An Artists' Life Maxx is sick.

Well. Madd Maxx Attacks is my other baby. Yup, ask Rebecca, and she'll tell you she has a little "brudder" named Maxx. She used to, anyway, when she had time for silly little moments in her life, that I will never forget: Her talking to Maxie boy, and me secretly listenly to every word she said. I won't spill those special lovely beans but let's say this: I had a feeling she was going to a be fabulous mom if she ever had kids. Bingo! She is a terrific mommy, I am so proud of her, I have been known to start babbling...

I can put it better. Dogs and little kids, you can't fool them. If they don't like you, something is wrong with YOU. Yup, live with it. Now plenty of grown-ups don't know what to make of me. I have tried to fit in quietly - be invisible if you will - all my life. Never has worked, I have always not fit in much at all, in the 'normal' ways. The oddest thing is that I don't know why. Am I not just like everyone else you know?

It doesn't seem to matter at all to either babies or dog people at all about my oddness I guess I will call it. I never did meet a baby who didn't warm up to my silliness pretty soon, nor a dog either. I am, hoping, waiting to mature, like a very unfine wine, who probably needs about 80 years to be really ready for presentation to the public!

Maxx to this day - and he is 10 1/2 years old with maybe a kidney infection, a eye and ear problem - I think he is very hard of hearing and a little bit visually impaired, however - if I ask him one question - this is what happens. And think - I am asking a doggie a question. If I say "Where is Rebecca"? He starts barking his head off and runs to the door frantically seeking her. I never ever ask him anymore until I hear her at the door - only at the last second as I don't hear one bit better than poor Madd Maxx. But then you would think he was ten weeks old, as he happily and boistrously bounces barking and screaming to that door - where is she, where is she, where is she?????

No, you read that right, Maxx screams, shrieks, and makes the most ungodly noises that many people have ever heard. Nope, we don't hit or hurt or frighten or abuse this little guy now or ever in any way. He sleeps in bed, right between us, for heavens' sake. He eats whatever part of our own dinners he seems to fancy. Only because he has been so ill. But our family and friends will tell you Maxx has a no-boundaries kind of life. He pokes open the bathroom door when I am trying to be 'alone'. Forget that, he wants to always keep an eye on me.

That trick he has taught his sister LuLu, who is 2 1/2 years old, and dumber than a box of hammers. She has no idea of the most basic words. Sit is something i teach her to do every single day! She topples over, lays down, rolls over Maxx, sometimes steps on his head, and now and then accidentally bites me hard enough to make my finger bleed. But can she sit??? When you ask her? No no no no. Is she stubborn? Nope. She is very agreeable, and gentle and sweet. That only leaves one possibility or two, and I am pretty sure I explained the problem already. And I don't think we ever dropped her on her head, possibility #2.

If I feel like writing about one training class for 3 hours someday, I'll write about the class where I was working with Maxx on the "Down". It is the most difficult task for him, I finally figured out, because of the shape of his huge-barrel chested body. It isn't natural for him to just lie down, like the Sphinx. There is no real way for him to not wobble to one side or the other. AND there is this: To get a dog into the down position, many things must happen. None were happening because Maxxs' bad bad bad Daddy Stevie was sitting on a chair along the sidelines, laughing his butt off so loudly, that pretty soon, almost everyone along the sidelines started laughing too. Distraction is a very bad dog teacher.

Finally Nice old Nana here popped her cork! Quiet Down All Youse I yelled out above the roars of laughter. I have a delinquent Pug Dog here! You can tell that story is really funny, but I can't go on and on all day here...


However LuLu is sneaky or taller than maxx, and has learned how to steal my entire supper on the low table in the living room. She's done it twice - both times, my favorite. French toast and vegetarian sausages. Doused in real maple syrup. She licked every drop of maple syrup off that dish in the time it took me to go to the kitchen and pour a drink, with ice, get a straw, and come back. She smelled lovely, though she is still sticky after I washed her for a 1/2 an hour. Insulting yes, she steals my food, gets all yucky, and I have to wash her off. Oh she loves being washed, let me tell you. Really, I mean. I have never had a dog who loved warm soapy water before. She drinks as much as she gets washed with. Like I said... dumber than a box of hammers... but so sweet, and oh, did I mention she looks like a piggy with bat ears?

