Today, I have discovered that kids still play the jinx game, where if two people say the same word, the first one to say “jinx” has power over the other. My daughter, Bunny, came home from her friend’s, grabbed a notebook and pencil, and furiously wrote the following:
“I can’t believe it! I can’t say anything ever until (L) says my name 5 times! What am I going to do?”
And so begins the trials of preteendom for my little girl. (L) was apparently unwilling to ever say her name 5 times, and Bunny’s little brother was being a tease, so she got a little bored with the whole thing after an hour of furiously writing everything. Being extremely brilliant (I’m her Mom. I can say these things), she found an old pair of crutches in our garage and asked to borrow them. She used them all the way across the circle to (L)’s home. When (L) asked her what had happened, Bunny pointed to her mouth. She couldn’t say anything, so (L) wouldn’t get to know. (L) quickly said Bunny’s name 5 times, and Bunny told her that she just wanted to be able to talk again. They had a nice laugh.
Roo’s finally discovered the “handyman” kit Santa gave him for Christmas. It has real working tools, a tapemeasure, a toolbelt, safety goggles and a hardhat. He’s been excitedly unscrewing every battery-operated toy in our house. Only today did he stop wearing the hardhat to do so. He’s also been affecting a “trucker” accent. You know, the way guys talk to each other when they are staring at, say, a car engine, or a yard. “YEP.. That’s gonna need a phillip’s head screwdriver… ” “Welp, this battery needs a’changin, so we can get it working again.” “Fixed that, *belch* I’m gonna get me some cheetos.” Luckily, his pants haven’t developed that habit of falling down to reveal buttcrack… yet.
The weather’s gone insane. We had such a nice spring, too. It was soooo cold and wonderful. Now, it’s 97 degrees farenheit, a number normally reserved for late July or August. It’s hard to breathe outside, and my hair has decided to look like Slash’s from Guns N Roses. Enter the endless parade of neighborhood children banned from their own homes for one reason or another. Pet Peeve: If you’re going to shove your kids out in 97 degree heat and tell them “go play somewhere”, give them some money to pay for all the food they eat at the “cool mom’s” house, kay? I don’t mind it if we’re doing the “rotating houses” plan, where my kids get food at their houses, but right now, they are all over here, and have been for several days.
Oh! I’m officially a working editor now! Yay! I got paid. So add that to my tshirt biz, my own freelance writing, and my costuming, and I am a busy busy young lady!
Things are so nice right now, even with the heat. Maybe it’s the whole cancer thing that’s put life into perspective, but even the little things are wonderful. Add to that a new-found desire to stick up for myself more and to be *gasp* assertive, and I’m quite a different person these days. I’ve also lost 2 sizes since my surgery, and am still losing. Once I go on the Low Iodine diet in July, I figure I’ll be losing even faster. Have you seen that diet? I had no idea that iodine was in so many foods. Practically everything that is manufactured in some way has iodized salt in it, dairy is straight out, and many meats naturally contain large quantities. So that leaves… homemade bread, fruit, brown rice, veggies, and um.. fish, I think? I’m going to have to tailor my costumes by September 
