To be fair, it's summertime in Antarctica

But still

Oh wow, dcp. That's all lot of appointments. Sending ~ma.

Next Friday will mark the trifecta of Galentine, Friday the 13th, and the official end of the grief year since my dad passed away. I told my friends to expect a gathering with alcohol (and/or mocktails), tears, and horror stories, because this year was awful (for so many reasons other than parental death) and I'd very much like an official closing event to it with some chosen family. And then lock it in a box, put a curse on the box, and drown it in the bottom of the ocean. Or something of the kind.

(all of course is pending Iran/U.S. plans.. I'm not even checking the news anymore to see how close we are to another round because it was hell last time and it'll be hell again, so until something happens nothing happens. But just in case I'll need to get to a place with a proper shelter, I'm 40% packed with a list of what to take from my place for 4-5 days away).

_t, if I have to do it again, I want a cut of the tuition. As it is, I gave him some thoughts with something vaguely suggestive on the end(waves at Trudy, or maybe bows, as if she is my smut-sensei.) I had to make it fun for me because as Elmore Leonard says "If crime isn't fun, best get you a job." so. Hec, after my stepfather left, I didn't watch "The Simpsons" for years...it made me too sad, even without trying to relive our ritual on Sunday nights and all that, but when I got back into it, there were lots I hadn't seen and some were even good.(Sometimes if I catch one that we liked especially or where we talked about the jokes, I do feel a pang, but it almost feels nice now.) Eighties in Phoenix...in this moment, it feels nice, but this is a little fast and reminds me of the Hell to Come so I welcome that a cooling trend is on its way next week.

That's a good plan, Shir, I hope the world co-operates with it!

I want a cut of the tuition

This is what I'm saying, you should get paid for that!

Guess who still has lingering symptoms of bronchitis and a sinus infection that won’t stop? Guess who has won yet more steroids and antibiotics? Guess who suffered what was undoubtedly a bout of mild-ish food poisoning last night?

I think I want a robot body.

dcp, you have my sympathy around all those appointments; I hope they deliver good results.

Shir, that sounds like a good plan.

I probably could have had a tip jar from the age of about seven. And I think he doesn't get it, either, writing back "Guess I hit a nerve," so that was a great use of an hour and a half!(Except *I* respect me for not doing the shy-girl thing, so, worth it.) Atropa, lots of suck. Sorry. In a different way, same for dcp.(I hate doctors, mostly)

Atropa, that sucks. Have you managed to convince your doctor to prescribe laudanum and a trip to the seaside?

Welcome to the world, great-great niece! (how can you have so many greats, Tep? Not that you aren't great-great, so I don't know why I am even asking, forget I said anything)

The newest little gal is a great-great because (follow this path) Tim's nephew married a woman who's about 10 years older than him, and she had 2 of her kids when she was kind of young (her kids are our great-nieces and great-nephew by marriage), and one of those kids (great-nephew) is about 20, and he's the one whose GF just had the new wee baby, which makes the new wee baby a great-great.

Tim's brothers have 8 kids between them, and those kids are all having kids, and some started early, so there's a range of ages when it comes to the great-nephews and great-nieces (oldest is 16 and the youngest was born on Thanksgiving 2025), and they all just call us plain old aunt and uncle without the greats in front of the title, because it's just a lot easier.

Shir that sounds like an excellent plan. I have a plan to go to a rage room with a friend for Galentines (her request). Figure it should be fun to smash some plates and stuff

Atropa, that sucks. Have you managed to convince your doctor to prescribe laudanum and a trip to the seaside?

Alas, not yet. If I have to do another round of antibiotics, I’ll see if she’ll do it.

they all just call us plain old aunt and uncle without the greats in front of the title, because it's just a lot easier.

Yeah, this is the way. It apparently drove my mom nuts when my dad introduced all his relatives to her as Aunt This or Uncle That and couldn't even tell her how they were related (if they even were, they weren't always blood relations) but I wouldn't be able to keep track if I did know!

This seems like a good year to have actual plans for Galentines. I do not, at present, but there's still time. If nothing else I can take myself out for pancakes, I suppose. I always have my invisible friends in my phone with me.