So I just won't talk about Maxx getting so sick that he can't control his bladder function very well - I will say he is better than he was four days ago. It has been hard going, but still, it is a little better for him. He needs to go outside every 1/2 hour to hour. the longest he can make it is overnight about 3 hours, and then wakes me up to take him out. If he can't manage to wake either of us up, I set a bunch of puppy pee-pee pads by our bedroom door and Mr. Smarty Pants used them right away. No LuLu is he. I do believe that I once figured out that he knows about 200 words, in one combination or another.

He also know the names and the nicknames of every member of this family, down to our grandchildren. He taught me something brand new this summer: He brings me places where he wants something. He did this by looking over his shoulder at me and then taking three steps, and sitting down and looking back at me. So I followed him, and said "Is this what you want your mama to do, Little Man?" And then he moved forward again just three steps and sat down, and repeated looking over his shoulder for me, me following, etc.

Now when he wants me to follow him, he sits down in front of me, and stares at me a moment. Then gets up, and walks to what he needs and knows he has taught me to follow him. He is some little guy. He never barks when he wants out, because of this, and this is why he has accidents sometimes, because he is trying to get me to follow him while I am sound asleep. Thus the prior barking in my ear. I do think he knows when I can't hear hear him either!

Talk about feeling horrible. He woke me up a couple of mornings ago when this began by barking in my one good ear. I was really pissed off, exhausted, and annoyed. MAXX what do you WANT???? I yelled! Well he jumped out of bed like a rocket and ran down the hallway while I stumbled after him, realizing he was desperate to get out.... And that is when I saw how sick he was feeling.

He is getting better, so we are thinking our prayers and his good strong heart and constitution will pull him through this dreadful mess. Seeing any of our dog people ill is terrible for us - it's an awful lot like babies, cause they can't tell you what is hurting. And since the kids have flown the nest, they are the only 'nestlings' to focus my mothering on a daily basis...

www.LetsSayThanks.com; this is the website that Rebecca correctly thought I would like, and I have gone there twice now - once a day, to send postcards to our men and women fighting to keep this country safe. After the events of the past two days, with the terrorists planning to have several planes filled with bombs collide and explode over the Atlantic ocean on their way to major American cities, well, the situation grows more dangerous and frightening each day.

Loving children and loving grandchildren is such a set-up for world peace. Why world peace doesn't thrive isn't a question I can answer, but it seems that there are countries that have been sworn enemies forever. Why do we act as the world police and try to stop them? Simple, really. This is a very old view, the US as world police. The real view is that w/o all civilized people in the world aligning themselves totally with the forces of good, then only evil will prevail. I keep noticed how dedicated these fantatics are. The killers seem to think they are doing a good thing, in the name of the Lord. but nowhere I have ever read in the bible, Go kill someone innocent and helpless.

Like Giving Candy to an Artist

Now I used to eat all kinds of disgusting candy when I was a kid. And an adult for that matter. But then I learned a bit about candy and how dangerous a thing it is, and I stopped eating it. Almost never put any in my mouth, but oohhhh, I've put a lot in my brain. Just thinking about it. Truffles. Those round Lindt balls. Oh die from yum.

The Saturday Sentinel ran an interesting story, while the world is perhaps, on the edge of its' existence in the Middle East, and every e-mail I receive that is political is referring to this crisis. About candy. Circus Peanuts in particular. Everything you could possibly want or need to know about this chew ewey gooey orangey childhood favorite of mine, next to 'Peeps'.

The article was great, but so many columns devoted to Circus Peanuts in todays' world seems frivalous beyond belief. Yet, I still can't help thinking what a well written, harmless sort of story it was. Especially in the 'hard news' of every other story in the whole paper. I learned that Circus Peanuts have been around for aoubt 200 years, longer actually, and represent therefore, to me, this freeland, and the penny candy I loved as a child. It is the oldest candy in the country, perhaps the world, I think the article said it came from France, and may have been sold at circuses, thus its' name...

