Didn't Bob have to spend a previous 'versary in Chicago as well? Dear Bob's work: why so mean? But yay, Kimpton!

Consuela, I think as much distance as all of you can get from the toxic is good. As much focus as has to be on your mom with her right-there-NOW demands, your dad should get his own focus too (and that doesn't mean to be from you- from the same coordinators at the new place who can point him in directions of things that might engage him. Things that are not of the crazy.) Also, it might feel like a mighty slog (it is) with no progress, but it is progress. I do think it will get easier. Your mother might not, but the coping mechanisms everyone is setting in place will mute the difficulty for the rest of you.

The skeet shooting, anyway.

Heh. Yes. Although that would be hilarious.

Yeesh, msbelle, that's frightening. The cyberpunk author Wm. Gibson's dad died from choking to death at a restaurant in the pre-Heimleich days.

Oddly, his family lied about it and said he had a heart attack and it was only when Gibson decided to get a full cardiology workup as an adult that they said, "No, actually it was a choking incident."

Scary, msbelle.

Also revenge has awesome costumes ( although there is something wrong with Nolan this season)

Every caregiver needs a break sometimes.

This.

Didn't Bob have to spend a previous 'versary in Chicago as well?

No, but we were in Florida last year and we missed the Xmas Parade. That was way worse!

Anyway, look how cute!!

[link]

Spotted another mouse last night. Neither Kroger nor Wal-Mart had the catch and release traps I bought a couple years ago, so it's Madame Guillotine for any unwelcome houseguests from here on out.

Supercuties, lisah! I like the glasses frames, too. But not as much as the boy and his dog.

Matilda just informed us that she wanted to watch the new show with the girl that Emmett didn't want to watch.

New Girl? Hec asked.

No, she said, annoyed. The one with the girl with the glasses.

What does she do? Hec asked.

She's a QUIET GIRL. With GLASSES, Matilda said, exasperated.

Is it a cartoon?

YES. The girl with the FRIEND (God, parents, so stupid!)

What does her friend look like?

She has black hair that's short, Matilda grumbled, now completely out of patience with both of us, at which point a light went on in my brain and I shouted "DARIA!"

So now she's curled up contentedly munching a bowl of butterscotch chips and watching Daria. Our little boo.

Heh.

And yep, your boy and dog are adorable. eta: but looking much sterner than either are!

I have to say, I've never planned on being a dog owner, but your CB and msbelle's Bailey have gone a long way to convince me that I could probably love a dog as much as I've loved my cats. I did have a dog growing up, and while I loved her, I just didn't have the same connection as I always have with my felines. Still not planning on being a dog owner (that's just too much work, says she who had 7ish years of her life scheduled around cat meds) but willing to accept that I could be.

Huh. What appeals to her about Daria?

Huh. What appeals to her about Daria?

Girl characters who pass the Bechdel test. It's the same reason she likes My Little Pony. Also she may be honing her deadpan snark.