No, I just stubbed my toe

Last night, the four of us were watching So You Think You Can Dance, gathered around the television like four hyenas around a dead antelope. The show was on hiatus last week due to the Fourth of July holiday; it seems that all those selfish dancers wanted to go home and see their families and friends, giving no thought to those of us with pressing entertainment needs.

But anyway, I had a bottle of water I was drinking and at one point, I took a drink and swallowed it down the wrong throat, rendering myself a coughing mess for about the next three minutes. I coughed and coughed and coughed with everyone saying, "Are you all right? Are you all right?" over and over again, and when you're coughing like that, how are you supposed to say, "NO, I'm not all right! Isn't one of you supposed to be pounding me on the back or dialing 9-1-1 or something?"

I finally calmed down, and all I can say is thank heaven for digital cable because my husband was able to pause live television with his remote while I was sitting there having a near-death experience, and yet the family's viewing pleasure was completely uninterrupted. I still don't know how they do that, over at the Insight office. It's like some kind of magic.

As I was recovering, leaning back against the sofa cushions and trying to catch my breath, Aisling leaned past Meelyn to ask, "Gosh, Mama. What was wrong? Were you choking?"

Oh, dear.

Sometimes I wonder if this homeschooling thing is working out for us after all.