Ugh Laura, what a mess, but thank goodness you were there to intervene on behalf of the mom and her daughter. Much continuing ~ma to them both, and you and your brother.

Plus spare spoons and anxiety~ma all around. Sounds like it's been a bit of a Monday.

I still have all my teeth, so that's a win. Dentist said probably a lot of the discomfort I'm having is from my sinuses, because nothing looked amiss. Except for a couple of back teeth which are apparently a training ground for periodontal disease and need root planing and scaling, which does not look fun.

But now my mouth is sore from all the poking around. Shepherd's pie for dinner, definitely.

Your crazy and my crazy should get together and go bowling.

I want in!

Can there be tiaras?

Work-related rant ahoy! Why is it that my colleagues in India and China can N-E-V-E-R make it to a meeting on time? I have to make these calls in the evening, which? Pain in the ass, yo! The least you could do is arrive on time! And if you can't make the time I schedule? TELL ME!!!! I'd rather change it to a(n even) later time than sit on hold for 15-20 minutes (for a call that was originally scheduled for 30 minutes) getting more and more pissed off. OMG come on people!

It's been a loooong time since I saw any bowling in tiaras, you betcha. Maybe that time has come around again.

Laura, you are a fine advocate in a family dispute, and if anything ever comes up, I want you on my side. Getting the Grandma train derailed and the mom and little girl together is a wonderful thing. You done good--and may they and your brother all have a little peace, now. Also? Bobby did great as on site kid herder. He's obviously been training in your footsteps.

GC, I'm sorry about the rudeness and the late. Can you notify them the meeting is scheduled for 20 minutes ahead of the time you want to be in that meeting and then show up on your time? That would seem logical to me, but maybe I'm just being vindictive and non-cooperative.

I have no news. None. So, all the energy I'd spend on worry and angst for my own plight I now release to the Bitches, use it as you most want or need.

Teppy, I'm glad the gathering turned out more or less hug-free, and I hope both you and Tim had a good time. Good news on the teeth sitch, too. Though I'm beginning to wonder if one can have one's sinuses removed, like tonsils. Oy, the pain and pressure, and the nearly-inevitable annual infection. Which, if it isn't diagnosed and I live through it, never really happened and doesn't count, right?

There is leftover kielbasa and lentil stew for supper, and it's calling me.

There are always tiaras for those who want them.

sj, I remember the awesome feeling of having paid off a car. Congrats to you! And phooey on your cable company.

Steph, I'm glad your dental anxiety was just unfounded crazy for the most part.

Glamcookie, is this maybe just a cultural thing about time? I recognize it's frustrating as hell, but it may be that they actually don't regard time the same way. So if you shift it later... they'll just be late for that. Or they could be inconsiderate a-holes, who knows. But I am epically terrible with time, and am therefore grateful to now live in a culture where it's more permissible to be late.

Xpost with Bev. Hi Bev! Your stew sounds tasty! I'm thinking of making a lentil/sweet potato curry stew in the slow cooker tomorrow. It's good to bank some leftovers before the parade madness really kicks in (Wednesday night).

Mmmm, kielbasa.

One of my Tumblr tags is "pantry", because I love looking at stacks of dishes and ranks of plates, the colors and shapes and sizes, and we all know I'm weird, so just go with it, okay? And also, the different ways people arrange a pantry: some with food in carefully labeled uniform containers, some in bins with a podge of bags and boxes sorted into each bin, some with jars and cans just jammed anywhere there's room on the shelves. And of course, the butler's pantries, with the dishes and glassware. From Ikea shelving to vintage painted or polished cabinets, from clip-on lamps to tasteful hidden display lighting. I'm intrigued by pantries.

H makes a lot of soups, and we always stock up on canned veg and various beans when there are sales. My diet prohibits potatoes and tomatoes, and wheat, so we have pastas made of various other grains, plus millet, barley, buckwheat, and brown, basmati, and jasmine rice on hand all the time. We love having a pantry. I just go in there sometimes and bask.

I don't cook, much. But I eat really, really well. And I do praise like nobody's business.

I said I had no news, right?