Good for him, Maria.

Your SO is great, Maria. Good for him speaking out like that. (I am weirded out because I know a Jim and Sue couple, but I guess a lot of people probably do!)

Ooh, Jesse, sorry to hear the gf came on the trip. Right now I'm annoyed with one friend who is basically like "no I can't do anything without my gf because we only get so much vacation time and it wouldn't be fair to use it without her" and I'm like "you LIVE together, you can't spend ONE weekend apart??"

Yeah, that wasn't quite the argument, but close -- lots of work travel by my friend, but they also just moved in together! Ah well, we gave it a shot, and it does sound like my friend agreed it wasn't a huge success. But also not a disaster! So that's something.

Go Maria's SO!!

Jesse I feel like it's even harder when it's queer couples because the "boys weekend" concept doesn't work/isn't culturally ingrained (though of course we could argue about toxic masculinity and gender roles and why those concepts are fucked up, but whatever)

{{Matilda and family}} I am so sorry that she has had this summer experience, but also grateful that you have a village to pinch hit for you. Hip~ma for your mom and wishes for quick recovery.

Couldn't say this better than Laura.

Maria, The fact that your SO's opinion is unpopular is so depressing and terrifying. That's great he spoke up and so eloquently.

I am lucky that SO does not feel this way. We both take time away with our own friends, and we're happier for it.

So much this. There is time with friends, time with your SO, time with friends and SOs. All important.

Maria, it is good that you are there to support SO and it is helpful that his expression of reality has helped others as well. Grief can be absurdly complex.

Timelies all!

{{Matilda and family}}

Mr. S's 3 year checkup was today at 11, so I took the whole day off.(He went to camp/daycare after the checkup, as no vaccinations were involved.)

I hope Matilda can make a quick and painless recovery ... and not infect anyone else.

JZ, I'm so sorry about Matilda. A few years ago, I learned the hard way that Public Health in NS doesn't even recommend quarantine for kids with Hand, foot and mouth because it's so virulent that by the time kids are symptomatic, they've all been exposed. I still side-eyed my coworker who had a kid in daycare. (ETA: I wasn't actually around any kids for weeks previous to getting HFM, but she's the only person I know that had exposure to it.)

That said, the first couple of days were the worst, so I hope that's passed for Matilda. Be prepared by knowing that I lost a toenail a few months later.

Much ~ma to your SO, Maria.

Oh, JZ, poor Matilda. And all of you! That's a super stressful situation, but I'm so glad EM stepped up. Sending love and healing vibes to all of you.

Maria, your SO sounds amazing. I'm glad he's speaking truth about this, and I'm so glad he has you (and vice versa).

In other news, does everyone cry watching Queer Eye? You all do, right? (Please tell me I'm right. Then again, I cried during SYTYCD the other night.)

Y'ALL!!! Check out these mermaids. [link]