Lorraine, Tab's cousin who lives next door to us, claims that she is getting rid of the extra dogs, but just yesterday I counted 12 in her tiny little yard. Tab noticed a three-legged dog out there and commented, "Maybe she's getting rid of them in pieces!"

Watching: A 60 Minutes segment on George Lucas we taped a couple weeks ago. It could be titled, "George Lucas, Ultimate Control Freak." He's making The Phantom Menace entirely with his own money--Entertainment Weekly described it as the "hugest indie movie ever made"--and consequently he has been able to retain complete control over every single detail of the film. What impresses me the most about Lucas, though, is his role as a single father of three adopted kids. He is devoted to them and says they are his first priority.

Talking to Nana

This morning, Tab went to Daniel's school to participate in Daniel's special day, and I took the twins for a walk to Nana's house. Nana was sitting up in her chair by the window. She was happy to see us as she always is, hugging and kissing the boys and happily watching them play. I moved the cushions off the chair across from her so I could sit and talk with her, but talking with Nana these days is a surreal experience. It is as though we are holding two completely different conversations: the one actually happening, and the one going on inside her head. I never know which one she will participate in at any given moment.

I don't correct her when she starts talking about things that aren't there because I know it upsets her when Rita does that. I listen and nod and agree if she seems to need that affirmation. I fill her in on the news from Maine, and I ask her questions I know she can answer: What are those blue wildflowers that grow in the lot across the way? How do I get a ballpoint pen stain out of clothing? She answers, we discuss the topic a little longer, then she returns to the conversation in her head.

As we left, I was distressed to see that the dogwood tree in front of her house has less than half the number of blossoms it should have. I thought maybe it was because the tree didn't get fed this year, but later in the day I noticed other dogwood trees are not doing well this spring, either. I guess it is because of the frequent stretches of cold weather we've had.

Tab reported that Daniel had been a little wild at kindergarten while Tab was there for Daniel's special day. Things apparently got worse because Miss Dawn pulled Tab aside to speak to him when he picked Daniel up this afternoon. She told him Daniel continues to move around while they are practicing their graduation songs, distracting the other kids. The worst thing he did yesterday, though, occurred during the afternoon play time. Dawn was sitting at the bottom of the sliding board, and Daniel slid down very quickly and knocked into her. When she asked him why he did that, he answered, "Because you were in the way." She was upset that he deliberately slid into her and that he didn't seem at all remorseful.

Tab sent Daniel to his room when they got home so he could fill me in. What disturbs me is that Daniel was so lacking in empathy. He isn't always this way; he was very concerned about Tab when Tab was ill yesterday, and he can be endearingly sweet and sympathetic when someone is hurt. But he does have a tendency to disregard the feelings of others when they are in his way, literally or figuratively. Tab and I played good cop/bad cop: he yelled at Daniel about it and later I went up and talked to Daniel about how Miss Dawn felt when he hurt her and tried to make him understand. I hope he gets it. Most of the evil in this world originates with people who either don't know or don't care that their actions hurt others; I don't want any of my boys to be like that.

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