My parents were both in the Labor Party (my dad resigned after becoming a judge). D served on the National Executive, M stood for election to the ACT Legislative Assembly. My family's always been fairly politicised, though it's my older brother and I that take the greatest interest.

mark the clocks - the parents landed about 30 hours ago, had my first yell at them and my first muffled f-bomb. My god but they are unable to adapt.

The annoyances:

- I asked my dad to do one chore, make a shelf and put it up - I said what I wanted, 2 pieces of wood, L - brackets, plain wood is fine just get it up. I even have some wood for him to use if he would cut it down a bit with the hand saw. It is not up. new wood was bought, it has been primed and paint was bought to paint over that. so I have partial packages of brackets and screws, and 2 aerosol cans of paint now and no shelf up.

- when I came home, every light in the house was on, even in rooms with doors closed.

- I had told my mother another chore I wanted done, but hadn't spoken to my dad, of course they plowed ahead. I have a live 220 outlet in mac's room and I wanted it removed and a plat faceplate put over it. He did that and then wrote on the faceplate, in a prominent wallspace in the room, in black permanent marker "220 VOLT". It looks stupid and ugly, so I'll be replacing that.

- Shit is spread out all over the place, my mother is awful about it in the kitchen - used things do not get put in the sink, trash is left on the counter, food from lunch left out - there is not room for that in a NY apt kitchen. my dad had his coat hanging one place, his hat on a table and his gloves in another place, none of which were the room where he is staying and the largest room in the place.

Good god y'all.

- Shit is spread out all over the place, my mother is awful about it in the kitchen - used things do not get put in the sink, trash is left on the counter, food from lunch left out - there is not room for that in a NY apt kitchen. my dad had his coat hanging one place, his hat on a table and his gloves in another place, none of which were the room where he is staying and the largest room in the place.

I think that's about the point you'd see reports of me in a clock tower.

Sending patience ~ma your way, belle.

he is now reading OUT LOUD news off his computer. I turned off the tv which he normally would have on, because I cannot deal with the noise and we do not watch news in my house. MY house, my rules.

3rd day in a row mac did not do homework at afterschool. As upset as I am with him, I am furious with the afterschool teachers and have already put in a call to the administrators.

So pretty much I am ready to TAKE SHIT ON! Whose got something, I am ready for hire for yelling at folk, laying down the law, what have you.

hivemind question! i have a recipe calling for 3 EXTRA large eggs. i only have large eggs in the house. is this going to make a huge difference in the recipe? should i add another egg maybe? or just suck it up and go to the store?

Oh, msbelle. I am so sorry. Much patience to you and a cluestick for your parents. Oh! And the afterschool teachers. What is that?

tiggy, there's a chart halfway down on this page with egg size substitutions: [link]

They say 3 large eggs = 3 extra large eggs, so you ought to be good!

hooray! thanks, ChiKat. i knew someone here would know. off to bake my pies.

everybody's traveling or cooking aren't they?

Not me. Well, I'm cooking dinner, but not for tomorrow.