When I got up (the latest time) this morning, my mother, who is visiting this month, was watching an old timey movie and lamenting the times we live in. "I'd love to have lived back then."

To my constantly realist attitude: "I'm pretty sure it looks better in the movies than it actually was."

Her: "Except I'd miss two things: indoor plumbing and dentistry."

Me wistfully: "I'd miss the Internet."

Here's why.

We had a great time meeting the Duchess of Tewkesbury. (I started to call her The Queen, but she didn't get the longest French fry last night and The Dormouse schooled us all in how royalty is selected in her world.)

What I've just realized about the evening is when everyone said, "Hey let's meet for dinner! What time?" that I immediately offered "5 o'clock" thinking I could get the girls home by their bedtime without once considering the fact that neither of my adult dinner companions was eighty-two years old and maybe they might not like to schedule dinner around a four-year-old's bedtime and the early bird special senior discount at Piccadilly Cafeteria. Just one of the many ways parenting has made me completely lose touch.

When we got home, The KingofHearts asked how it was.

Me: "Good. She's just really fun to talk to and incredibly nice."

Him: "Well..." he offers slowly and thoughtfully, "I guess you could have TWO friends in real life, but you might have some trouble juggling your emotional commitment."

Jerk.