How could two girls this angelic-looking wreak the kind of havoc I experienced last Thursday and Friday? Perhaps the popsicles sweetened their dispositions (or maybe life is easier with parental reinforcements), but the weekend was a much better scene at the Turman house. No WWF moments the entire weekend! Just a few minor incidents, one of which involved coating a toy pig in chap-stick, but all in all very tolerable. I had a girls' night out Saturday while Tracy finished his mid-term and on Sunday we had a beach morning and an evening cookout with friends. All these things combined to improve everyone's mood. Let's hope the aura lasts; if dispositions begin to turn I suppose I can just break out the popsicles again!

Returning from the "Y" this morning the girls and I had a big scare. As we headed homeI could see black billowing smoke on the horizon. The closer we got, the more the smoke (growing blacker and more enormous by the mile) appeared to be coming from the vicinity of our house. I felt myself holding my breath as we drove nearer; the drive lasted an eternity and when we saw our home I could finally exhale.

Then relief that it wasn't my house mixed with awareness that it did belong to someone else (there is a small possiblity the house is uninhabited, and I am hoping this is the case) . The girls were very upset by the sight of such a gigantic blaze, as well as the sound of fire engines and rescue vehicles rushing to the scene. It truly was a jaw-dropping, knots-in-your-stomach sight. India quietly asked "Mommy, can fire make kids get dead?". Wow. I wanted to be honest, so I answered that yes, sometimes it can. She asked LOTS of questions during lunch, and then solemnly said "I feel sad about the fire". Me too, India.