10:13 p.m. | 2004-07-03 Cheap Entertainment: Family Style. Today was LittleNephew�s (LN) birthday party. He turns 4 tomorrow actually, but most folks have plans for the 4th, so his party was today. It�s sad to say, but I�ve never been to one of his parties. I usually have plans, plus Christmas in July is normally just a couple of weeks later. However, this year I didn�t have plans and Christmas in July is scheduled for late August, so I could go. Fortunately for me, StepMom (SM) and DearestSister (DS) also decided to attend and they swung by and picked me up even. Very cool. We had fun laughing at the little ones� antics, talking them out of their candies and, pretty much, just messing with their young minds. StepMom is, well obviously a mother, but also a grandmother; DS is a mom and an aunt, and I�m just an aunt. You can have a lot of fun when the youngsters aren�t yours. Just saying. I have to say that SM and I have a thing for certain strawberry candies. The ones with the wrappers that look like strawberries. Know what I�m talking about? Maybe not, because they�re old fashioned. As kids, we actually referred to them as �old lady candy�. Just like the Christmas ribbon candy. That sort of thing. Well, those candies were in the Pi�ata. I, of course, noticed that immediately and pointed it out to SM. We spent the rest of the day talking the little ones into handing over the �strawberries� which they obviously wouldn�t like because they�re �old lady candies�. I swear, you can talk �em out of a ton of candy that way. A strange thing happened during the party too. I was talking to SM when I noticed that she had an insect on her collar. I�m not talking about jewelry, I mean a real bug. While she was talking, I noticed that it moved down to the top of her shirt. Not knowing how she�d react to a bug, I cautiously reached over and grabbed it from the inside edge of her shirt, squished it casually and set it aside as if it were a piece of lint. I didn�t want to be obtrusive or anything. Then, I saw her face and realized that everyone was suddenly staring at me. Really, it was an instinctual thing. However, I had just stuck my hand slightly into her shirt. I�m sure that seemed strange not knowing that a bug was crawling on her. Then I had to explain. This is that. (CI:) Sorry, you had, um, something on your shirt. Well, it was a bug. I didn�t want to call attention to it because I didn�t want to make it worse. Sorry. (EldestSister:) I�m surprised you didn�t jump when she put her hand in your top. (SM:) Fortunately, I trust her implicitly. (CI:) I�m so sorry. It was a bug� (SM:) I�m a biology teacher so bugs really don�t bother me. I�m quite comfortable with �em. Plus, I�m a mother and grandmother. Bugs really don�t freak me out. (CI:) Heh. I forgot about all that. I�m glad you trust me though. Honestly, I ended up feeling very much like a primate. I�m only brave with insects when I�m protecting either myself or someone else. Otherwise, I�m not so cool with it. And, I have to say that SM is not a person who needs protecting. But, I guess she, and everyone else there, knows that I�ll pick bugs off people if I feel that�s necessary. I�m weird. Sue me. Later, SM and DS dropped me off at my home. I did the dreaded grocery shopping, unloaded everything and put it away. I was so ready to rest at that point. I got up early, attended LN�s party and did chores. So, what did I do next? I stubbed the fuck out of my toes. Yes, toes. I stubbed all three middle toes on one foot on one of the metal casters of my couch. It�s pretty much akin to slamming your toes into a brick wall. I didn�t even swear. Mostly because it knocked the breath out of me. And, you know you can�t undo a stubbing. Honestly, there�s nothing you can do. You just have to deal. My middle toe got the worst of it. It�s black, blue and swollen. Just what I need. More pain. Good thing I had fun today. your thoughts? seed flower