Circus Peanuts were a big treat because even though I am old, penny candy was still sold only at one store, and I didn't always have a penny. And this: The dental care my parents paid for and screamed at me for needing. For being born into the first town in the USA to have fluridated its' entire public water supply. Every tooth in my head is a testimony to the worthlessness of doing such things, but don't go by my experience. I probably ruined the effects by eating so much candy, and not ever being told to floss. Our family thought it was for old folks. Until I was 15 and fell in love with a future dental student, and learned better, but by then, the damage had been done.

As you'd guess by someone who knew where in town was a gas station with a broken candy machine. If you put in $.25, you'd get out 5 big double packaged Reeses' Peanut Butter Cups. I drool just typing the name. Who thought up such delights? And why didn't they realize what they would do to our health and teeth? Diabetes also runs in our family, so gobs of sugar are highly frowned upon... even if you are highly skinny, you are not offered sugary sweets to help you gain weight, darn it. You still have your teeth to consider. And who can digest nuts?

This article also harkened back to Peeps, those Easter time chicks, available in neon yellow or pink, with tiny chocolate eyes and beak. I loved those too when they got a bit stale, about a week old... and darn if they didn't talk about that in the article, vis-a-vis the Circus Peanuts as well.

If I were bored as a kid - nearly always - I would first spend a good bit of time squashing the Peanut or Peep - and here Peanuts are unbeatable, squashing that sucker as flat as flat could be. Then stretch it out a little bit, and flatten it some more.

You can do this for awhile. Did you know that? Until your circus peanut is like a long orange tongue. Then you take little bites, and chew really slowly and don't take the next bite until you have finished, let's say reading the page you are reading, that Circus Peanut can easily last you half the afternoon.

See, the article was talking about how Circus Peanuts have nothing to do with circuses or peanuts but have been around forever, and are difficult to make. It's about humidity and so forth. Well they make a lot of them regardless, and tons of money still ruining kids' teeth, so don't feel sorry for them. When they figure out how to make them with Splenda, then I have no beef. They should make candy my grand kids can eat w/o worrying about their teeth or blood sugar. Even discover how to do it to be healthy - heaven forbid.

Closest thing to healthy candy I know of is Panda Licorice... it is sweetened with molasses and comes in yummy raspberry or black if that is your thing. Also - bars, or bites, my thing. It is also made with whole wheat flour and some other healthy things. You'll recognize all the ingredients. Fruit rolls are very good substitutes for candy for the kids too, me in other words. But I still have to brush right after anything good passes through my chompers.

Well growing older I learned to read what was actually IN the foods I ate and there are no redeeming values to either Circus Peanuts or Peeps. Possibly, I could use either or both in a painting or sculpture. That might be really cool. The article mentioned there being other shapes and colors of Orange Circus Peanuts, but I have never seen any such thing.

If so, I was thinking of melting and mushing them around together, letting them harden and cool, and then polyurethane the whole shebang depending upon the effect.

Add a row of marching Peeps along the top and bottom of the painting... maybe then use some beautiful watercolor inks to paint over the polyurethane, therefore disguising what the heck is under there, dress up those Peep shapes! Glue some new real feathers on them, and exchange their chocolate features for what - oh - easy- sequined features! Funny painting, huh?

An interesting fact about the 'peanut' making process is that they 'sit' and solidify in a very special room for 24 hours after they've been mixed - the batter - and poured into the molds. They just sit and dry out to a special humidity which is when they are inspected and packaged and you might buy them shortly thereafter. I have occassionally bought the softest Circus Peanuts and this is why I learned. They are brand new and fresh. The harder they are, the older. and as I mentioned, some people like them soft and some a week out of the bag like me. I had no idea there was such a cult surrounding the things, or that anyone besides me on earth had ever let them get stale on purpose. Naturally the first time was an accident, and then, it was like, OH, this is much better!

Visual candy is what my friend John calls beautiful things to look at. So I included an art photograph that is called "Josie Tortures Faye", just so you'd remember why this is called an 'Artists' life", and not a nanas' life. That photograph took a weekend to compose, and is the end result of many Photoshop lessons given freely and lovingly by my beasty teacher friend Josie. Thus, Josie tortures Faye. As in, no dinner until we reached a certain place, no going out all weekend. Etc. It's ok with me, I'd rather be doing art than anything except you - know - what. (Clue:Initials E.M.G. & B.J.G.)

