25 AUG 25

Yali warily follows the orthodontist back for another set of X-rays that morning... he knows braces are coming... but not today...

Patience finishes her appointment early... running a finger over the new rubber chain of ocean blue bands across her bottom teeth... “It's gonna feel weird when these bad boys are off” she notes more to herself than to anyone listening...

Before we leave... Yali is scheduled for braces in September... he ain't pleased but what're you gonna do...

The three of us stop for another pack of red wigglers on the way home for Yali's snake... kids are distracted examining taco costumes for the cats as we leave...

There's enough time back home to spin up some chili dogs for all the kids before Oxbear and I are back on the road towards a parents' prep meeting for Patience's upcoming therapy course...

Stop at Penn Station on the way back and actually sit in the booth to eat lunch... because the kids are all old enough that we can do things like that now...

Back home while Patience meets with Miss S online for speech therapy... hear her providing detailed description of her recent Japanese TV drama...

Yali and I take a quick mile-walk in a cool late afternoon where he decides to answer every question I have for him with a “no”... giggling a little to himself as he does it...

After dinner Oxbear packs up pretty much just himself for a school board meeting... “Do you have any stains on your clothes?” I have to ask it as he grabs the car keys from the kitchen... “Yup! See ya!”... always blending in fantastically with that Town & Country scene...