softball. I guess it was all a bit much.

But still, Nilly being at all scary is unpossible. Utterly unpossible.

ETA - MOM....mom is doing well. The kidney is acting very kidney-ish. She is finally realizing that it was major surgery and her body is going to take more time to bounce back, so she is moving a bit slow. But all in all - she is doing well.

Nilly being scary? Inconceivable!

Ugh. Morning. Gronk. I had about two hours of sleep last night (well, this morning), and had to stay up after doing my morning load from home so I could get laundry done before leaving for work. At least that's crossed off the list of Things To Do, as is cleaning out my fridge and taking everything down to the dumpster, but now, I can't keep my eyes open, even though I've already drunk two cans of Diet Coke.

I got in here relatively early (for me), so at least I can leave relatively early and get home at a decent time.

Oh, and I get to post at the same time as Nilly!! Hi, Nilly!!! ::kermit waving Israel-ward::

I hope the cafe has some decent meat available for lunch; I'm feeling especially carniverous today.

Depressing article about sleep dep and cognitive function in children

I do remember that there was a point, during that lunch at that place with the high-high-piles of food,

Oh! Cheesecake Factory! I was at that lunch!

But I also remember that on the walk back (around the time y'all were trying to find the most ridiculous shoes for me to buy, my size or not),

Heh. I remember that I kept suggesting you buy a pair of shoes that were covered in sequins in all the colors of the rainbow.

I think it was just that first bit that startled her. Three years ago, eh? Well, she was 14, dragged out by her mom to meet her mom's invisible friends, friends her mom hadn't met face to face either,

I remember that! When the two of you came to the hotel where Lee and I were staying, and I wasn't quite ready yet, but you just plunked down and chatted away like we did that every day! And then we went shopping, where I bought the monkey-face watch (Buffista-appropriate), which I am wearing even now.

That article is fascinating and makes me wonder about whether my nephew's ADD diagnosis is related to the fact that he never had a bedtime, would watch TV at all hours, etc. Now that he's a teenager, he has horrible sleep habits.

To me, seeing the lifelong contrast in the sleep patterns of my nephew and niece has been fascinating. My (oldest) nephew has always, since he was a toddler, been an early-to-bed, early-to-rise type, always asleep by 9:00, up by 6:00, even now that he's a senior in high school. My niece, OTOH, has been one to stay up reading until 10:00 and (very!) reluctantly getting up just in time for breakfast and the morning bus to school. She'll be a coffee drinker once she goes to college, I'm sure of it.

I went through a period in grade school where my mother would wake me up, I'd get dressed, and go back to sleep until it was time to leave.