<p>jmmom – That has got to be so frustrating! And, I’m very curious now, too, as to where those keys are. You must update when you find them. Maybe they are in the car somewhere? Because sometimes I leave my keys in the seat, or they fall down on the floor. I have trouble keeping track of keys too. Well, hope you find them soon!</p>
<p>Found the keys. After my multi-hour search, the aborted-dinner-plans friends came over and searched for 45 minutes. I left them on the bbq in the garage that I had moved out of the way, so I could bring the car in to the garage. Black keys on black bbq cover = excellent camouflage.</p>
<p>Did the Happy Dance. Now hanging my head in the naugahyde booth here in SA. So glad it’s orange naugahyde, not black. Although Friend 1 says he’s going to fasten the keys to my sleeves with those mitten clips you give your kindergartener.</p>
<p>I think he’s got me figured.</p>
<p>And how many Postinos (Postini?) did YOU imbibe, jmmom? J/K, glad you found your keys.</p>
<p>Ah, to be in Baja right now…I’ve scarcely had 5 consecutive minutes of sun since the afternoon I spent reading the Skarmeta novella.</p>
<p>Enjoy Mexico for all of us! Oh, and it’s OK if you switch back to margaritas while you’re there. :)</p>
<p>Yay, you found the keys!</p>
<p>Go jmmom!!!</p>
<p>I myself am standing up on the bar ting ting tinging my glass.</p>
<p>The Aluchildren are in the same country as Alumom. In the same state. And even occasionally in the same room!!!</p>
<p>Oh their cute little faces. One so white and pink. The other all brown. D with red hair. S so tan (where did he get that from) and his blue blue eyes under the dark eyebrows. And all those long arms and legs and feet everywhere.</p>
<p>Ah. Crushes on our children. How sweet are they? </p>
<p>BTW, sheerly fact based. S did a Duke TIP program in Costa Rica on Tropical Ecology. Plus two weeks with a group called Rustic Pathways doing community service (painting things and teaching English) and playing soccer. Had more fun than anything else in his whole life. Wholly recommended if you want to really spoil one of your offspring:).</p>
<p>I asked him if he liked the biology or just having fun in Costa Rica. He said he had been wondering that himself…</p>
<p>Any good biology in Baja?</p>
<p>Steps off bar. Goes and pats jmmom on the back. She needs it and deserves it:).</p>
<p>Apropos crushes on one’s children…</p>
<p>Final week at home with final child. (Remember TFSFH? He’s… not FH anymore, go figure.) Feeling filled with wist. Busy weekend coming up to prepare, then… time is bearing down. My huge 6’6" cuddle buddy, who is more like me than anyone else in any part of my extended family and who turned my hair grey many times over, is about to disappear from my daily life. I truly don’t know how I can stand it.</p>
<p>I was sure this one wasn’t going to affect me as much as the first one. But I was wrong.</p>
<p>Stop me before I cry into my beer.</p>
<p>Aw. Mootie. Go ahead and cry. It’s virtual beer after all:).</p>
<p>hello adults…</p>
<p>Of course it would affect you Mootmom – Your BABY is leaving for college! I know I’ve only <em>known</em> him for a couple of years, and only through a few snippets here and there on this board, but it has been fun watching him grow, and my goodness, hasn’t he come a long way in the past couple of years! GO GO MOOTSON!</p>
<p>Oh, Hello, Sheed30, didn’t see you there. All I could see were Mootmom and Alumom glowing with motherly love . . .</p>
<p>SBson doesn’t get back from Costa Rica for another week. I have really missed him. (I am sure he has not missed me at all.) My question is, how many girls has he hooked up with in 24 days? Maybe we could have a pool.</p>
<p>And my H is leaving for a boys’ trip tomorrow, which means, m&s, that I am going toe to toe with you, chick version. </p>
<p>Mootie, if this isn’t worth crying over, what is? Sending you a hug.</p>
<p>Hey, at least one person said hi to me…</p>
<p>OK I will pick my head up off the table, resting from my wild intoxication of motherly love, and say hi.</p>
<p>Hi there.</p>
<p>And SBMom - you do know that Burning Man is coming up? Guess what. My BROTHER is going…</p>
<p>So if anyone you know who is on their way needs an analyst, as in psychoanalyst, as in even has a couch in his office, let me know:).</p>
<p>Mootmom,
