My tummy felt queasy last night, so I didn't go anywhere. Haven't heard how the meeting went. Judging from the lack of concern following the General Convention, I'm guessing that most Philipians are satisfied with the way things are progressing and the direction that the larger church is taking. I heard very few disparaging remarks about the female presiding bishop and her liberal views. Our local parish is blessed to have a good blend of the mature and immature, a very diverse, but warm and friendly, church family. It's a good place to grow, serve, and worship. Staying away from behind-the-scenes church politics is probably best for me. I've had enough of that for 2 lifetimes.

I got nothing but disparaging remarks from my sister after her daughter's family left. I'm sorry they were not able to stay at my house instead of hers. Steve is allergic to cats, though, and their change in plans of when to be in Meridian and when to be in Jackson caught me with a house that was definitely not company-ready or child-safe. I admire Tara for making the effort to visit family, but her "stay with Mother" reminds me of some of my "stays with Mother," not a very congenial experience. I hope she has a thick skin, she will need it, or she will get her feelings hurt very easily.

I very much enjoyed the time I spent with Tara and her guys. As a mother of twin boys, she is developing the firm hand necessary to survive. She has proven herself to be a survivor through some serious disadvantages, and she has developed strengths and coping skills that will come in handy as a mother. Sit down meals and corporeal punishment may not be what works for them. They are smart people and they will figure it out.

Betsy has forgotten, I guess, that the last physical fight that she had with her sister was in the early 70's when I popped Ricky and Benji with a belt for misbehaving, and threatened to pop Laura also if she didn't mind. Betsy came unglued and wrestled me to the living room floor of our parents' home to take the belt away from me. "We don't beat children in my family," she declared, then threatened to whip me if I ever laid a hand on her child. She's done a 180 since then, it seems, and I have, too.