AJ is in the doghouse today. It was one of those days where when we said yes, he said no and vice versa. In the interest of preserving my sanity (and his), I have washed my hands of him for the moment and my husband is dealing with him. He is absolutely maddening, retaining his sunny demeanor while the punishments are being doled out right and left, continuing the behavior as if nothing has happened. I�m at a loss as to what to do. I�m hoping a little denial of mommy-time will help to get the point across. I hate to squelch his exuberance, but there are some behaviors that I have to get serious about � including today�s worst offense, aggravated feline battery.

Aside from AJ�s general recalcitrance, it was an utterly gorgeous day here � clear blue sky with a couple of scenic clouds floating by and the temperature just barely warm enough for short sleeves. I spent much of the morning volunteering my gardening skills to clean up the pool grounds. I weeded and planted until my back ached, while enjoying the chance to get to know a couple of rather interesting neighbors. I was rather amused to discover that I was viewed as something of an expert in plant identification. I was constantly getting called away from my tasks to advise my fellow weeders on what to pull and what to leave.

In truth, I have become fairly well-versed in the local flora, but I still consider myself a novice. I find it very soothing to be able to walk through the woods and name everything I see, as if in the naming I exert some kind of effect over my surroundings. Latin names become incantations as they slip from the tongue: aquilegia canadiensis, trillium grandiflora, dicentra luxurians. And the common names can be downright picturesque � honeysuckle, lion�s paw, maidenhair fern, Dutchman�s Pipe, shepherd�s britches.

But I suspect the tendency to be consulted has something more to do with my demeanor than any knowledge I possess. My husband regularly accuses me of suffering from male answer syndrome and he is totally right. I have always been consulted. I like being an expert even when I�m really not, although I do try my best to rise to the occasion.

After I came home, I hauled AJ down to the playground in his little red wagon, then came back and made lunch, put AJ down for a nap and headed out to our yard for some serious bushhogging (or at least that�s what they call it in the environs of my parents� part of the south. I�m trying to clear one segment of the woods that holds two enormous oak trees, both probably well over 100 years old. They�ve become totally overgrown with all manner of weedy brush and vines. After an afternoon of wrestling with foliage, I was feeling rather Amazonian, although I suspect I�ll be whimpering by the time I attempt to stand up from my computer.

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