Hugs to you! I can empathize… my cuddlebunny daughter still has a year left at home before college starts but the other day I burst into tears in front of her because the idea of not having her presence in my daily life flashed through my consciousness. Because she’s such a great kid, her eyes did not roll back into her skull but rather filled with tears, too, and she looked so sorry (as if she should apologize for growing up, after all). It’s so hard with the youngest ones because you know for sure what you are losing and there is none left to spoil into filling the empty places. I think my 6-year-old nephew is going to be seeing a lot more of me in the fall of 2008… give a hug to that great huge son of yours and hold on as long as you want! I’ll be sending good wishes your way for his drop off and for the entire first year! May it go quickly for you! (except for the holiday visits, may they go very, very slowly). :)</p>
<p>I’m so glad Aluson had a great time. Now that he has tasted more fun than he imagined possible, you should see an increase in his ambition to put together a lifetime of fun for himself. You say spoiling, but really, what price can you put on the benefits of that experience? It will be a boundless gift of education.</p>
<p>I hope you gather his photos and emails and paste them into a book for him to show his boys in 2050.</p>
<p>hey all you alley cats and kittens…just dropping by for a pink champagne on ice with a triple shot of espresso on the side, delivered by David Beckham (leave the wifey at home, Becks)</p>
<p>drove all night thru the armpit of CA to deliver daughter dearest to Cal tomorrow…</p>
<p>she’s a litle scared and not afraid to admit it…</p>
<p>I have a new job and a new bf waiting for me at home…and so far, I feel like we are both sort of ready for this… all summer long my sweet d has had moments of actual surliness, even calling me “b***h” and “■■■■■■”…does that mean It Is Time??</p>
<p>so comforting to know I can always come here and join the usual suspects at the 24/7 virtual happy hour…</p>
<p>now, she sleeps. I study every little curl on her head, tiptoeing around just like when she was a colicky infant…</p>
<p>tomorrow she can begin saving the world…</p>
<p>cheers!</p>
<p>best of luck to your D at Cal, wecandothis! S is going into his 3rd year there. Go Bears! <clinks glasses=“” together=“”></clinks></p>
<p>P.S. Take the 101 home. It’s much less armpitty and maybe even a little cooler.</p>
<p>I know I’m not a parent, but I’ll post our latest travel news on behalf of my mother, who spent 12:00 - 3:00 today by the phone, waiting for the “I’m here and safe” phone call. My sister arrived safely at her hostle in Kenya today. She’s doing some fieldwork for her college thesis. She was supposed to be picked up at the airport by the boyfriend she had when she was in Kenya for three months last fall. Whether he would show or not was a little questionable… customs regarding commitments and courtesy are a bit different there.</p>
<p>This girl somehow went from the most clueless and dependent member of the family to someone who, in the past 18 months, has spent three months in Mexico with a study abroad homestay program, three months working independently in Kenya, three months doing study abroad in New Zealand with some homestay, and side travels with friends or locals all around Mexico, Kenya, Australia, and Fiji. When did that happen!? </p>
<p>This is probably our last summer together (two older siblings have been out of the house for years). We’ll be winding it up with a trip to Croatia together, but it’s definitely a strange thought.</p>
<p>SBmom, maybe casually leave a print out on the table from his school’s website about STI testing! :eek:</p>
<p>jmmom–try to keep it together, willya? ;)</p>
<p>Just flew back from Boston with the family & stopping by the Alley. My, what a lot of wist ful whimpering in our beer! It’s such a bittersweet time…</p>
<p>Tomorrow son #1 leaves for his senior year. He’s so grown up, he’s already contemplating a job offer for next year! Nice way to start the year.</p>
<p>Mootie–“Liquids on a Plane” sounds like a really scary sequel to “Snakes”, if it were made by TSA. :eek: :D</p>
<p>At one airport I was given grief for having my tiny liquid bottles in a clear zippered toiletries bag instead of a regulation ziplock bag. Sheesh. I thought I was ok.</p>
<p>Have to put in a plug for the MIT Museum. Even if you have no interest in an official MIT tour, if you are looking for things to see in Boston, it’s worth stopping by to see the museum exhibits. The kinetic sculptures were my favorite!</p>
<p>They are building more exhibit space to open in the fall.</p>