Babysitting tends to have several kids that are the same. Boys like trains and trucks; girls like dolls and playing house. But not �E� and �M� or, as they call themselves, Annie and July. When Kat and I go over to their house to babysit, the two have already cast who plays what orphan or Miss Hannigan. Kat is always Miss Hannigan and I�m Pepper.

�Miss Hannigan� always orders �E� and �M� to clean up in her rare gruff voice. To her, it is just acting. She punishes me so that I don�t have to clean up. I didn�t make the mess. I know this may sound strange but she punishes me so I�m in the so-called rat corner or punishment box. After the girls are sent to clean, Kat comes in with my book so I can read.

The punishment box is actually a box that a chair set came in. I can easily climb over the side but �E� and �M� are stuck when Kat or I put them there. If they need to go to the bathroom, they need to yell for Kat or I to get them out. Who would want to clean the whole basement as a game? Strangely, �E� and �M� find it fun and their mom thanks us for getting the two to clean up without complaining. (They actually complain, but not a lot.)

�E� is always Annie. She even has a little heart locket that she wears every time I�m over there. �M� is always Molly or July. She can never decide. So I just call her an orphan because I can never keep track. After awhile, there is nothing left to clean so we go upstairs for bed or snack. They like cheese and Kat and I are always making quesadillas, our specialty.

Kat and I don�t mind running an orphanage for a while but it�s good to come back home. If the job gets too hard, we just remember that the sun will come out tomorrow.

LAST YEAR: No entry�I was flying to London

LAST FIVE ENTRIES:

Here I Am
L�Shana Tova
Crisp
Residual New Yorker
Interfering With Education

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Copyright 2006 by Ellen