{{Sean}} What they all said. You are no good for anybody if you don't take care of yourself.

Even in a clear-cut relationship (such as, dude, my MOM) sometimes you need to back off and give yourself some breath during a long illness with no end in sight.

So much this. I cared for both my dad and my husband when they were gravely ill and they both had periods of, well madness really. The blessing was that they didn't remember this when they were lucid.

Take care of yourself dear. This is so very hard. Love you.

Oh Sean. What they all said. This is heartbreaking.

Take care of yourself for the next 24 hours, OK? Everyone will earn from this.

Made it through work today.

Thanks everyone.

Sean, what everyone said. Much cope~ma

I have to say that I am much relieved by how much better Daniel seemed when he got home from work today. Apparently, it was a case of getting the blood pumping, rather than having what little strength was there get sapped by the strain. So, yay, and thanks for that powerful Buffista ~ma.

Apparently the list of names for Pacific storms this year includes "Winnie".

So not right. Things named Winnie shouldn't be able to cause death and destruction.

Sophia! The paper fast food hats are called...

Wait for it...

Royal Classy Caps

No joke. Jeff can't remember the company he bought them from, but Googling "Royal Classy Caps" gets lots of hits. And giggles.

Good to hear daniel!

Sean, please look at what was said up there... many folks giving good advice. Watch out for yourself.

ION, why is it you never remember the sheets are in the dryer when you are being all insomniac'd in the living room. But once you are ready for bed, and go into the bedroom, THEN you see, "golly, my bed is naked... fuck", and Lo! you are awake again! Weeeee.

Conversations one doesn't particularly expect/relish during lunch duty in the playground:

(Mark, who's about 10 or so, is a wee bit on the SEN side, although I'm not sure quite what flavour. I'm thinking autistic spectrum? Maybe? Bright kid, socially awkward...anyway, whatever.)

Mark (who has been grilling me on music of the 50s, 60s & 80s, with particular attention to jazz): So what movies do you like? Do you like Doris Day movies?

Me: Yes! Yes, I've seen lots of Doris Day movies.

Mark: Like Pillow Talk? With Rock Hudson?

Me: Yes, I like that one.

Mark: Rock Hudson is dead. He died of AIDS. Was he a gay?!?!!

Me: Yes.

thinks: Oh, fuck. Hang on. Impulse to straight-talking may get me in trouble shortly.

Mark: Why do gays get AIDS?

thinks: this really is not the moment to start talking about the relative merits of anal versus vaginal sex. Even though that seems like the obvious answer. Because I do not teach this year group, and I don't have a clue what the policies are on sex ed [although I know they've been doing sex ed, which I suspect may be connected with Mark's train of thought]. Run away! Run away!

Me: Well, there are lots of ways people can catch diseases. With HIV, which is what causes AIDS, it's transmitted through bodily fluids. So if you got someone else's blood mixed with yours, for example - people can get HIV through getting a blood transfusion that's infected.

Mark: Or through sex.

Me: Er. Yes, that too.

Mark: So we have to be careful when we have sex!

Me: Yes. (bulldozing ahead, cheerfully) There's lots of ways of getting diseases - like when I was bitten by a dog, I could have been infected with rabies or something else, so I had to have lots of shots.

Mark: Hmm.

Random Small Kid: Miss Fay! Atman hit me!

Me: Oh, thank God. Coming! Bye, Mark!

exit Miss Fay stage left, pursued by a bear. A big gay leather-daddy bear.

Aw, kids. My friend Elaine recently had one of her six year olds ask her what the difference between a transvestite and a transexual was.