Most recent parchment (I finally got the second one finished)

First column:

3, black, pentagon, leaf

Second column:

4, trident, pentagon, blue

Third column:

2, bird, rectangle, yellow

Fourth column:

5, gray, water, triangle.

So, because it's my third parchment, I take the stuff from the first door, right?

Edit: Oh, and this just got me the poogle racing av. I've got to hand it to TNT, this plot is turning out to be vaguely interesting, at least - though I wish they'd back away from the flash comics idea, or at least do a non-flash version.

Note to helpful friends...

"It's a quirk, she'll grow out of it" is not the answer I want to read. What I want to see is "Oh, it sounds like blahblahblah" with a proper explanation of why Ana's doing this interesting and fascinating linguistical thingy. "It's a quirk" is not an explanation, and I already *know* she'll grow out of it. I don't care about that! I want to know why she's doing it now!

Honestly, how long have some of you known me? Thank you.

(And I know you're trying to help, but I'm not asking for reassurances, I'm asking for information. When I want reassurances, I'll say something like "does this indicate a problem?" or "should we all be worried?" or "please tell me she's okay". I promise.)

Ooooh...

So, all this summer, on Fridays my family went to the drumming circle in Wagner Park (part of Battery Park City).

Apparently, in May-June it's not drumming but "Sing together. Share rounds and folk songs. No experience necessary. Singers of all ages welcome. Led by singer/songwriter Terre Roche."

Interesting.... *makes note of this*

And I still can't figure out where, exactly, the preschool art program is supposed to be. Oh, dear.

Oh, god, listen...

We left the house on time today. And as we got on the bus, I noticed that most (but not all) of the seats were filled, including (importantly!) a few seats in the back. Across from us (right at the front) sat a woman, her four year old (ish) child, her bag (in a separate seat, when most seats are filled), and, in a stroller, the baby.

The breakfast of choice for all of them seemed to be cheetoes. Ew.

Eventually, as all the seats fill up, the woman *finally* picks up her bag and lets somebody sit down. After a minute, the Other Woman (henceforth known as Righteously Indignant Lady) says "I'm sorry, your stroller is still banging into my feet, you should move it".

Inconsiderate Woman asks, a bit snittily, where she's supposed to move it.

And here's where the fun begins. Several minutes worth of "You're supposed to have it closed up" from RIL, while IW goes "Act like an adult, I have two children!" (Honestly, she tried that line.)

And finally, the driver stops and says he's not moving until she goes to the back or folds up her stroller. At this point, the Inconsiderate Woman looks around, sees me, and goes "Everybody else gets to have their stroller with them"

But wait, you say. Doesn't conuly hate strollers? Hasn't she sworn to never drag one onto a bus again if she can at all help it?

Why yes, yes I do, and yes I have!

So what could she possibly have meant?

Why, Ana's toy stroller, of course! The one that was neatly folded up and tucked between my legs! Same as my bags! All told, Ana and I took up exactly *one* seat, and our bags and stroller didn't go more than three inches out into the aisle. Even if that thing had been open, it's just not that big.

I didn't say all this, of course. I just stared and went "um, it's folded".

So, finally, Inconsiderate Woman who, apparently, thinks being an adult means being able to teach your kids to be rude and annoying on the bus (and if she's an adult, she knows not to leave a stroller open *right at the front* of the bus) takes the baby out and folds up the stroller. How long did this take?

Ten seconds. Fifteen, tops.

Righteously Indignant Lady pulls out a massive cell phone and tells all her friends about this, in an undertone, while Inconsiderate Woman, lacking a cell phone, attempts to take the higher ground by simply glaring at everybody. The bus moves on.

For my own personal edification (god, I'm slow with this!)

Blue, cup, rectangle.

Red, pentagon, paw.

6. Red, oval, blades

7. Green, pentagon, eye

*yawns*

First, the Onion story on Home Churching children.

Now, the real life FAQ. Note, of course, that worship within the home isn't entirely a new concept, not even within Christianity. Some people think it is, though.

*chooses the silliest icon*