Wednesday, Jun. 23, 2010 - 9:12 p.m.

Having a bit of a rough time of it while J is away. Yesterday Spigotbottom was cranky all day, no matter what I did. It doesn't help that I only have enough Baby Entertainment tricks to get me through till about noon, and after that it's just going through the same routine again. Miss Spigotbottom doesn't really like that kind of repetition.

Today was better, going swimmingly in fact until late afternoon when I noticed it was hot and not cooling off, for all that the ac seemed to be blowing. There ensued a expletive-laden panic as I realized that the ac was out, what to do, what to do, it being already 6pm and 83 degrees in the baby's room, which will just not do. I cursed and fiddled with something and it went back on. Who knows for how long. Or even if what I did had anything to do with its recovery. Probably it's trying to lull me into a false sense of relief, then go out for reals on Saturday, when I'm even less likely to be able to find a repairman.

The funniest thing that's happened lately was the gift that arrived in the mail from a notorious friend of my mother's. Well, I've known her since I was wee, never liked her much but my mother, who is altogether too kind, remains friends with her for some reason. Anyhow, she sent a very typical gift (which if I were a nicer person myself I would not ridicule on the internet) consisting of an outfit for Spigotbottom, clearly purchased at a thrift store as all of her gifts always are. She never gives new stuff. Never. Well, that's okay I guess. There was also a bottle of Herbalife infant vitamins tucked into the outfit (are you familiar with Herbalife? Pyramid-type herbal supplement/home business outfit that this lady has been involved with since the 80s. Perhaps you rememeber their "Lose weight now, ask me how!" pins). The vitamin juice had leaked out all over the outfit; if it's anything like TriViSol (and it looks and smells exactly like TriViSol), it stained the clothes beyond usefulness. Anyway, it all came with a two-page letter. How nice! I thought. Then I read it. It begins innocuously enough, a sentence or two about how much we'll like Tucson. Then you get in to the body of it, and it turns into a two page sales pitch for Herbalife. Here is a sample quote: "Have been involved with Herbalife for 27 years and still enjoy the fine products. We are in 72 nations and new state of the art products are added to the rest of the fine products."

Nice of her to include a personal note with the stained used baby clothes. I will refrain from further comment. She'd make a great character on a sitcom, I'll give her that.

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