If you happen to be in New Brunswick, look out for bees:

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I meant to say earlier, that I give you all permission to take Canada Day off, if I can take the 4th off.

On one of the local newscasts, they had a city worker talking about all the Canada Day events schedule for tomorrow, and at the end he said, "Bonne Fete, Canada!" Except, with his atrocious French accent, it sounded like, "Bun Fight Canada!" I think tomorrow, I will wish everyone a bun fight.

I am posting and doing laundry, since a stoned kitty has taken residence for the evening on one of my laundry piles. [link]

That sucks, Jess.

My parents paid a premium for their crazy itinerary (2 El Paso to Baltimore, B'more to B'ham, B'ham to El Paso with kid then 2 tickets back to B'ham), but it means they get the eldest grandson and to see both their kids in 2.5 weeks so. I saw the price and cringed. They probably could've gotten cheaper changing carriers to fly between EP and here and here and B'ham (stupid wright amendment) but that's just a little much for my mom to figure out.

Hell, I know my t-g trip won't be the cheap thing it used to be and I don't know when to book.

I'm not going to even talk about the fare my dad is paying to Ulan Bator!! (I just love knowing he's going to Mongolia.)

He wouldn't take the bat skull. So I found one online this am and got it for him. It'll arrive about the time they get back home. Hee.

I keep finding creative rearrangement gifts he left: a frog perched in a clear deep candleholder. Fuzzy bat jammed under the bookshelves like it is hanging upside down. Meerkat peering around a picture frame. I love my dad. We have our issues, but I never doubt he loves me.

aw shit jessica - that is absolutely awful.

sara, I love reading about your family and the relationship you all have.

I want Sarameg's parents.

I believe that there is no virtue in pain. My mom is one of those "I don't like to take pain pills." Yesterday, she fell and broke another rib. The doctor gave her pain pills. She once again said, "I don't like to take pain pills. Maybe I'll take a tylenol." It's a good thing that I'm too far away to shake her and say, "Take the damn pills."

But sadly you're also too far away to take the pills *from* her and stash them for a rainy day.

I, uh, am totally on your bench, Ginger.

I am totally a wimp and will usually take pills at the slightest twinge. I don't understand the stoicism.

I can't take Vicodin or Percocet but I will take an Ultram if I have pain. I'm not a masochist.

I think this is the point where I tell the story of getting tylenol with codeine after having my wisdom teeth pulled. My grandmother flushed them immediately when I got home!! And then I got a dry socket, which is, like the worst pain ever.

I have to admit, I did not take the vicodin after having my root canal, because it didn't really hurt that badly, but I have stashed it for the next pain problem.

I always fill the script. Just in case.