Welcome, Becky!

Off to the vet with the dog, so I can come back and flomp onto the futon for the evening. Why did I agree to pinch-hit for this ficathon? Argh.

Sara's first bee sting! And it was a wasp, too. That was a lot of excitement all at once.

Todd Robert Anderson would like you to pay attention to, um, something: [link]

Awww, Sara. I remember my first bee sting.

As much as I love my kids, anyone who wants a 15 year old or a 21 year old is welcome. I may even be convinced to pay shipping, but no returns.

Welcome, Becky!

Boo wasp stings!

I've had bee stings three times.

Once by a hornet.

Once by a jellyfish.

Innumerable red ants.

Chiggers once. (So itchy!)

Couple spider bites.

I'm all full up with kids and cats, thanks. Although Sara is going camping with friends again for a few days tomorrow afternoon, and the older two are way more self-sufficient.

Sadly, she has the best social life out of all of us.

Welcome, Becky!

Poor Sara.

My mom was allergic to bee stings, and sort of impressed upon me how dangerous such things were. So when I was first stung I sat there waiting to die for an hour or so. Subsequent stings have just pissed me off.

I've never been stung. Yet.

OK, so over the years, my mom has remarked on how many things about me remind her of her mom, and how it's made her closer to her mom in memory. My affinity for swimming, my interests, aspects of my personality, etc. The thing is, I don't remember my grandmother well. She died when I was 11*, and we probably only saw her once a year, so my memories are vague (I remember what sitting on her lap felt like) and borrowed. But I've always thought it something of a gift that mom sees her own mother in me, and has been able to revisit their relationship and appreciate her mother more (somewhat tetchy when she was a youngster- they knew each other's buttons.)

My younger cousinwho lived on the family farm and pretty much was babysat regularly by my grandparents, saw them several times a week, etc visited Saturday. And she just sent this: " The rememberance of Grandma that I felt when I stepped into your [bed]room while waiting for Claire [daughter] in the bathroom.....it was so unexpected to feel a closeness to her after all the years. I have memories of her, but they all seem so distant now. It was priceless to me to experience that connection with her through you."

I feel like I unwittingly have a gift, one I can take no credit for, but one I'll happily share. It's eerie to have two people remark on it.

*(which is now confusing me because I thought my paternal grandfather died when I was 11. It's possible, if it was the August before.)

I've never been stung either, and neither have the boys, and it freaks me out because my brother was allergic as in "carry an epi-pen" through childhood. But she seems fine -- her finger's still a little swollen, but otherwise she's fine. I think she's enjoying the drama, in fact.

I always thought, if I'd ever had a daughter, she would be a Tresabel, after my grandmother. Even as any plans to have kids faded, the certainty remains with me.