Snow in Pennsylvania

We drove in last night to Mechanicsburg, PA, where Ingrid's family lives, for the murder mystery weekend that starts tonight. We had breakfast with Tita, Ingrid's mom, at the diner next door. An old high school friend (here in M-burg, everyone is an old high school friend) of Tita's stopped by the table, and Tita introduced me as "Ingrid's partner." I think that's a first! Progress! It felt very good, actually!

We got home and the cleaning woman, Mary, who has been working for the family for over 30 years and is now 75 at least and fairly senile, or maybe just not-totally-there, hugged us and said how great it was to see us. When Ingrid wasn't around, she said, "Can I get you girls' addresses, so I can write to you, and tell you what's going on in Mechanicsburg? I know you're best friends..." I just didn't have the energy at that moment to break it to Mary, who has met me once in 10 years, I think. I also didn't have the heart to tell her that I already know all too well about what's going on in Mechanicsburg, from Tita, Inc. So I told her that Ingrid and I own a house together, and gave her that address. Then I told Tita this story, and she warned me not to tell Mary about Tiny, that I wouldn't know what I was getting myself into. I said, "You can't stop me!" But I never did tell Mary, mostly because she seemed really just out of it. I'm gonna let Ingrid drop that one on her.

Sara Gilbert from "Roseanne" and her partner, a TV writer and producer, are expecting their second baby. In case anyone wasn't sure, I guess this means that Sara Gilbert is, in fact, out. This is exciting! But I guess their baby will be in LA...

I bought my first maternity pants today, at Kohl's, on sale for $7.80. Actually, Tita bought them for me. The maternity clothes were depressing, but that might've just been Kohl's merchandise. Bloomie's sell premium maternity denim, but who wants to buy Rock & Republic jeans for $200?? Maybe Michelle, my Bloomie's contact, will go with me and help me get them with her discount. I've been avoiding buying maternity clothes because it feels good to still be able to wear my regular clothes, and because maternity clothes seem, just, depressing. And not cute. But it's time. All my pants except one pair are too tight. My hips are growing fatter and expanding out, to boot.

On the subway yesterday, there was a woman who looked 8 months pregnant, and entire row of people on the subway refused to get up for her. All men. And then a seat opened, and an able-bodied young woman standing next to the pregnant woman sat down in it! I was kind of shocked. Then finally this other woman got up, and shook her head at all the people who'd refused to get up. I thanked the woman, for the pregnant woman, and for me, and for all tired, pregnant, or nauseous or just weary preggo women. But then I thought: if it was our choice to get pregnant, should we expect non-preggers to forfeit their subway seats for us? It's not like we're handicapped. But then I thought again (this is the kind of internal dialogue I have on the subway with myself): If we are growing the next generation of children, of people, of workers, of one-day adults, aren't we doing that as part of a contribution to greater society, and shouldn't we be as comfortable as possible while doing so? I'm not sure where I landed on this one. Nick, weigh in? Anyone else?