Painted Dresses

Molly had her appointment with a urologist today to try and figure out why she's getting so many UTIs. He was a very nice guy, and Molly is scheduled for a VCUG next Thursday, which means that they are going to put a scope up into her bladder and fill it with dye. She's a bit nervous about the idea (and who could blame her) so she's going to be sedated for the procedure. After going to see her doctor, we did some school shopping before my doctor appointment in the late afternoon. I found some adorable things for Mia, and Molly picked up a couple of very cute outfits. My doctor has changed my pain medication for something more long lasting. Hopefully that will make a big difference.

Molly does have something to look forward to next Thursday; Build-a-Bear gives out $12 gift certificates if you are a part of their birthday club, and hers arrived last week, but is only good July 31-Aug 3, and Molly leaves for cheer camp on Aug 1. So when she wakes up after the test, she can pick out a new friend to take to camp with her.

Painted Dresses by Patricia Hickman is a story of one woman's search for her place in her family her marriage, and her world. Gaylen arrives home to organize her father's funeral and take care of his effects, but ends up on the lam with sister Delia and delivering a series of painted dresses made by Aunt Amity. Delia is troubled; it's never clear if she suffers from some kind of mental condition or is just off. She shoots her boyfriend's wife after a confrontation and is not at all remorseful. Gaylen grabs Delia and runs. She's running herself from a broken marriage and the damage she did to her husband's aircraft business by crashing a plane. When visiting deceased Aunt Amity's cottage, they discover that she had made paintings of several different dresses, and each is marked with the intended recipient's name. With no better plan in mind, the two sisters deliver the paintings, picking up bits and pieces of family history on the way. Gaylen is incredibly difficult to understand. Her actions are always reactions, and she has trouble trying not to control Delia. The hidden truths she discovers about her parents and her own history are devastating. The opening chapters are cloudy and distant; it feels almost like the characters are in a dream. When the truth about the past is revealed, the story suddenly becomes much clearer and moves quickly. It's a powerful story, but honestly but Gaylen and Delia were difficult to relate to. It was hard to care about Gaylen's marriage when both she and her husband acted like immature brats. It's a good book with some rough spots.

Mia has become addicted to the movie Shaolin Soccer. She's watched it countless times in the last week. It's a cheesy Chinese movie dubbed in English. After watching that version so many times, now she's watching the original in Cantonese and trying to learn the language by comparing the English dialogue she remembers. This child never ceases to amaze me.