Nominations for mother of the year are�ME! Yes, again I feel like a motherfailure. Some people try to placate me by telling me that I�m raising self-sufficient children. I just try to smile and say thank you meekly when inside I am berating myself. Here�s the deal. Like a few weeks ago (see archives April 23) I ended up working unusually late. I should blame this entirely on the surgeon, as HIS being late is the reason I was really late. Anyway, regardless, I was in the recovery room�recovering someone, when this someone�s spouse mentioned to me that she had seen my youngest son a few minutes earlier at the pharmacy. (My hubby�s a pharmacist) and that she had been amazed at the roots of the tooth he had just had pulled!!! �What!� I exclaimed�then �not again sweet mother of pearl!� The nurse recovering someone in another bed just started laughing at me. She knew the story about the 1st time and was rolling on the floor! Good Grief! Anyway, I got home around 7 pm. and my youngest was rocking and watching some bizarre cartoon. He seemed fine on the outside. I asked how he felt and he said, �Fine!� and showed me his mammoth tooth. It looked like it belonged in a dinosaur museum. It was then that I noticed the auction number lying on our table. How odd I thought�strange and yet�somehow�I knew Alec would know something about it. He did. �Why yes,� he explained, �that is my number.� �I went to an auction today and boy did I buy some cool stuff for you!� �Who took you? � I stupidly asked. �No one�, he replied smugly. �I just walked next door and went by myself�. Now keep in mind that my youngest is�9 years old (just). Well it was true. When my husband got home he said that he found Alec over at our neighbors auction fully endowed with auction number and bidding on whatever caught his eye! Alec proudly showed me his take. Two suitcase/make-up type bags One chain wrapped old-fashioned hair dryer in a large carrying case One gold painted plaster vase fully loaded with faded plastic sunflowers and dead flies Two 20-inch (at least) gold painted ceramic (very heavy) side views of (I think) heads of either soldiers of myth gods or�something One head and neck bust of Mary and baby Jesus about 12 inches and of ceramic One broken, flee bitten, dog/cat urine stained chaise type chair covered in blue velvet and brown dog hair with 2 attached legs One bright blue painted cot with included mattress that I�ve yet to fully look at And last but not least One bag of potting soil Hooray! Thank God he didn�t buy the house! I was so pissed at the auctioneers I could have spit bullets! Then I thought�well here�s another nomination for mother of the year. I could see the headlines. Child Buys His Own House While Mother Works Quoted the child, �Where's my Mother? What�s a mother? I just thought I might as well have my own house since I take care of myself anyway!