...And now I need help getting out of my chair. Who stole my motivation? I just want to go home, but I can't seem to get going!

Emily, home is where the beer is. Now get to!

Oh, cutie Matilda!

On the bus today, there was a bunch of kids from a camp going somewhere. The little boy behind me couldn't have been more than five. He started by explaining to his care taker that he really was too old for a crossing guard. Then, as we drove past a house that had burned and was boarded up, he asked why there was wood over the windows. His caretaker told him that there had been a fire, and they had to put the boards over the windows to keep people safe. The little boy wondered how the boards kept people safe, so the caretaker listed reasons why people would need to stay out and who might try to go in, etc. Towards the end of the conversation the caretaker said, "And also, it..." The little boy finished it with, "...keeps out the monsters!" The whole little series completely cracked me up.

Emily, home is where the beer is. Now get to!

It's actually where the gin and tonic and creme de cassis and Pimm's are. But no beer. Part of the problem is my vacillation over whether to go get some or not. Ah, life is hard. Off I go!

Emily, home is where the beer is. Now get to!

Or at least it's at Not Work.

Or at least it's at Not Work.

This is such a plus...

Not to mention the Magic Erasers, originally hyped by the tools on The Apprentice.

Magic Erasers ARE magic! I wish they made giant ones for mopping.

After a long pause, there's this enormously long, enormously put-upon sigh from the back seat, followed by an exasperated, "Darn sperm."

Okay, that's comedy GOLD.

I was commiserating with Cash at lunch today over having a two and a four-year-old to manage at the same time. But then I told her there were times I would have traded my daughter at 12 for her two and four. Puberty sucks.

Can I request some hivemind help? I'm having some odd symptoms and am not sure how much I should be worrying. Yesterday afternoon, I suddenly came down with vicious cramps on my lower right side (ovary area) and my lower right back. The pain was bad enough that I felt incapicitated for awhile until I took some Pamprin. This was odd for a couple of reasons. I rarely get period cramps, and I finished my period last week. No reason I should be cramping. Well four hour after the first dose, the meds wore off and the achey owey pain returned in force. More pamprin equalled relief. But then this morning, same pain. I took Midol and it went away again for about five hours, and then it came back still at full force. I've now taken more Midol and am feeling better, but I'm getting nervous. Why is this happeneing, and if it is girlypart related, why only on one side? I have PCOS, and I'm beginning to wonder if there might be some kind of cyst thing happening, but I've never been through this before and don't want to overreact. Has anyone had similar symptoms? Should I be calling my doctor by now, or should I wait another day? Please help. I'm feeling anxious and crummy. Thanks.

I'd call your doctor. That's what insurance is for, and all.