Meandering Thoughts

Just like I feel like I have a bunch of daughters and sisters ( I have one daughter and zero sisters), I feel like I have a passel of grandchildren ( I have 3).  Niece Molly and family spent 3 nights with us last week.  I remember when she was this age and now Lily is nearing 4 years old and my greatniece.  She had a ball under her shirt and told me "It's not ice cream it's a baby" - hmmm - her mom does have a baby in hers and getting close to that size!

Her little sister Claire (close to 2) arguing over who gets THE high chair loaned to me by my friend Barb and used by at least 7 kids at our house.  Claire has some understandable language:  "Dee" over and over again as she smiles and follows me around - love it, "heavy" as she totes the small stools so she can climb and get into stuff - often "tweet" - treats.  I love them like grandchildren!

I conned Josh into a photo in his suit which apparently is a rare occurence according to Molly.  It was for interviews in MN and I said he looked like a mortician:) - he's actually a doctor in last year of residency.  What I learned from him this week:  No such thing as stomach "flu" - yes they had it and then I did - flu is only respiratory.  We probably had the norovirus which sometimes happens in schools, facilities and cruise ships.  Our family is a bit like a giant cruise ship at times and it is docked at our house.  It's very nice to have a doctor in the family but will be fair and try not to abuse it.

Ross drives me crazy and everyone knows it.  I married into a world of gadgets, inventions, electrical appariti (is that a word), blinking and flashing and dinging light deals.  So when I saw this sign when we took Rooke and Lucy to the kids' engineering museum called The Works I had to laugh.  Ummmmm I don't quite see it this way most of the time I must admit.  He has degrees in both physics and engineering and to me they seem about the same - sorry!!!

Odd things:

• "Shame" portion - the last bite that everyone is too embarrassed to take from a serving plate.
• Switzerland:  Have been reading up on the history and politics and find that in 2010 at least women had the majority in the executive branch.  An anti-feminist said this:  "We all know that when lots of women work together there can be more problems" - ha - I would love to meet this guy if he is still around.
• Social security office - first visit - and even though the "waiting room" is nice the presence of armed guards and identifying numbers with no workers in view somewhat reminded me of the emergency room in Poland.  But I can now again access my account and I have 34 years of earnings.  There was a guy with big dreadlocks, low hanging pants and talking loudly on his cell phone right in front of multiple very large signs in at least 2 languages.  He was visited twice by the armed guard before he quit....nasty!  He had a necklace of some kind of animal teeth or bones.
• Alex to Grammy from the back seat of my car:  "Grammy's drive slow to be safe so they will be able to be in the world for their whole life" - love the wisdom of kids.
• After bouts of both stomach "flu" (8 hour duration) and a bit of a cold I am ready to be done as I have no patience with my own illness - I am a baby.  This morning I calculated I was not well for 4 days and 7 hours - yes I am a whiny baby#%@&**&^^
• Amy and Chris are enjoying a short sojourn to Mexico and we have been in charge of the little kids.  Last night Amy's mom arrived to take over nd today as I went to a nearby mall who should I run into but her and Alex - a big city is  really a small world and I have said that often.

I am ready now to do some heavy planning on our spring trip and am also reading a lot about China.  I am ready to be done with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln!!!!!  I also want to trial a Downton Abbey dinner - get ready folks!