She sounds incredible, sarameg.

Yup. And I still remember when she was a drooly baby with milk-cheeks demanding 'BESOS!'

Robin's my second or third cousin, she landed at NMSU for a semester in 1974 and saw my mom's full name (with maiden, which is also hers) in a LWV thing and so called her up to see if there was a relation. Sure enough. Mom became her surrogate big sister and Robin decided to stay at NMSU. I adored Robin from the time I was born and when as young as 3, was always lobbying to sleepover at her apartment (in reality, mom picked me up after I fell asleep, but Robin and I'd eat popcorn and play games until I conked out. I still associate her with jellybeans and popcorn.)

She met Marley's dad and they married and moved around the corner from us. I was always running over there. Later, M's dad went off the reservation (he was also bipolar, but never sought treatment) and she moved back to SD when M was 4. I cried so hard when she left, though even then I understood.

Ack. Was having lovely time with ex-roomie, in the national park in an adorable 1926 cabin, with fire and s'mores...until we saw a mouse run under the bed. And both of us last night woke up thinking we'd felt something move. So now we are convinced mice are running amok over our sleeping bodies tonight, and are afraid we won't be able to sleep.

But mice are so cute! If I had to pick a species I'd like to have running amok over my sleeping body, it would be mice. I mean, consider the alternatives - cockroaches, those nasty little lizards...

Real nice, flea! But also, yes -- they're practically kittens.

Hope you got some sleep, meara.

My body is trying to kill me today.

Too late for last night, but do a search for mice repellent app for your phone. I haven't used them, but the insect ones work great.

They also hate peppermint oil if that is an option.

And you wake minty-fresh!

There's a high school student who has been working here part-time in some kind of internship program for the last year or more, and I have never met him -- and actually had no idea who he was until last week -- but he sends out these "Good Morning!" emails on days he's here that are so great! He totally brightens my day. And today's his last day. Sad. This morning's email was especially lovely.

You should tell him that.