There are things that every parent hopes they can avoid, despite all the "quality time" spend talking to their kids about the realities of drugs, drinking, sex and so on. You hope that your kids will bypass the worst of the worst and not be drawn to the allures of either the addictions themselves or the other kids who drift into them. So when I was making dinner this evening and wanted to open a bottle of wine, I was mystified when I couldn't find it. Not only was a bottle missing from the refrigerator, but one was gone from the little wine rack in the butler's pantry (we don't have a butler, it's not really a pantry - it's just a tiny room between the kitchen and the seldom-used dining room). If we had a wine cellar, or even a decent collection of bottles, then I might not have spied the missing two. When there are, however, only four bottles of wine in the house it was only a matter of time before I would notice.

As it turns out Caitlin had a friend spend the night and she and the delinquent, bad influence, lying friend decided to drink the two bottles last night after everyone else was asleep. She is now paying a steep price for this: a wicked hangover, the lost trust and respect of her parents, indefinite grounding (I'm thinking that until she's 18 sounds about right), and a stolen wallet that contained a substantial amount of money (I'm thinking the "friend" did this as a parting shot). She must pay reparations for the wine and the missed guitar lesson she couldn't face this afternoon. Since her money is gone, this will be taken out of her allowance, leaving her penniless for a good long time. The only positive glimmer in all of this is that Rebecca witnessed the whole thing - she either won't try anything like this, or will end up being even sneakier about it. The friend of Caitlin's always impressed me as polite, shy and rather clean-cut - it's that type that always fools you. One of the worst parts is that Caitlin actually thought I was too stupid to notice the missing wine.

Books: The Hotel Riviera by Elizabeth Adler. Just like the spun sugar confections the main character whips up, this novel is light and airy and perfect for what was a very down weekend for me. Set in the south of France, Lola has married a Frenchman who has run off, leaving her with a hotel to run as the proprietress and head chef. The setting is beautiful and is enhanced by the appearance of an American who signs on to help Lola discover why her husband has left her. Amazing descriptions of the food she cooks and the ingredients she uses to make what sound like diet-busting creations.