How do you find it, Sheryl? Compared to if you were younger? (Not that I am likely to have any children at 40-whatever, never mind magically having one younger!) I fell like a heck of a lot of my friends had kids in their very late 30s, but don't know too many older with young kids

A coworker of mine married her second husband at 49 and had two kids after age 50. He adopted her two teenagers and they're all very happy. He is a decade younger than she is; maybe that helps. Me, I can't even fathom living that life.

Good thing everyone isn't like me, the species would go extinct.

And, Hi, Karl! Always good to see your pixels.

The rural community I grew up in had local directions like "turn where the old Pryor house was" and "if you hit the river you went too far."

Good thing everyone isn't like me, the species would go extinct.

I hear that. "Oh, you'd make such a great mother!" Yeah, but littles don't come with a return policy.

"if you hit the river you went too far."

Well, in general, if you hit a river, you've probably made an error somewhere.

I feel like the most impressive part about Tammy Duckworth giving birth as a sitting senator is that she is 50!

(Not that I am likely to have any children at 40-whatever, never mind magically having one younger!)

If I ever get back to dating, and somehow find a partner, it seems likely that I could magically have one younger! I.e., become a stepmom to kids who already exist.

It's a Bring Your Kid/Horde to Work day here. I am problematic around kids at the best of days, but I know I just have to cope out in public. I thought I was safe at work. But there are high-pitched voices everywhere, echoing up through the atrium, and they're running and giggling through the call floor as their parents hush at them helplessly. Cackling children send me straight to a Children of the Corn place, and Hubby spent a lot of time reinforcing that I can't hipcheck them as they plow past me.

I would not be a good choice as a babysitter.

There is a very small puppy here. There is also a child here, but she is quiet.

I can breathe. The fire's still going, but there is enough wind to keep the air moving. There's a part of Zelazny's Lord of Light where the Holy Assassin talk about how no one writes sonnets to breath, but no one can survive without it.

OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOD. I just signed on for a permatemp position as a middle school language arts teacher. It's from August 29th to October 31st. This is great, because once I get certified ,this school may want hire me on full time, and if not, this gives me strong experience to use to look for a full-time position. Still, I have two weeks to get ready and learn the curriculum and prepare lesson plans and learn all the software and and and. I am excited and terrified!