What did you do on the hottest day in the history of the Universe? Beth and I walked two miles through the forest, examining bear scat (poop), and a cluster of three black trees that appear to have been hit by lightening. I thought I had heard an impossibly close explosion last week, and that might have been it. What the lightening hit I mean.

Oh and for the first time in all my years, the forest felt muggy and close, yucky in twin talk for why walk here today? Because Beth wanted to take photographs with her new camera and that was that. Stopping Beth in mid-desire is like stopping a train by sticking out your hand. Don't even bother.

Besides, she makes everything fun anyway, which is how she manages to remain at the tippity top of my AAA list forever. Oh and sensitive, caring, competent, good cook (all true, more to come) really compulsive house cleaner. When she comes to see us, our house shines for years. One time Beth took down our bathroom fixture and emptied out the dead flies. OMG we laughed at her for hours, and she kept justifying how easy it was, and how she enjoys doing it... she should start a cleaning service - she'll make millions.

Beth has one downside. She won't answer e-mail, and you know what that means to me. It's like my life, I am addicted to my laptop. I could survive in prison if I had my laptop. And Baya and Esme could come for overnight visits! E-mail, Poobah, Rebecca, Nathaniel, the twins, a few friends, and the laptop. And Stevies' special home cookin'. Yup, my version of "Martha Stewarts" 'cell'. Of course I am assuming that LuLu and Maxx came with Stevie for daily visits. I wouldn't expect them to stay in a tiny cell, but who knows... they might be happy. But then someone like Beth goes and ruins it all for me. She wouldn't even know what had happened to me, because I would be exonerated by the time she checked her email. Sixteen years later.

So, our walk. We were chased and bitten by horse flies, and deer flies, who have no respect for deep woods off. Or you have to buy a new bottle every few years. My head has bumps all over it, since I am no good at spraying my head without spraying my eyes. Yes, you are supposed to spray your hands, then pat your head, but well, I am always taking this particularly unsuccessful shortcut.

Our walk was because Beth had the bad judgement in my not humble opinion to move to Myrtle Beach, SC. Everyone envies her and all that but I just want her back home. I haven't ever had a 'my own age' friend like her. She is such a smart/goofy person all at once. And we are both such control freaks, that I always imagine the Lord watching us and laughing her butt off. So to speak.

We are so unequal. Beth is very very smart, and tall, and athletic. I am not. Leave it, just leave it there. I am funnier, let's say, and so you won't think I am putting myself down for no reason. She is very funny too, but we both love to read equally. We also both have one biological daughter and both named that child Rebecca. When they were very little, in order to know who we were referring to, the older - mine - become 'Big Rebecca', and the younger one belonging to Beth simply became Little Rebecca, or, as i currently call her, Little. Or LittleR.

The irony of that, is that both Rebeccas are now lovely and young ladies, and Little Rebecca is about 6" taller than Big Rebecca, or for that matter, me. She is a good friend to me now also, and has been her whole entire life, nearly. It is a pleasure to have friends like this, like Beth, like Shirley, who are like this:

No boundaries. Total sympathetic listening. Revalations of spiritual growth and enlightening books and hope for the world and good recipes too. From the least important of things to the way to run the world correctly - in truth we three (there are really five of us but that is too long a story) could reshape the world. Or so we think, if only someone would listen. we have no idea how to get politic, but Shirley is fencing her way to wicked feminist fame. I bet on her.

OK so this all started when I was folding a giant basket of twin clothes. They wear tons of clothes everyday in the summer, and not all that few in the winter, depending upon spills and so forth. One dress Esme was wearing was fine until she found a little loose thread - and pulled and pulled and pulled, and finally the dress was so bunched up that Rebecca had to return it. I couldn't fix it at all. Well Esme acted like the dress was contaminated.

