Erin, when my sister got married we bought flowers from a farmer's market (safflowers and something else) for her bouquet and they were beautiful. Just to reinforce that that plan absolutely works.

THey are now both pretty upset.

Why is Ellie upset? Was it her matchbox car?

I'm afraid I've got nothin' on the plumbing front. If things stop going away upon flushing I call the landlord. If everything keeps moving I don't. But I'm not the one who pays for pipe replacement, so I haven't pondered potential long-term problems extensively.

Ellie was upset because Frisco dropped the car in while she was pooping - she always leaves the door open, etc. but she was incensed that he dropped the car in while she was sitting on the toilet. Frisco was upset about the loss of his car, but I think he was also embarrassed.

There's a lot of purple flowers blooming in September, so I am completely happy with chance.

And boy, draining those wine bottles between now and September will be a freakin' CHORE, I tell ya. OK, we have enough now, BUT THE LABELS! MUST! MATCH! No, they don't. And won't. I just want some wine. Hee. I think I just MIGHT be buying some wine with an eye towards awesome labels, though.

Stephanie, I got nothing as far as the plumbing thing goes. Good luck with that; sounds very, very annoying.

Hil, remind yourself that writing doesn't need to be linear. You can work on tiny sections and then puzzle out flow later. I often found with academic writing, working from the middle outwards was more useful; I usually sketched out a crap intro, and then ended working on body ideas in sections, then going back to mostly rewrite the intro and transitions.

At my brother's first wedding they bought some of the roses from Wal Mart (they were really pretty) and my xSIL wanted queen's ann lace (I think) and no one had any. Mom ended up finding them on the side of the road and she and her best friend dug some up and then cut off what they needed.

Er, I'd be pissed if I were Ellie too. The moral of the story appears to be "Pooping = Closed door."

I have no qualms about peeing in front of people, but as far as pooping goes, I would really rather pretend I don't possess an alimentary canal. It's the Virgo in me.

If ANYTHING in you is the Virgo it is most certainly NOT the alimentary canal!

UT THE LABELS! MUST! MATCH! No, they don't. And won't. I just want some wine. Hee. I think I just MIGHT be buying some wine with an eye towards awesome labels, though.

I suggest Love My Goat red. What's better for a wedding than a love-themed bottle???

t /smartass

Little kids still need to know they can yell for assistance if they need to.

Liv is HUGE with the "privacy" but Owen would have no problem pooping in jail.

Too true, Truds. I am a delicate fucking flower.

ION, International Male changed its name to Undergear. I haven't looked at an International Male in yonks. There's a cock in my eye!! ARGH.

Also, the underwear names are awesome. I like Priape and Candyman, but by fave by far is MANZONE. I hear it in this booming movie announcer voice, in asscaps: MANZONE. (Much like my favorite all-time men's cologne name: GRAVEL.)

(Dan and I are going to a houseparty for one of his friend who never had a slumber party as a girl, so her bday is going to be a grown-up slumber party. Not naughty, AFAIK, just pajamas, and Dan wants some scurrilous ones.

I think Undergear is either too boring or too scurrilous, but there are three (!) choices for grown-up men's footies, including velour. However, I am warning him that if he actually makes an appearence in men's footies, I may never have sex with him again.