note to self

1. When visiting the nursing home with the children, remember not to let Lucy wear the long dangling jewelry (or "jewelries", as she calls it) that she loves so much. Because some of the residents have iron grips, not unlike Lucy's baby sister, and like Julia, they do not really know not to grab the necklace around the three-year-old's neck and hang on for dear life.
2. When you do allow the child to wear the dangly jewelry, and said grabbing occurs, stay calm, and smile at the resident, and gently (and then not-so-gently) pry their hands off of the plastic beads, and then let their hand grab onto your hand, all the while prattling cheerfully so the three-year-old doesn't freak out.
3. Once the resident has been escorted away by the very nice staff, remove all the said jewelry, along with the long dangly earrings you put on to please the child who loves jewelry. And then breathe a sigh of relief.