Her mama seems surprised by how fussy the twins are about such things but she was exactly the same way. A loose thread would make her frantic. If I accidentally forgot myself and removed the sticky but easily removed namebrand sticker from the front of most of her shirts, she would blow her little girl gaskets - she just loved doing that herself. And always did it herself. And sometimes spent most of the day sticking it back on and unsticking it and repeating this. I was the luckiest mother in the world, because Rebecca would entertain herself doing things like this forever.

I thought she was retarded. Sorry, when I came into the world that was an OK thing to be. Like crazy. Now people like me have mental illnesses and the children who are a bit slower for one reason or another - I guess they are called ??? a bit slower??? Challenged? It was a lot of fun when we were kids, running around and pointing at each other and screaming "Retard"! We liked insulting each other - no sensitivity whatsoever, and yet we would laugh so hard and run so hard after each other that by the end of the day we were exhausted. In addition to all the combined duties of annoying adults.

Thinking back very hard, this was about one part of my life. It was, carefully sorting through the Swiss cheese of my age-appropriate brain (I just created this P.C. phrase, and you'd better remember you read it here!) a zig in the zag of a pretty quiet childhood.

Anyway, Baya and Esme love playing dress-up and when they saw those towels, they immediately wanted to play - I thought it was a wonderful idea, and grabbed my camera right away; when they started watching a DVD, and then holding toes, I couldn't help but reflect on how special twins are, and how strong their bond is. I was thinking that I hope the current thought is not to separate twins in school. They are so special, as I said.

There is a little movie I have, and ZZ has just hit Baya with her cell phone and I am asking her to apologize to Baya, and after I ask her three times, and she has totally ignored me, Baya turns to me with a look of what? protection towards ZZ, ?lack of care about the incident, ?wants me to stop requesting anything of HER sister, and it is the last that feels the most likely, by the look on her face. Determined and unsmiling, as she says something that sounds like "Nana, go". In other words, leave it. I am OK with being bonked on the head - ZZ does things like that all the time. But don't you go thinking you can march in and force her to say she is sorry.

Tell you what. I really respect these little girls. They are quite loyal to one another. Amazing little friends, and always sisters. What a special pair these two are, and of course I am prejudiced I am their nana and they most of the time - 99% of the time - say wonderful things to me. Once ZZ absolutely for sure told me: Nana, I do not love you. Crush me with a ton of boulders. Oh I said breezily, don't worry, I love you enough for both of us. That didn't make sense, but sounded good, but still, that little angel looked me dead square in the eyes and repeated it, in case I didn't understand, I guess. Ouch X two.

Next morning, the phone rings, and it is Rebecca, and ZZ wants to talk to me. Wow she hardly likes to talk much on the phone... Nana? Hi sweet little ZZ, this is Nana, I love You - Hiya, how are you??? Esme: Nana???, Nana: Yup? Esme: Nana, I love you. Nana, Of course you do sweet angel - nana knows that you do, you are nanas' little buttercup, precious angel and cookie too. Esme: giggle giggle giggle etc... Esme: Nana, are you coming to see me and see Baya and see mama and see daddy and and and etc... when Esme gets going it is hard to remember I am not talking to a very little adult who has major control issues.

Keep control issues in mind, and I will move to todays' post, and prove I can write about more than my lovely adored family. I've got some friends too. And another adventure or two...

An Artists' Life

ZZ had me laughing and laughing last week because she told me she had a big treat. Mama let her and Baya stick their heads in the air conditioner! I couldn't help it, I kept laughing every now and then throughout our conversation. Later I learned from Rebecca that it was so hot it their cottage at Little Compton Beach that she let them stand in front of the refrigerator and stick their little heads right in there. Well Esme found that absolutely the most amazing thing possible... almost made up for the ghastly heat they suffered that week. R told me she was glad I had decided the trip might be a bit much for me, because of that heat. She said it was terrible, and the cottage didn't have enough wiring to support a microwave. Things tend to be primitive at the shore, and besides, they don't spend much time there during the day. But I need my rest time, and how would I do that cooking on the beach, or frying in the cottage?

