A fair amount, GC. The other books I missed was the graphic novel Plain Jane (being given at the DC Comics booth at a signing at 2) and copies of the follow up to the Mysterious Benedict Society which my kids love love love.

Burrell, I sent an email to the the HR people for both schools and the principals saying, "Wait. I was told something else. Where am I supposed to be?"

Glad we're all cleared up, Burrell.

Wow--I look at this fanciful clothing talk, and I had a relatively whimsy-free childhood. I'm not sure how much of this is a third world thing, or just my parents being hard asses devoid of metaphors. But it was very clear to me and all my friends what was normal clothes and we'd wear nothing else out and about. We might play in stuff (uh, nightdresses on the head for the subordination to the European ideal of beauty), but we wouldn't even hang out with our parents decked out like that.

Wow, the Cubs just won a game that they were behind 9-1 in at the end of the 5th inning. That's when I got disgusted and stopped following the Tribune "from the cubicle" watch-n-post. Oops!

and Go, Cubs, Go!! ("Hey, Chicago, whadya say/The Cubs are gonna win today...")

Omnis, congrats on the new job! See, this is where being a Buffista rocks, because we HAVE people in Dallas. You WILL know people besides your new boss. Check out the map and you instantly have happy hour buddies! Off the top of my head, I think that Dana and Daisy Jane are in Dallas, and they both are awesome.

I wonder where kids get the idea that clothes on the head makes a logical substitution for hair. Frances does it too sometimes, puts a hoodie on her head (and no arms in the sleeves) and asks me if I like her long hair.

As for hanging out with her parents, I'm afraid she doesn't have a lot of other options on the days we spend at home. I think her world is going to get a lot bigger when she starts kindergarten.

I'm afraid she doesn't have a lot of other options on the days we spend at home

Wouldn't she hang out with just Isaac?

I seem to recall us spending a fair amount of time untended as kids, but I'm sure my memory is tainted by me just not caring at the time. Still, both parents worked a 9 to 5 for much of our time in Jamaica, and there's no way the helper could do all her crap around the house *and* keep her eyes on two kids.

the graphic novel Plain Jane (being given at the DC Comics booth

That's a great book! I read it some time last year, and keep hoping for a second one. It fits in nicely with the Kiki Strike novels, thematically.

I loved the nightie-as-long-hair thing.

Off the top of my head, I think that Dana and Daisy Jane are in Dallas, and they both are awesome.

Dana's actually in Houston, which I know for sure because she took me for an excellent dinner when I had a business trip there!

Wouldn't she hang out with just Isaac?

They do, but it's only been the past few months that I can leave them on their own for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour at a time. Before that some catastrophe would always bring me in to check on them every few minutes. So as they grow older they will no doubt think of themselves as playing on their own, but from my current POV it's a relatively recent development.

I know for sure because she took me for an excellent dinner when I had a business trip there!

Dude, that's how I know for sure too.

I loved the nightie-as-long-hair thing.

And the arms were so nifty tie your hair back with. God, we must have ripped out my mother's Black Power heart repeatedly with those shenanigans, but she's exactly the kind of mother that would refuse to make a deal about it, in case we decide we have to go 180° on her.