I boycotted them for a while because their owner was a big supporter of Operation Rescue. I support that people have a different opinion that me, but I can't support an organization that advocated violence to forward their agenda. And yes, I know that Domino's was not donating, but since their profits gave him money to donate, I declined to eat the pizza. And, I didn't really like it, it worked out.

I had a really good friend in college with whom I disagreed on so many things. She and I had an awful time finding places that we could both happily eat. But it was totally respectful, so our friendship thrived. Mostly we ended up cooking at my house.

Occasionally, Ben will make comments to me that indicate I manage to hone in on those things he wishes I'd overlook and overlook those things upon which he wishes I'd hone. Motherhood is like Spidey-sense, but with less less radioactivity, and sadly? Less tingling.

My mother bought me a framed drawing of a mother and child that says, "There has never been a day when I have not been proud of you, I said to my daughter. Though some days I'm louder about the other stuff so it's easy to miss that." Makes me smile when I see it every day because it's good to be reminded of it and remember to let others know.

DJ, I am so sorry for the community's loss and those families. How awful.

Once again, my neighborhood ftw! UPS delivery of catfood missed, of which I've one bowl left. So I'm having it left with my neighbor, who will be home tomorrow. Several packages have disappeared of late, so I don't want to tempt fate on $100 of catfood. I'm told summers are worse for stuff like that, opportunistic kids mostly.

It's interesting that the article about drownings said that kids who can't swim often have parents who can't swim. My mother can't swim and is afraid of the water, so she had my sister and me in swimming lessons at the Y pretty much the day we were old enough because, she said, "I couldn't save you."

I'm surprised about Target. Wasn't it just a couple of years ago they weren't letting the Salvation Army set up a Christmas collection kettle outside their stores?

My mother bought me a framed drawing of a mother and child that says, "There has never been a day when I have not been proud of you, I said to my daughter. Though some days I'm louder about the other stuff so it's easy to miss that." Makes me smile when I see it every day because it's good to be reminded of it and remember to let others know.

That's awesome, Cass. I do try very hard to mention the good stuff. For example, Ben was supremely mature about his shoulder surgery and his athletic restrictions and I continually mention them. But I think we all hear the criticisms more loudly than we hear the praise, so I probably could do more to balance them out. Parenthood can often be an exercise in shoulding on oneself.

I'm surprised about Target. Wasn't it just a couple of years ago they weren't letting the Salvation Army set up a Christmas collection kettle outside their stores?

Eh, I suspect that the real ideological point to the donation is "supports gigantor corporate interests in Minnesota". It generally is.

Ginger, that's the same reason my brother and I ended up in swim lessons every summer from the time we were tots. My mom actually started me at 3, but at the end of the summer, I discovered the water was over my head and freaked.the.fuck.out. She couldn't get me back to lessons for a couple years.

The ridiculous thing is, her mother? Swam regularly and taught all the other kids to swim. But it just didn't take with my mom (I think there were mother-daughter issues there. She also was my mom's math teacher and that didn't go well, either.) My mom is still not comfortable in the water. Which is why next summer, D's getting swimming lessons when he visits.

I used a shampoo and conditioner sample tonight and um...I think it shares the crack ingredients with aveda. Because I might have to wash my hair again if Loki doesn't stop mauling my head. It is also mens cologne smelly, which is annoying.

I've never been comfortable in the water (I've been wearing glasses since I was five, and being rendered unable to see more than six inches in front of my face did not endear the aquatic environment to me). I still learned to swim, and I've just started taking Ryan to swimming lessons. (He makes a very cute water baby, and was just about used to it by the end of the first lesson.)

It's interesting that the article about drownings said that kids who can't swim often have parents who can't swim. My mother can't swim and is afraid of the water, so she had my sister and me in swimming lessons at the Y pretty much the day we were old enough because, she said, "I couldn't save you."

That's exactly what my mom said. Mom was raised on a farm with no local watering holes, no access to a community pool, and Catholic schools with no pools, so she never learned. At least, not until all of us kids did, and then she finally took a few beginner classes at the Y when she was in her 40s, so now she can get in the water, dogpaddle across the pool, and get her head under water for a few seconds before she panics.

My mother can't swim and is afraid of the water, so she had my sister and me in swimming lessons at the Y pretty much the day we were old enough because, she said, "I couldn't save you."

Yeah, same with us. I was one of those tossed in the pool babies. In fact, my mother taught me to swim, in part. She just couldn't do it herself, because she was scared of having her face underwater. But she wasn't going to let that get in the way of us.

She's better with the water now, much, but she'll never love it. She's a floater, not a swimmer.