Lucky indeed I felt I needed to stay home and just enjoy the ordinary comforts of our simple life. Cool most all the day in air conditioned comfort. Thank heavens. A heated pool. I feel so decadent, but it came with the house, so I can't claim I even thought it up. But so many people enjoy splashing around in it, that it's almost a public pool, which is how i like it. The only thing I miss are ZZ and Baya in the pool too... todays' kids were Maggie the baby, who was very happy until she had a mouthful of pool, poor dear; she is a real happy little fish.

And also today brough Maggies' new friend Christopher, who is a 1 1/2 year old boy; a rarity in this group of little girls and baby girls... he is a darling little energetic fellow. Big and playful, much more blustery in his play. I could see where he would be a bit much for the twins at this point. But perhaps it was pool excitement... he was thrilled to be allowed to throw my flip-flops into the pool endlessly, and then laugh as we dumb adults swam around fishing them out. A fun game for him, as well as throwing every single thing along side the pool he could find into the pool. I thought it very funny, really. It reminded me of the David Letterman segment called "Will It Float"?

Well another day has passed and Beth is sitting by mys side; too much fun to be writing while I could be enjoying her actual company. I just started writing while she was on the phone...

An Artists' Life

ZZ had me laughing and laughing last week because she told me she had a big treat. Mama let her and Baya stick their heads in the air conditioner! I couldn't help it, I kept laughing every now and then throughout our conversation. Later I learned from Rebecca that it was so hot it their cottage at Little Compton Beach that she let them stand in front of the refrigerator and stick their little heads right in there. Well Esme found that absolutely the most amazing thing possible... almost made up for the ghastly heat they suffered that week. R told me she was glad I had decided the trip might be a bit much for me, because of that heat. She said it was terrible, and the cottage didn't have enough wiring to support a microwave. Things tend to be primitive at the shore, and besides, they don't spend much time there during the day. But I need my rest time, and how would I do that cooking on the beach, or frying in the cottage?

Lucky indeed I felt I needed to stay home and just enjoy the ordinary comforts of our simple life. Cool most all the day in air conditioned comfort. Thank heavens. A heated pool. I feel so decadent, but it came with the house, so I can't claim I even thought it up. But so many people enjoy splashing around in it, that it's almost a public pool, which is how i like it. The only thing I miss are ZZ and Baya in the pool too... todays' kids were Maggie the baby, who was very happy until she had a mouthful of pool, poor dear; she is a real happy little fish.

And also today brough Maggies' new friend Christopher, who is a 1 1/2 year old boy; a rarity in this group of little girls and baby girls... he is a darling little energetic fellow. Big and playful, much more blustery in his play. I could see where he would be a bit much for the twins at this point. But perhaps it was pool excitement... he was thrilled to be allowed to throw my flip-flops into the pool endlessly, and then laugh as we dumb adults swam around fishing them out. A fun game for him, as well as throwing every single thing along side the pool he could find into the pool. I thought it very funny, really. It reminded me of the David Lettermen skit 'Will It Float'. He reminded Stevie of the same thing. So it was for sure funny.

I am avoiding any further irritation to my annoying skin rash by slathering myself in SPF 1000. Seriously, I don't think it works any better above 15, we just read that, someone in the family. But we're using up our bottle of SPF 30, that stuff was expensive, and organic, so we're not getting wasteful and throw it away. It was fun watching it fly into the pool about 50 times today. Christopher has a real thing with repetition, I noticed a lot of the little ones seem to love doing the same things over and over... my pediatrician - can you believe I remember this? - told me attention span is the only measure of intelligence in young babies, toddlers, and if that is the case, both Maggie and Christopher join in the long attention span babies to pass through here in the last two years... fun to watch, hard on their mamas and dadas.

Well tomorrow Beth arrives at last; we already spent tonight with Shirley, and maybe tomorrow night we'll sit down together all four of us. That will be cause for celebration, for it's been 11 years since we've been together. Too long for such good friends. Shirley and Beth conspired to create 'Stevie and Faye', so you can see, they are core people in our lives. I am not sure we'll ever forgive them! No, that is just my kind of humor. Awful.

Off to bed, tomorrow is an early one, and I have no intention of dragging around. I can't wait to see my old buddy, and I mean can't wait. I probably will be counting sheep tonight, thinking about it...

