But as my MiL, she doesn't get to say "Agreed". It's awhole other ball of wax. Unless I'm just being cranky. Please tell me if I'm just being cranky.

You are absolutely not being cranky. She's being insensitive and needs a thwapping with a clue-by-four.

BUT, I would not send any kind of response yourself. I would make Joe do it.

You are absolutely right, Vortex. And Jessica.

I am trying really hard to change my attitude toward her. I know that it hurts Joe that I don't much care for his mother. He knows it's not *new*, my not liking her, but I want to try to not be so hostile. She's his mom. She's my child's grandmother. It makes things that much harder. But then she says stupid shit like always, and I fall back into being hostile and angry.

Maybe you should filter her off you FB status updates?

I'm totally going to. I had her filtered off as a default. I think I might have to back to it.

Sigh.

Insent to you, by the by.

The John Soame museum is very cool, but I would probably still pick the British Museum or the V&A over it, even for only one day in London.

(And I'm sure all of this is moot because Sean is already out having a fabulous time.)

So we walked around the area for a bit (A LOT, I HURT!) today. Down the Strand, past Buckingham Palace, got to watch a changing of the guard, to Harrod's where we bought food for lunch (I had a chicken and bacon pasty), then over to Wesminister Abbey (WOW! JUST WOW! PARTS OF THE BUILDING OLDER THAN THE NORMAN CONQUEST!!!!), down the Thames, and now back to the flat. I need to rest and wash up before dinner and the play this evening.

Then it's packing and getting ready to get on the tube by myself tomorrow morning to head back to Heathrow, and home.

I will be so glad to be home.

And today was a fine and wonderful day. If anything was threatening to kinda crap on my day, it's my beloved step-mom. I love her to death, but I swear to dog that she's the ugly American I have not been (nor my dad).

I'm glad you had fun Sean. There's so much to see in London, both inside and out, it makes it very hard to choose any one thing. I have to admit, just walking around and gaping at stuff kept me very happy for the two days I was there. That, and a trip to Harrods. Did you know they sell coffins? When they say you can shop from birth to death there, they really mean it. Sorry about the step-mum.

Also, in walking around London, certainly some of the above-ground parts of the tube, and behind our block of flats, I'm beginning to see where the conduit thing in Brazil came from.

BUILDINGS SO OLD, ALL THE PLUMBING IS ON THE OUTSIDE!

yay for Sean having fun!

And last year, in Seattle, Fay told me a story about being younger and reading about an American stripper wearing a pasty and wondering why ... and how she didn't get crumbs all over her chest.

I, of course, can't tell it right, but it had me doubled over laughing in the middle of the street (never tell a funny story while crossing the street).