I've always had a weird relationship with that strip. Me and Elizabeth are around the same age and we have the same name. When Farley died my Dad called me to ask if I'd read the strip yet and we cried together (OK maybe I was the only one actually crying but Dad was upset). I've never gone back and read from the beginning so I'm looking forward to seeing her blend in the earlier strips next month.

Mom pointed out that it is very common for people with health problems to take a turn for the worse on big days like weddings so even though I'm mad at Ms. Johnston for going that way, I can't say it's unrealistic.

Calling JenK or Barb or someone who knows Spanish. What's "Spring Training" in Spanish?

You know, I don't know that I've ever heard a term for it-- in Miami, during the sportscasts, I know I've heard them say the words "spring training" and I even found this snippet from El Nuevo Herald:

Nuevo Herald - June 10, 2008 - 2C Deportes

LUIS E. RANGEL El Nuevo Herald La rotación de los Marlins de Florida ha sido el principal punto débil del equipo en la campaña, pero bien pronto los peces pudieran recibir ayuda. Josh Johnson, quien llegase a ser catalogado como una de las principales promesas del pitcheo de la organización, dio el paso más grande hasta ahora en su rehabilitación al lanzar cinco entradas en el spring training extendido en Júpiter. "El reporte que tengo es bastante positivo y que...

Ok. Then I'll just leave it as spring training. Gracias!

OK, Lynn Johnson isn't ending the strip, she's rebooting it:

Huh-- that's a shift from what she'd previously announced, which was that she was gradually tapering off on the new stories and was going to intersperse them with the old-- which I saw that the news story referenced. I guess that didn't fly too well so she's just going to reinvent the old stories to a certain degree.

Sort of like Nora Roberts' old category romances being repackaged as full single title romances by taking two of them and combining them into one book.

{{Drew and family}} I hope they are able to relieve your mom's pain and set the ankle without too much trouble. Goodness, you really do need a break.

I'm working with my son trying to clean my office. If we have to get stuff off the floor for a storm we are in trouble. This place is a serious mess.

I'm scared to think of the dirty look Iris will be giving me tonight for taking her away from Mal. She's never forgiven me for having a birthday in the same month. I hope to distract her with homemade ice cream and my DH's balloon animal talent.

((Sean))

askye, I'm glad your nephew now has a name.

Family~ma, Drew.

In another 'this job would be so easy if it wasn't for the customers' moment- today a lady asked for a refund because the show time we had listed on the internet wasn't the same as the box office time. I cheked the internet and wasn't able to find a show time that corresponded to the time she insisted was showing on Yahoo movies so I offered her a refund or a free pass. She refused to leave until I gave her both.

She eventually asked me to allow her into the office so she could show me the listing on Yahoo movies. When the site came up she said accusingly , "you changed this."

"When did you look it up?" I asked.

"Thursday."

"The times have changed since Thursday."

"You should say that on the site."

"Here where it says 'Saturday' it would have said 'Thursday' on Thursday."

"You should say that these showtimes are only for Thursday. It's very confusing."

"I'm sorry but the showtimes change almost every day. You need to pick the day you'd like to come to the movie to see the times for that day."

"So you're not going to give me anything?"

how about a two-by-four to the head?

"So you're not going to give me anything?"

how about a two-by-four to the head?

And that would be generous. Sheesh. I mean, it didn't occur to this lady that because for the most part, new movies are released on Fridays that the show times, might... just maybe... possibly... CHANGE??

Besides, if I'm not mistaken, when she looked at the website on Thursday she would have seen

Henry Poole is Here starts Friday

Vicky Cristina Barcelona starts Friday

Star Wars: The Clone Wars starts Friday

fer cripes sakes

School starts Monday. When I check the weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday it says Hurricane Fay in red under the dates. [link] It would make actual sense for school to last into June instead of starting mid-August. Of course I will need to drive the kids since who knows what time the buses will run if we have weather, and every other parent will be driving too. Yes, I am hot and cranky. I look forward to school and dread it at the same time.

Random shocking mom moments. My 16 yo is surprising me with cooperation. First he danced with me several times at my nephew's wedding. I had NEVER seen him dance before. He even went out there without me doing line dance stuff. Then when I got his school schedule I told him we needed to go to the office and add/drop Spanish instead of Gym and he just said ok without argument, and did it. I'm wondering what happened to him while I was away for a couple months. Also wondering how long the honeymoon period will last. Huh.