I love my new 5×7 print.
I fear it isn’t big or powerful enough to calm the choppy waves inside my head, but I will let it try.
From etsy.
everyday life
Wednesday night: wine, hydrangeas, barking dog, and random thoughts
In Marion with the kids tonight. It has been an hour since I put them to bed and there has been some bed hopping and a lot of coming out of their rooms to complain about the “car noise”? What? I think three cars have driven by since we got here. Though there is a dog going nuts in the next door yard. So nuts it makes me wonder what he is witnessing.
I am uninspired, so I thought I’d provide some random trivia from the last little bit in my thrill-a-minute life. I know, it’s been hard to survive without this information; I’m sorry for holding out on you.
- The highlight of camp for Grace is definitely lunch in the cafeteria. She is beyond excited about the fact that she gets to pick up a tray, walk through the line, collect her lunch items. There is, I’m told, no choice, but if you don’t like what there is on offer (so far I have heard about hot dogs, noodles, chicken nuggets, and pizza) there is always PB&J available. (And I heard about the exiled children at the nut-free table, where Whit will no doubt enjoy life next year. All he needs is headgear to be super duper cool.)
- The other highlight is computers. This is definitely the best part of camp for her. Am going to consider the Babson computer camp Amy told me about as soon as she is old enough!
- In between the cafeteria and computers, they must be listening to Kiss 108. Because tonight, after Scooby Doo was over and she and Whit were staring out of the windows in the back seat, I heard her singing under her breath. I thought, “No, that can’t be right.” and asked her, “Grace, what are you singing?” Turns out I was right, and she belted, “All the single ladies! All the single ladies!” Beyonce. Luckily she was strapped into her carseat as I’m pretty sure there are some moves that go with the song.
- Am looking forward to the WWII vets walking in the extremely classic, defiantly old-school Marion 4th of July parade. Makes me cry. Every. Single. Time.
- This is a big birthday week: Hadley, Kara, Mum, and Tom Cruise. Kara, you made me cry with your incredibly sweet email about the birthday card. Love to you all (except maybe not Mr. Cruise).
- I am a Twilight quitter. I raced through #1, enjoyed #2, slogged through #3, and quit after about 80 pages of #4. Luckily it took Anna four sentences to fill me in on the (frankly creepy) denouement of the plot.
- My knee has been diagnosed as a “woman problem” and I’m in rest-ice-aleve mode. Two solid weeks without a run today. Still limping. Sure hoping this turns around fast as I’m going to go out of my mind.
- Soundtrack tonight: “Still Crazy After All These Years,” Paul Simon; “You and I,” Wilco, “Let it Be,” Paul McCartney live version, “There Will Be a Light,” Ben Harper.
(yes, Whit is still here too. Am sure there will be stories tomorrow.)
Mathmateking
Last night Whit was crying in his bed. This is uncharacteristic, because usually he barges right out and lets me know just what is going on. I went into his room and found him sitting up on the bottom bunk, clutching his monkey, awash in tears.
“What’s wrong, Whit?”
“I … miss … my … friends!” he managed to choke out, with difficulty, between sobs.
I was so touched I grabbed him and wrestled him down in a hug. He was so damn dear in that moment. We talked about his friends and I have since made a playdate with one of his besties for tomorrow. I tucked him in again and left the room.
A few minutes later I could hear him bawling again. I went back in.
“Whit, what’s going on?” I suspected somewhat less authenticity to these tears.
“Mummy! I am just not cheered up yet!” the master manipulator said, failing to hide his smile behind fake sobs.
A few minutes later I heard Grace creep out of her room.
“Mummy? May I have some extra time with you like Whit just had?”
Doesn’t miss a thing, that one, and sure doesn’t let Whit get away with a single teeny thing that she doesn’t also get.
“Sure.”
I climbed into her bed and wrapped my arms around her. I asked her about her day. Without answering me, she turned to me in the dark and asked,
“Mummy? Tomorrow night in Marion is it OK if Whit and I sleep in the trundle beds together?”
“Yes, of course, Gracie.”
“Oh, good,” she breathed a sigh of palpable relief. “You see, tonight Whit was doing some really good mathmatecking so I told him I would give him a treat.”
“You what?”
“I told him he did such a good job mathmatecking I would give him a treat.” She looked at me, rushing on, “Oh, it’s okay, Mummy it’s not like I gave him candy or anything. The treat was to share a room with me in Marion. And he was so excited about the treat!”
I can’t decide what to pursue, the odd word “mathmatecking” or the fact that Grace presents as a treat sharing a room with herself. Door A wins.
“What is mathmatecking, Gracie?”
“Oh, it’s when you do a really hard math problem. I asked Whit was 400 plus 400 was and he said 800!”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes. Well, I helped him a lot.”
Of course.
Around the bend
The reason the earth is round is so you can’t see too far down the road. – Isak Dinesen
To have courage for whatever comes in life – everything lies in that. – St. Theresa of Avila
The first step on the journey is to lose your way. – Galway Kinnell
That photo of the curving bench reminds me that we can only see so far. And that attempting to plan beyond this horizon – as I so desperately try – is a futile effort. Consider this a new effort at rolling with the punches; hearing my own daughter say that was like a reminder from the universe. Oh these unintentionally funny, occasionally annoying, endlessly entertaining children of mine can be wise!
Children of the internet era
Whit this morning:
“For Christmas, Mummy, I want my own ‘puter. And some other stuff too.”
(dream on, buddy)
Later, Whit confirmed that by “other stuff” he meant Star Wars stuff.
Grace yesterday:
“Mum, did you know there is American Girl Calm?”
“American Girl Calm? Is that like yoga American Girl? Meditating American Girl? Zen American Girl?”
puzzled look. “What?”
“What do you mean American Girl Calm?”
“You know, on the computer.”
“Oh! Americangirl.com! Dot com. Dot calm!”