OT Story - DD on her vacation.

I love it. Thanks so much for this story.

But what's IKEA?

--
Debbie (New Mexico)
Life is too short
"Kathy N-V" wrote in message
.com...
Bob, DD and P/T D left last week for a vacation to Carolina Beach to a
condo
we traditionally rent each April vacation. Unfortunately, P/T D got very
homesick, and had to return to mom and family on Tuesday. So Daddy and
Daughter are having a great time on their own.

I don't miss them in the least - because they haven't given me a chance to
miss them. I kept track, and they've called 8 times today alone! Each
day,
DD tries to tease me about some thing that they've done; something that I
am
afraid of, find yucky, or just wouldn't do.

- She described a trip to the Columbia, SC zoo, where she fed birds from
a
little cup of nectar. She tells me that birds flew over and covered her
head
and arms, and that one bird licked her. (ewww - and I hadn't considered
that
birds had tongues). We've had about six phone conversations which stated
with DD starting, "Hi Mama! Birds have tongues, you know that. Do you
wanna
hear how a bird lick feels?" (no.)

- When Bob was driving P/T D to the airport, a six hour expedition, DD and
a
family friend went to the movies. I am notorious for refusing to spend
outrageous sums on junk food at the movies. DD's conversation that day
started with "Hi Mama! We spent $60 at the concession stand at the
movies.
Did you know that the "Ella Enchanted" movie is nothing like the book?
(hot
button) They even started the movie with the thing that drives you crazy!
(Many, many kids' stories kill off the mother in the opening scenes. It
upsets me) I think it's my new favorite movie!"

- This morning's call was, "Hi Mama! Donna taught me how to make fried
chicken. So I'm having fried chicken and fudge for breakfast today!"

I've heard about buying fireworks, a sunburn (I've dipped that kid in
sunblock every day of her life. They "forgot," and the kid got toasted
but
good. DD gleefully recounted that she's old enough to drive with a
licensed,
over 21 year old person. ("Daddy says you don't want to know.") She's
also
spent far, far more than the money we agreed upon beforehand.

To her immense disappointment, she hasn't gotten a rise out of me. I tell
her about eating ice cream every night for dinner. I tell her that Sophie
smells really bad (DD's job is to bathe her), and is sleeping on DD's bed
and
in her clothes.

It's a test of wills - she wants me to tell her that I'm jealous /
horrified/
upset/ grossed out at all the fun she's having. I want to tell her that
being home alone with money, a car and the dog isn't so horrible, and that
I
could manage to live without them for a few more days. Amazingly, when I
neaten up a room or a surface, it stays neat! I could stand a day or two
more of that, no problem.

I think DD pulled her trump card tonight, though: "Daddy and I are going
to
the IKEA in Virginia on the way home."

I love IKEA, and used to drive to the nearest one in Montreal all the
time.
I haven't been in an IKEA in three years, and their mail order is
terrible.
But I told her that I'm delighted that she gets to go, and to have a
wonderful time.

Guilt won over, but not for me. "Mama, I know you've wanted to go to IKEA
forever. What do you want me to buy for you?"

heh, heh, heh. I twisted the knife, just a little.

"Oh nothing sweetie-pie. Knowing that you're having a great time at IKEA
is
the most important thing to me." I replied. "Please make sure that your
vacation homework is completed before you get home, because I won't write
a
note to excuse you and buy you a couple of days of time."

I wonder if she's enjoying busting me as much as I'm enjoying busting her.
I
also shudder to think about what will happen when she gets better at this
than I am. eep.

But for now, heh, heh, heh.

Kathy N-V



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I love housewares. One of the things.

--
Debbie (New Mexico)
Life is too short
"Kathy N-V" wrote in message
.com...
On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 22:51:44 -0400, Debbie B wrote
(in message et):


I love it. Thanks so much for this story.

But what's IKEA?

It's a Swedish chain of housewares stores that has incredibly cool,
amazingly
cheap modern stuff. DD's loft bed came from there, as did all the
armoires
in our house. (We live in an old house. No closets)

Kathy N-V



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I wonder if she's enjoying busting me as much as I'm enjoying busting her. I

also shudder to think about what will happen when she gets better at this
than I am. eep.

But for now, heh, heh, heh.



ROTFL -- I can relate to the following!

I want to tell her that
being home alone with money, a car and the dog isn't so horrible, and that I
could manage to live without them for a few more days. Amazingly, when I
neaten up a room or a surface, it stays neat! I could stand a day or two
more of that, no problem

guilty me - whenever I get to go on a government TDY -- I actually ENJOY the
private time - the choice of eating when and where I want to eat.... and a
hotel room that someone else cleans daily!
LOL
enjoy YOUR Vacation!




