keep passing the open windows

At lunchtime today I just happened to stop by the neighbor lady’s house where Taylor was doing his football-auction induced labor, ostenibly to bring him a drink, really to check up on him.
“X.” had already sent him home for the day, after a few hours of weeding. He’s going back tomorrow to trim [...]

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Yesterday Taylor won a stereo from the library’s summer reading program. In the five weeks of the program he had read 38 books. He should be thanking me for the technological grounding he’s had this summer, without which, he would doubtless have played many games of HALO and read few books.
On our [...]

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As I’ve mentioned before, my daughter attends two local church-based youth groups.
And she’s an atheist.
Today one of the youth groups is going to see “Get Smart.” I encouraged Taylor to go, too, but the weirdo boy isn’t willing to put up with a little extraneous religion to go to a [...]

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Last weekend was the annual Heritage Days Festival in our little town. It involves a talent show, musical acts (all Christian or Country-blech) and a carnival with rides, games, and funnel cakes. (Mmmm… funnel cakes!)
Taylor went with a couple of other boys his age. I asked him if he had fun, [...]

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There is a David Sedaris story that goes something like this:
“One summer my family was embroiled in a mystery. Someone was wiping his or her butt on our mahogany colored bathtowels and replacing the towels on the shelf, properly folded. At one point or other each of us was the victim and one [...]

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You graduate from 8th grade today, an accomplishment you seem to be taking in stride.
“Mom! It’s ONLY 8th grade promotion” was your exasperated plea when I ruled out basketball shorts, a white t-shirt and high-top tennis shoes for your graduation ensemble.
I’ve written about some of the less sterling parts of your middle [...]

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Saturday night we (Taylor, Chris, Tay’s friend Wesley) were hanging out playing board games.
The topic of usernames came up. Chris said “My username on my fantasy league is Mike-Oh, I better not say.”
Taylor and Wesley started lauging hysterically.
Okay, what’s so funny about Mike? Mike What?
Chris finally admited that his username is [...]

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Yesterday I had to take Taylor to the dentist for a follow up visit (cavity!). After signing him back in at the school, one of his teachers came up to me and said:
“What happened to Taylor’s hair?”
And she said it in the same concerned and bewildered tone one might use when asking someone about [...]

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Riding in the car yesterday Reagan said “Mom, remember when I went to that lock-in and the topic was abstinence?”
“Yah?”
“Well, one 6th grader asked ‘If abstinence is so great, then why are there prostitutes?’”
My son proclaimed this to be his new motto.
He wants to get bumper stickers and t-shirts printed and sell them; [...]

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Last night I went to be early. Early-early, like nine pm. I haven’t been sleeping well and really needed a good night’s sleep.
It was wonderful.
Of course, there’s a BUT.
Actually two BUTS.
One, I missed the blogger bash.
Two, while I was sleeping my husband shaved my [...]

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