Hey all! Another clear night in Waunaville. The full moon is waning, and its crisp and breezy. The big leaf maples are just now turning yellow and the parched alders are shedding their leaves finally.

Hubby is asleep on the livingroom floor with the dog after a tough session of wrestling. (The dog ended on top. Rematch tomorrow.) Daughter #1 is at the kitchen counter doing ONE math problem before bed, and Daughter #2 should be asleep as it is now 10:00pm.

I am fully loaded with caffeine and chocolate as it was my Mom's second thirty-fifth(ish) birthday, and we celebrated in grand style by eating at my favorite restaurant, Paula's Palace. A select and intimate dining experience. The menu? Chicken cacciatore, mashed garlic potatoes, steamed broccoli, green beans from the garden and Italian bread. Yum! Food is a balm. And greatly needed

Because:

D#1 and I had our first really nasty mother/daughter power struggle over just how important good grades should be. Her progress report came to us Saturday last. We opened it while she was at the homecoming dance. Sigh.

On a cognitive level, I'm sure that she knows that she needs a good GPA to ensure a solid foundation for her future plans, and good study habits to get her there.

On a social level, according to her, friends and recreation should be the most important feature of the day. So the conflict continues. The nice thing is that she is the type of person that forgives and forgets. The challenge is to get that homework turned in!

Got a teenager? Know a teenager? Then I suppose you also know that this conflict is bound to happen one day. More than once. And I'm sure that you psychoanalyst-types would advise me that this is a healthy step as she is asserting her independence.

And I'm here to tell you, if you do have a teen at home, you know what I'm talking about when I say, I'm looking forward to a walk with my dog tomorrow after the kids are on the bus!