An Artists' Life

ZZ had me laughing and laughing last week because she told me she had a big treat. Mama let her and Baya stick their heads in the air conditioner! I couldn't help it, I kept laughing every now and then throughout our conversation. Later I learned from Rebecca that it was so hot it their cottage at Little Compton Beach that she let them stand in front of the refrigerator and stick their little heads right in there. Well Esme found that absolutely the most amazing thing possible... almost made up for the ghastly heat they suffered that week. R told me she was glad I had decided the trip might be a bit much for me, because of that heat. She said it was terrible, and the cottage didn't have enough wiring to support a microwave. Things tend to be primitive at the shore, and besides, they don't spend much time there during the day. But I need my rest time, and how would I do that cooking on the beach, or frying in the cottage?

Lucky indeed I felt I needed to stay home and just enjoy the ordinary comforts of our simple life. Cool most all the day in air conditioned comfort. Thank heavens. A heated pool. I feel so decadent, but it came with the house, so I can't claim I even thought it up. But so many people enjoy splashing around in it, that it's almost a public pool, which is how i like it. The only thing I miss are ZZ and Baya in the pool too... todays' kids were Maggie the baby, who was very happy until she had a mouthful of pool, poor dear; she is a real happy little fish.

And also today brough Maggies' new friend Christopher, who is a 1 1/2 year old boy; a rarity in this group of little girls and baby girls... he is a darling little energetic fellow. Big and playful, much more blustery in his play. I could see where he would be a bit much for the twins at this point. But perhaps it was pool excitement... he was thrilled to be allowed to throw my flip-flops into the pool endlessly, and then laugh as we dumb adults swam around fishing them out. A fun game for him, as well as throwing every single thing along side the pool he could find into the pool. I thought it very funny, really. It reminded me of the David Lettermen skit 'Will It Float'. He reminded Stevie of the same thing. So it was for sure funny.

I am avoiding any further irritation to my annoying skin rash by slathering myself in SPF 1000. Seriously, I don't think it works any better above 15, we just read that, someone in the family. But we're using up our bottle of SPF 30, that stuff was expensive, and organic, so we're not getting wasteful and throw it away. It was fun watching it fly into the pool about 50 times today. Christopher has a real thing with repetition, I noticed a lot of the little ones seem to love doing the same things over and over... my pediatrician - can you believe I remember this? - told me attention span is the only measure of intelligence in young babies, toddlers, and if that is the case, both Maggie and Christopher join in the long attention span babies to pass through here in the last two years... fun to watch, hard on their mamas and dadas.

Well tomorrow Beth arrives at last; we already spent tonight with Shirley, and maybe tomorrow night we'll sit down together all four of us. That will be cause for celebration, for it's been 11 years since we've been together. Too long for such good friends. Shirley and Beth conspired to create 'Stevie and Faye', so you can see, they are core people in our lives. I am not sure we'll ever forgive them! No, that is just my kind of humor. Awful.

Off to bed, tomorrow is an early one, and I have no intention of dragging around. I can't wait to see my old buddy, and I mean can't wait. I probably will be counting sheep tonight, thinking about it...

An Artists' Life
When I arrived in Cranston this past Sunday, the twins were outside with Nathaniel who was attempting to do some yard work. Well Esme saw me parking my SUV and began calling out: Nanas' car, Nanas' car, which seemed totally amazing, but really, she saw me and I saw her, and I was trying to get out of that hot car as fast as I could to scoop up that little monkey and give her the biggest hug I could. She had grown so much since the lst time I haad seen her, and she had so much to tell me, she was bursting with sentences, 'Nana, come see Baya!, come see the pool, Nana aare you going to stay here?, and on and on, faster and faster, until I started laughing and couldn't stop.

You see, they do keep me alive, and that is about that. I had an appointment with my doctor today and without looking at my chart she said, oh my, you've just seen your granddaughters, haven't you. Well yes, of course I agreed, just back, and oh, they are just princesses, and are talking up a storm in all kinds of sentences. I love listening to them and playing with them. They have wonderful ideas for going through the day; but non-stop is the keyword.