My older sister�s taking a new route to work of late, due to road construction, and passes a house where a very large woman in a very large muumuu takes her coffee on the porch in the morning. I think we�re both secretly obsessed with muumuus. But since she�s pregnant, she�d better be considering them more seriously than I am. (What�s with Homer in a muumuu?)

A few words I like today:

1. muumuu

2. mortify (My breakfast cereal is mortified with extra vitamins and minerals.)

3. snot alien (A phrase, granted.)

4. addled (Who will soothe my fear-addled cereal?)

It�s a simple sort of day.

I wonder why Madison has made it as a popular baby name, when other presidents� names haven�t quite caught on? If you had to take a president�s name, which would it be? I think maybe Polk or Taft for me. Take your pick.

I would also like to announce that a homemade cherry pie is the only sure-fire way to my heart. Don�t skimp and give me a store-bought crust or canned cherries. Don�t even think of using canned pie filling. Lifelong devotion is at stake here.

Is it just me, or is this day something of a dream? The cool air, the hot air balloons on the way into work (one came remarkably close to landing on my car, which would have been a sure sign it wasn�t a dream), the goodies in the break room, silly conversations with supervisors�I�m dubious. And curiously detached.

Oh, more Dave Eggers news, thanks to a tip from a pal. Yes, I�m being paid to promote all things Dave.

I�m terribly afraid to try the �Kids Only� link on that White House page. Try it at your own risk.