The Styx saga continues. Fiona insisted on bringing the CD to play at show and tell today. Even after my recent Styx epiphany, I'm still a little humiliated. I just know all the teachers are judging me now, whispering, "There's the mom who owns a Styx CD and actually listens to it too!" How am I ever going to face them again? Well, I'll try, oh lord I'll try to carry on.

Fiona really wants a dog. Not just any dog mind you, but a "big dog who will sit next to me on the bus and will be quiet but he will be my dog and I can pet him. When my cats are gone I will get a dog." She basically wants the cats to die so she can replace them with a better pet. A little creepy, I know. That's my girl!

The neighbors have started a weird suburban Stepford lawn competition. I think they may have all gone crazy. Since our neighborhood barbecue, two complete lawn-removal-sprinkler-installation-resodding procedures have taken place. The Smiths (who live right next door to the other Smiths) have been out slaving every day with a wheelbarrow, laboriously patching all of the burned spots on their lawn and carefully handwatering the entire yard. The old lady next door who can barely walk has been out weeding all week. Even the single guy who hasn't weeded since he moved in a few years ago cleaned his place up. That leaves us, the weed outcasts. The kids who are doing their own thing. I feel like we shouldn't have to pull these weeds since they came with the house. Shouldn't we get a free weed pass or something?