Yeah, my mom says stuff like that but generally only to the sibling she's complimenting. Like she tells me, who has no children, that I'd be a better parent than my sister. Which is probably true because my sister is a pushover and I've had a decade and a half of being a hard ass with gang bangers. But it's still not nice to say.

Oh, also, paging Kat. I think I'm going to your niece's graduation. Is there any chance you'll be there?

No siblings, so Mom had to compare me to other people's kids.

You know, having gotten the story of my adoption along with Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood practically as soon as I was verbal was really a very nice buffer for me. No matter how horrid her behavior, even as a small child and my trust was abused, I always took comfort in, "Well, at least we're not really related."

I never once said "You're not my real mom!" but she was so afraid I would she said it herself all the time. "You don't obey/love me because I'm not your mother!" Dude. You're the only one I know, and after living with you, why would I want *another* one? Chill.

But still, yeah. Nice to know I didn't inherit that.

My brother is engaged and I think my sister and I have separately told his fiancee that if/when Mother says something appalling to her, don't take it personally, because she has said the same or worse to us. I told Fiancee about when my mother told me I needed to get pregnant soon before all my eggs dried up, for example (I was 29), and how she asked mr. flea, on first meeting him, what social class he aspired to. Mother told my sister that she thinks Fiancee is from "good stock," but we hope she has managed not to tell Fiancee so to her face. Yet.

...couldn't find a birdfeeder (humming or seed) I liked

I highly recommend the pan-style hummingbird feeders. They are much easier to keep clean than the bottle-style: [link] [link]

Given your location, you might also consider an oriole feeder: [link]

Wow, flea's mom. Wow.

I ran a 5K today, and sadly was just about as slow as I ever was. I was hoping I'd do better, since I've been running more! But no. And now my calves are SOOOOOORE. But I got 9600 steps in before breakfast?

Our nice birdfeeder was stolen from where it was hanging at the end of our parking pad. sad. Of course, the birds don't really need feeding this time of year.

I should be cleaning the bathrooms and/or sorting out my clothing for fall/winter to spring/summer switch but I rode 75 miles yesterday and the warm laptop feels so nice on my knees that I can't really motivate and get off the couch to do anything.

This: [link] and the 8 following photos.

I'd like to fall down, but I've got to go swim now.

basil in cooking. It's a tomato enhancer, IME,

vaguely Thai stir fry. For example: pieces of chicken, pork, beef, small shrimp, marinated tofu or what combination you prefer with veggies such as green beans, water chesnuts, finely chopped celery, pea pods, bean sprouts stir fried in a combination of soy sauce, lime juice, peanut butter (yes peanut butter) honey or cane sugar or corn syrup (but not brown sugar nor molasses) add cooked rice or cooked thin spaghetti or cooked rice noodles in last three to five minutes. Spices - garlic, sweet basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cilantor/coriander/cumin if you such spices please you.

If you can't eat red pepper - more black pepper will do.