"Scary" stories

The monsters, they are everywhere.

Much of the day is spent yelling "yikes!" and hiding under blankets, furniture.

"Mama, mama, there's a monster comin'! There's a SCARY THING comin'!"

So we hide. Blankets are magical -- no claw or tooth, slither or snap can get past crocheted afghans.

Sometimes, she tells me scary stories, about things with glowing yellow eyes, sharp teeth, that eat people and cars. I grab for the camera, but it's always too late -- she's negotiated herself into a kinder, gentler version. Nice monsters, with brightly colored stripes, who pat their monster babies very gently as they fall asleep.