My Florida working vacation is almost over. So far no major catastrophies other than one child being rather sunburned. They're out shopping for "Lillys" right now, so I'm cleaning clothes and preparing to pack suitcases.

It's been pretty good. Other than the desperation that comes from trying to keep two girls (ages 7 and 10) on their best behavior all the time. Another unforseen problem, trying to get them to converse with Grandmama at the table. Trying to keep the playing from turning into fighting is a given, but since they operate in much the same way as my sister and I did at that age, I feel I've got a good handle on the dynamic.

It's funny, not having children of my own, how much work it is to be "mom" all day. I can't complete a phone call without someone calling for me, or needing me. I eat only after they've scarfed and left, and I disappoint them when I spend an hour in the pool with them, and the WHOLE REST OF THE DAY reading by the poolside, watching for drowning or unfair playing, and dragging them out to reapply sunscreen.

The best part of the trip was the eldest picking out the first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy as her reading. Which, actually, became my reading - as I read them to bed at night, and on long car trips. I'm doing all the voices - though Pippin and Merry I haven't figured out yet. They kind of fluctuate between Irish and Yorkshire. Frodo is very proper British, and the Elves all talk very slowly - though not as slowly as Fangorn would, if we were to get there. Gandalf is the hardest -my voice doesn't go that low. (This is sort of a cop-out, but their parents did say to either have them read, or read to them. And since the youngest loves Lord of the Rings, and spent an hour in the pool one night grilling me for back history, it didn't seem fair not to let them both enjoy it. I had the oldest help me read my script last night - and she played half the characters. That counts).

So that's it. I hear the washing machine has stopped, so I'd better go take care of that.

Ciao from Florida!