I think it's a difficult conversation to have, with all the best will in the world, because at the same time, many things are simultaneously true

I agree with your entire post. And that right up there is what I kept wrestling with as I started and then deleted a couple posts. I still can't say what I want to say without taking forever and not really expressing just what I mean anyway.

I just tried again right here in this post and failed, so I give up. Fraught is a good word for it.

Sophia that sucks so much that your phone got stolen, especially when you were trying to be a nice person and let someone use it!! Geez.

Also, poor Matilda, and I wish I got a company Christmas party, and cheese and meat for the vegan amuses me.

This is not something you see everyday. [link]

I'll say! Now I want a Yo Yo Ma!

I have no other thoughts...

There's a new book that tells kids how great it is to have measles. [link]

I wonder if these same people would like some smallpox, as well.

I wonder if these are the same people who claim smallpox wasn't eradicated, it's just called chicken pox now.

Nuts. I don't get to have either of those, due to my mother and her "science".

We're in the throes of a virus. Owen is barfy. I'm off to buy some ginger ale.

And some bourbon for me.

It turns out tamarind sauce makes an excellent marinade for steak.

There's a new book that tells kids how great it is to have measles.

I had measles. I had a 104 fever and hallucinated. I was given gamma globulin injections to try to bring down the fever and was hours of being sent to the hospital when it finally came down. I had to wear gloves to keep from scratching, and I'm covered with a rash and calamine lotion in the Christmas pictures for that year.

It was loads of fun.