Thank you for doing that, Teppy.

You know, its possible that some motivation for his nudging is the recent loss of his wife. It's still completely unacceptable that he does it, but maybe it can sting a little less when he does if some portion of it is wanting you to have what he had.

Awwww, Tep. In-Law relationships can be so hard sometimes, but even though they can wrong like wrongcakes with wrongity sauce and a side of justplainwrongity salad, I would say that more often than not, in-laws can be touching and awesome.

In funny female grooming news, Em asked me today if she could shave her armpits. @@ She took a shower with me the other day and I shaved my legs and armpits and she asked me why and when she had to start doing it. I told her that she didn't *have* to, that she could choose - when she got older - if she wanted to shave. I explained that I like the feel of it better and that it makes me feel prettier if my legs and pits are shaved. She said, "OH. Ok." and I thought that was that.

So today she asks me if she can use that thing to "clean" her armpits. I asked her why and she said, "I just thought they needed cleaning." I told her again that she didn't have to and that she's too young at this point, what with not having any armpit hair. She replied, "Hair is wierd. I just want to get rid of it."

As I said to Debet earlier today, parenting is hard work. However, I also find that a lot of it is just plain wierd.

I know I've grumbled a lot about him this week, and I stand by my grumbles, but...he's a good man, and a good dad, and I do love him, and I hate that he's grieving, although this grief is a natural thing, and he needs to go through it.

You know that is really lovely. Yes, he's flawed. Humans are. But he's also loving and grieving and so much more than just the flaws.

I know I should just be happy that he lived a good long life, but I can't stop crying. He was so much like my Nana, who I lost 18 years ago this month, and he was just so amazing with his stories of growing up in Italy, his incredible garden, etc.

Dear sj, you do not need to feel "should just". You have lost a beloved member of your family. No one gets to tell anyone else how to feel when that happens - all we can do is say how we each feel. You are quite right to feel sad, to feel the loss. It is also good and right to feel able to celebrate such a long and amazing life. You feel what you feel. And you and your family have my sympathy for that deep loss.

Teppy, I'm glad you had a nice birthday. And I'm glad you do have moments when you can enjoy Tim's dad.

Epic, we wouldn't have worked cause I'd have given him the Hardison "Seriously?!" Tep, yes, I think Tim's dad is Thinking About What's Important. Which is part of life, but I wish people could confine it to their stuff, instead of , say, yours, or mine. sj, sorry for your loss.

sj, I'm so sorry. What WindSparrow said. Let the grief come, as it will.

And Tep, it's good that you can see the good in him. It's hard, with people like that. I struggle with my feelings about my grandfather mightily from time to time. Thank you for sharing those stories with us.

Separate post - Aims, you're doing a dandy job. There are much worse answers you could have given her.

Boy who needs an acronym texted back. He said he didn't hear his phone because, get this, he was watching the first episode of Firefly. I think we're going to see live music tomorrow with Nora and K & K and who knows else.

sj, I'm so sorry. He does sound like a lovely man.

Teppy - thanks for that story. He definitely is a man with facets.

I think you should call him the Frenchman. Even if he is not actually French. Because that's a good name.