Aw, flea. Nothing like hearing "Mom!" in a bass voice across the grocery store and being swept up in a long-armed hug, and trying to sort out which cub scout this was when I was his den mother. Or being stopped by a very tall police officer in uniform. "Excuse me." Ah, yes, officer? (Oh gawd, did I break a law or something?) And then the mile-wide grin, "'Officer?' Really, Mrs. L?" Willie! How are you? Well, ah, I can see you're doing pretty well. How's your mom?

Ugh, got word that the ceiling collapsed at the studio where my bellydance troupe practices. A drag for us but very bad for the guy who lets us use his studio - he has to cancel all his classes.

Oh, I'm so sorry, -t. I hope his insurance helps, at least somewhat.

-t's right, sarameg. No crawling out on the roof!

Let's all be glad we don't live here: [link]

I was just seeing pictures of Scituate (sp?) & waves breaching the seawall. My parents lived a block from the beach, in a summer house year round, ages ago.

the compound needs to be inland a bit, nothing right on the beach.

Thanks, y'all. When I was vague posting about greedy people and utter frustration...it was the whole insurance issue.

Her lawyer sent us the store video that covered the 45 minutes I was in the store as proof that he was a vicious dog. The insurance folks and I watched the video and he was walking right by my side, sitting when I asked him to sit, never tugged on his leash. Even watching "the incident" he was sitting by my side, she passed between a floor display and him - he turned his head and...I block the view of the actual moment of bite. But he doesn't follow her, it was a quick moment. He ended up looking back to me instead of tracking her. So vicious.

Whatever, it is over.

In more fun news, tonight is the first night of a steampunk/costuming convention and I'm helping with volunteer management again. This is the first year for this con, but we have had a good crowd for the first night. Tomorrow will be the real test. I've already hit the vendor room pretty hard. SO MANY PRETTIES!!!!

I really think we should follow the government's lead and just...not work today.

Such a good idea that I did just that! I'm currently in St. Louis (staying across the street from the city jail), having had dinner with an old school friend and her husband and then gone to a stand up comedy show featuring Dan Soder.

I'm going to be in St. Louis in two weeks.

I went to a performance of Tartuffe last night. It was so much fun! I love live theater when I go, but I'm so resistant to planning viewings. I need to get over that.