So, I've been playing over at FreeRice.com and got up to about level 42 before calling S into the room to help out. She was able to get us up to about level 48. Then she got a few wrong, and our collective vocaubulary has kept us fluttering between level 45 and 47 or so.

Then we hit a few words that she got wrong and I got right, and she's now wandered off in a huff, saying the game isn't fun any more.

I think I've never quite adored her as much as I do right now.

Everyone, thanks SO much for all your comments and different perspectives. It really helps.

And if he can't get that certain topics are simply Out Of Bounds, I'd be happy to beat him soundly about the head and shoulders with a plush Eiffel Tower. Which I just happen to have in my office.

If you can come up with a way to trick him into coming to your office, you may feel free to pummel away.

If the plush Eiffel Tower isn't sufficiently convincing, you could send him to me. I have a bobblehead Jesus who could, um, bobble chidingly at him, and also a miniature redcoat who could poke him with an extremely wee bayonet.

I've got a tiny but very heavy cast-iron Doctor Zoidberg, claws and tentacle-mandibles at your service.

{{{{Teppy}}}}

Suzi, insent.

One moment from the funeral which reminds me why we do not include young children in funerary rites: My MiL begged me to bring Owen and Olivia into the funeral home briefly, so a good friend of hers could see the kids (she'd never even seen Olivia). While they were chattering with Liv, I had Owen and was showing him the flowers. He saw the casket spray (gorgeous, lavender, Stainless Steel roses) and said, "pretty!" Of course, then he noticed his great-grandmother's corpse and looked at her and yelled, "WAKE UP, GRANDMA!"

I have to admit that I was only half-horrified.

t chokes back laughter

Oh Cash. My goodness. t stern (ish) look Owen's-way

And because it needs its own post:

{{{Tep}}} Everyone else was already so wise. Boys are sometimes teh dum. As are Body Image Demons. Maybe that's why each sets off the other so easily sometimes.

That's half-horrifying, half-hilarious, IMHO. Of course, it's possible I've picked up a morbid sense of humor here at the hospital...

Hey, it's their own fault because what's her name wouldn't come outside.

Sorry , Steph.

1) it was health he was talking about. 2) he really doesn't have a clue how big this is to you 3) he might also be looking for a some sort of guaranteed that life . This is most likely a part of the whole move in thing - just looking for something that doesn't exist. I do not know if the boy is a whatifer -but I am one. Playing out senerios in my head - a great comfort to me. Other people , it makes them crazy stupid.

And i agree with others above - there are places where your accommodation with the significant people in your life is rough at best. Example. When Matt and I got married I was healthy.- extremely . As in never even get got a cold. Now, even with diabetes and asthma - I am still reasonably healthy. however, if I get a cold - we have to have a fight. The last one was completely insane. He came up with bizzare suggests/orders. And yet, when I tell him how he can help me with my health, he forgets 2 seconds after I tell him. Now I admit there is insanity on my side. I am still extraordinarily angry at the state of my health. going from paying no attention to always paying attention is just wrong. But I think part of what is going on in his head is the fear of change - mixed with the much bigger fear that something will happen to me.

I know why you thought about leaving him. ( he should know that at some point) I also thik you made the better decsio to keep going forward. People that love you can hurt you the most, but only because they are there.