Heat Stroke

My sister is in town visiting from Oregon. Before heading to school in Sept (she was accepted into a pre-nursing program! Go Zan!) she will be helping a friend renovate her house over the summer in New Mexico. And since San Diego is her previous home (yes, she's a bit nomadic) and is the halfway point on her cross country drive, she stopped to visit for a bit. It's been great to have her here again, especially since I can ask her to babysit Gabi with two seconds notice and she has to say yes, you know, since she's eating our food and using our washing machine.

Yesterday we had the wonderful bonding experience of a trip to the Wild Animal Park. It was a bit more commercial than I thought it would be, but Gabi had a good time, and that's what counts with things like this. On the way home, after the air conditioning had finally kicked in and we stopped whining and actually started talking, mom and Zan started a discussion about other people's children and how to determine if they're good or bad. My sister joked about something relating to herself, and this is how it went from there:

Mom: At least your not sleeping on the couch, jobless, with nothing to show for yourself.

Zan: Except that I'm sleeping on the couch, jobless, with nothing to show for myself.

We all start laughing, because my family has a warped sense of humor.

Me: Way to go, Mom.

The laughing continues. But my mom starts laughing so hard that even though Zan and I are laughing, too, we become a bit concerned that being driven off the road is a real possibility. Mom manages to steer a straight course and calms her tears and is soon able to breathe again without choking.

Mom: Well, it's your sister's couch, not mine. And you're jobless, but at least you have PLANS.

So that's apparently the differentiating factor when discussing people's children and whether they are "good or bad". How do you even get on topics such as this? You spend too much time with family under the hot sun. Though the laughing that ensues is worth it (preferably not while driving).