Kirsten's birthday is coming up. She took me on one side yesterday and requested that my mother not be allowed to come to her birthday party and get drunk. She's going to be twelve. I explained to her, because she was helping me study for my criminal justice system final exam (she likes the latin terms) that she'd be, at twelve, legally responsible for her actions.

She said, "So if I wanted to rob a bank, I've got three weeks to do it." She also told me that she'd found out that she can volunteer at the SPCA when she turns twelve, and she's looking forward to that. It's just across the road, so she'd be able to go whenever she wanted to. They let the kids walk the dogs so they aren't cooped up all the time. (dogs cooped up, not kids, but I'm sure it's good for both groups)