Everything elegant borders on insanity

When I was younger I always looked at other families and thought, "Why can't my family be normal like them?"  My family was full of idiosyncracies and just plain craziness (I mean, just look at those costumes). 

Of course, nowadays we have entire libraries of labels for our neuroses, that way we can pretend we have some control over our craziness.  Personally, I lable myself as a borderline obsessive-compulisive with generalized anxiety and an irrational fear of talking on the phone.  I am also a bookaholic and a caffeine addict.  Labels are fun and they make me feel both more and less crazy all at the same time.

Now that I am older and wiser (ha!), I realize that my family's craziness, as well as my own, is not exclusive.  Everyone in this entire great, big world is a bit looney (some more than a bit), and every family has its own special set of idiosyncracies.  We simply put on our "normal" faces when interacting with others.

I've come to terms with my own craziness, and that of my family's.  I even laugh at it.  Otherwise, my craziness really would make me crazy.

Like when Lily and I go to the movies dressed like princesses, complete with glass slippers, tiaras, boas and fancy dresses.  I laugh at the odd looks and sidelong glances I get from people trying not to stare.

I laugh when Lily tells me people must think we are rock stars and gives everyone her "princess wave" when they tell her how pretty she looks (think Miss America in a parade kind of wave). 

I laugh when she asks the concessions stand attendant if she can please have maïs soufflé et l'eau en bouteille.  I laugh when she eats her m&ms with her pinkies raised and pats her lips oh-so-properly after drinking her water.  And I laugh even more because I am right there doing it all with her. 

And in public, no less.

As for Ernie, he refuses to go out in public with us when such craziness takes hold.  I suppose I can't blame him.