Cheryl
last semester of lawschool! yipee!
A HREF="http://www.dragonbeads.com" DRAGON BEADS /A
Flameworked beads and glass
http://www.dragonbeads.com/

I'm sorry you are not with them but bet you enjoy the break. Carol stayed with
me here at the "big house" two days last week, and really enjoyed the break
from her family and pets. So much so that I think I have her talked into
coming to CA with me at the end of the month!


Becki
"In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling
difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

Great story, Kathy!

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

Did you know that the "Ella Enchanted" movie is nothing like the book? (hot
button)

Uh oh, this will totally **** off my 9 year old dd!!! (We read this book
together, on the recommendation of my 14 year old cousin...VERY good read in
the young reader genre!)

The Blessed Fiddy, Patroness Saint of the Disorganized
LC in Sunny So Cal
Personality Development Specialist (Full-Time Mom!)

In article ,
says...

Did you know that there are other books by the same author in a similar vein
-all stories about fiesty princesses overcoming obstacles. My DD adored them
when she was younger. The author is Gail Carson Levine, and there are at
least ten books in her series about princess-heroines.

Along the same lines, I heartily recommend "Dealing with Dragons" by Patricia
Wrede. There are 4 books in the series, but the first 2 are the best. Wrede
does an outstandingly hilarious job of turning all the standard fairy-tale
cliches inside-out!

Celine

--
Handmade jewelry at http://www.rubylane.com/shops/starcat
"Only the powers of evil claim that doing good is boring."
-- Diane Duane, _Nightfall at Algemron_

Yep, we're loving all those. My dd is now a tomboy and won't abide "regular"
storybook princesses. If they can't kick the dragon's ass themselves, she
doesn't "buy" it.

Cool kid...

The Blessed Fiddy, Patroness Saint of the Disorganized
LC in Sunny So Cal
Personality Development Specialist (Full-Time Mom!)

But what's IKEA?

:-O ! ! ! !
~~
Sooz
-------
"Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John
Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance
~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
http://airandearth.netfirms.com/soozlinkslist.html

Another great "tough princess" type author is Patricia Wrede. She has a
great sense of humor and writes wonderful characters.

And for those with a delight in the absurd, get ANYTHING by Diana Wynne
Jones. Our two favorites are The Ogre Downstairs (dangerous for blended
families LOL), and Archer's Goon.

KarenK

"Kathy N-V" wrote in message
.com...
On Fri, 23 Apr 2004 13:29:32 -0400, LC aka Fiddy wrote
(in message ):

Yep, we're loving all those. My dd is now a tomboy and won't abide
"regular"
storybook princesses. If they can't kick the dragon's ass themselves,
she
doesn't "buy" it.

Cool kid...


Did she like "The Paper Bag Princess?" (ISBN: 0920236162) I know that
she's
too old for it now (in theory), but DD and I still read and recite it for
laughs. What a great book.

People with young daughters (and sons) - Get This Book. It's an upside
down
fairy tale, where the prince is locked in the dungeon and the princess
needs
to rescue him from the fire-breathing (but not at all scary) dragon. She
wins by using her wits, and the ending is a surprise to everyone
(including
the prince!)

Wonderful, wonderful, book.

For that same age group - say preschool to early reader, "How Georgina
Drove
the Car Very Carefully from Boston to New York and Back Again" is
delightful
(out of print, but available for cheap money used. ISBN: 0517571420 ) It
sounds like the child wrote it herself, and turns a trip to the
grandparents
home into an amazing adventure. If your kid craves driving but is say a
decade away from it, this book is a classic.

I started reading to DD every night from the time I found out I was
pregnant
(don't laugh - it was experiment, okay?) until she was darned close to ten
years old. She adored my reading to her, and it became a part of her bed
time routine. I remember one time when we were traveling, we were at an
airport with a long delay. I pulled the book we were reading together out
of
my purse and started to read. Instant contented child, which is a Big
Deal
when stuck in an airport lounge for hours.

A little while later, I stopped to rest my voice and get a drink. DD
started
to protest, and to my shock, she wasn't the only one protesting. I had a
full audience of children and adults, enjoying one of the "Chronicles of
Narnia." I was obliged to get myself a cup of tea before continuing,
because, after all, I couldn't disappoint DD and all those people. They
NEEDED to hear what happened to the Beaver family.

Kathy N-V