... and that is the only thing that stops me from smothering them in their sleep.

My children.

Mike is back from LA for a visit. Actually he has an orthodontist appointment. Why here and not LA? Because including the plane ticket, it's about $100 cheaper to go to our regular dentist than to get him one in LA. He's getting braces so when Mr DeMille comes in for his close up you will see a pearly white brick wall smiling out from his handsome dark face.

He walked into the house Monday night and marveled at the beauty of our new hardwood floors. Then last night he and a buddy carried the new stove into the kitchen for me and I installed it. Thank you thank you thank you.

This morning when I came down, it would appear that he and his buddy had used the hot tub and enjoyed mac & cheese. There were wet towels ON MY NEW FLOOR!!!! and spilled mac & cheese cooking mess IN MY BRAND NEW, I-HAVE-NOT-YET-COOKED-ON-IT STOVE!!!! It would seem that he thinks he has droit du seigneur (a.k.a. jus pimae noctis) even though he is not the lord of the estate. I should have been the first to cook on my new stove!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr
oit_du_seigneur

I can tell you this ... when I finally get my bathroom put together (today? tomorrow?) I shall be the first at that potty. Guaranteed.

But it won't be the same because it's not exactly new and untried.