She bathed, applied new eyelashes, and dressed for the day and the first full-cast rehearsal of Mame.Polly skipped down The Scarlett O’Hara Memorial Staircase and waltzed into the kitchen, where she found Tim draining his mug of coffee and trying to focus on Doonesbury in the L.A. Times. Placenta was standing at the center island watching the ABC Morning News Money Report. By now, Polly’s sleepovers were no longer an exciting novelty, and they didn’t look up when she sat down with a loud and happy sigh.“Good morning to you too,” Polly said. “Never mind. My ego is strong enough today not to require your undivided awareness of my presence. Just know that Polly Pepper is alive and well and having a passionate midlife Carnival cruise.”“If this is your midlife, I guess you’re planning to stick around until you’re about a hundred and ten,” Tim said.“Pooh!” Polly playfully jeered. “Scoff all you like at my extracurricular activities. You’re just envious because I have a beau and you don’t.”
