Yesterday I got to meet an uncle I didn't know I had. He was dropped on his head as a baby, and suffered severe brain damage. He's been in an institution most all his life.

He was at another uncle's 85 birthday party yesterday.

My mom's mom had 12 kids: two sets of twins (one set died shortly after birth), one stillborn baby, one son who was killed in a sledding accident, the one dropped on his head... and the rest. </Gilligan's Island>

They were dairy farmers, just like my dad's parents.

They need to be homemade and still slightly warm.

Oh, yeah . . .

Wait, stainless steel has nickel in it? I'm allergic to nickel, too, and have become even more so in the last decade. I can't even take Centrum multivitamins anymore (because I get an awful taste in my mouth that tastes like nickel and so I decided that was the problem. I'm not even looking at the Logical Fallacies chart, I know that's False Cause. Still not taking 'em anymore though).

Have never been in a bouncy castle. Don't want to. Like trampolines, I've watched too much America's Funniest Videos to entirely trust them not to try to kill me. I'm sure I've eaten s'mores, but gluey sugary food doesn't do it for me. I have however toasted/roasted/set aflame marshmallows. They're pretty good when there's a thin layer of crunchy carbon on them.

I've never been in a bouncy house that I can recall. I think they are rich people things! Or something. People-with-yards things?

Around here, they are street fair things, definitely not for rich people. Five minutes costs a dollar, usually, and all the neighborhood kids line up.

Wait, stainless steel has nickel in it?

Some stainless steel does, anyway, although the primary metal the steel is mixed with is apparently chromium. But my dad the engineer says that if I'm allergic to nickel, that's why I can't wear my stainless-steel watch.

We won our bout in Appleton yesterday.

[link]

I'm allergic to nickel and I basically can't wear anything except my wedding ring. I used to have a leather-band watch where the leather went all the way around and the watch face sat on top of it, but I misplaced it years ago and now I just use my phone.

I've never regularly worn a watch. Knowing why I can't wear half my earrings will make clearing out my jewelry boxes easier; it's not gonna change, Self, so just get rid of them. I ought to have my ears re-pierced; it's been years since I wore earrings and now I can't get them in at all.

I think the metal that turns your skin green is copper, Hil. I have that same problem, too, yay. My BFF says I can solve it by painting the side that touches my skin with clear nail polish, but I can't be arsed.

Have never been in a bouncy castle.

I've been, and for an adult, bouncy castles are as hard on your dignity as your joints.

We have a small bouncy house that my kids LOVE. I have to admit, it's sort of fun for adults, too.