After being politely pestered and nagged by my son's karate teacher, who loves to enlist positive peer pressure, to try out their adult kick boxing class, I finally gave in and went, on my only real night off in ages. I was a little nervous about going. I know a lot of the other parents go, and they look pretty in-shape to me. I have not been particularly successful in getting back to my pre-baby body, and Little Sir's 4 now! But, after staring critically at myself in the mirror in my exercise pants and t-shirt ("You look beeeyoooteeful," said Little Sir sweetly,) off I went.
It really was a great work-out, although not quite what I was expecting, and the instructor was very careful to repeatedly tell me not too push too hard my first night. I surprised myself by aggressively punching and kicking my imaginary attacker (the bag) in choreographed moves. It was fun! I can definitely see how this is a stress-buster, in more ways than one! The self-defense is a good skill to have, just in case...
Even tho' I didn't push too hard, and didn't try to do exactly what the class models did, I am sore today, in places I didn't think I would be. But I am proud of myself, and I think I just may stick with this, if I can just just figure out how to reasonably schedule it. It's important. I have to do this for myself (4 years of trying it my way, always putting my body last, has not worked.)
But...Oooouuuch....
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
A Very Pleasant Surprise
I am not someone who wins things often. As a matter of fact, the last thing I remember winning was a giant pumpkin, 'way back in 1978, I think. I was with my mom in one of the past-glory-days big box stores, that's long gone now, and she'd bumped into an old friend there. As I was standing there, bored out of my mind while they yack-yack-yacked about things of no relevance to adolescent me, I spotted this sign nearby about winning awesome prizes. Intrigued, I checked it out. All you had to do was guess the weight of this enormous pumpkin. Ok. It was something to do while I waited impatiently.
Not being a mathmatical genius by any stretch of the imagination, I took one uneducated guess, judging by the sheer girth of the thing, and wrote it down on the slip, with all my info (name, address, telephone.) The ladies were still at it, so I continued to fill out slips. I just threw a set of random numbers down, with a decimal point somewhere in the midst, slip after slip, until I got writers' cramp. Finally, Mom was done and we left the store, with the pumpkin promptly forgotten.
About a week or so later, I got this call from the store, asking for me. Confused at first, I couldn't imagine why they'd call me. I hadn't shoplifted or anything, and certainly hadn't applied for a job. You guessed it...I won! I was all excited, hardly believing my ears.
"Which number won?" I asked.
"Excuse me???" came the reply.
"Well, I made more than one guess, so which one was right?"
Turns out it was one of those random numbers, about twenty digits long.
Huh. Go figure.
Probably made me look exceptionally brilliant.
"So, what did I win?" I asked.
I won a "fabulous turkey dinner for two, including 2 complimentary glasses of wine" at the store's attached restaurant (whoo hoo!) and...
the pumpkin.
Ok. So I dragged someone with me to redeem the prize, ate the semi-edible turkey dinner in the ambiance-free setting, too young to drink the wine (even tho' the drinking age was 18 back then!), and loaded that pumpkin into the back seat of the car (no small feat!) Triumphantly, I brought the pumpkin into the house, where it sat in all its orange glory on a table in the living room for quite some time, the conversation-starter of the decade, until it was time to butcher it and turn it into many, many dinner-time experiments (and a freezer-full to last a very, very long time.)
Ok. Fast forward to yesterday, 29 1/2 years later.
One of my music students gave me a beautiful big coffee mug for Christmas, with this really pretty wintery scene etched on its clear glass, the envy of the household. Everybody wants to drink out of it. It was filled with Lindt truffles (mmmm) and a Starbucks gift certificate. Very nice. Very thoughtful gift to a music teacher who's on the road a LOT, and who's always pinching pennies, so I don't treat myself to this sort of thing very often. I have been doling out the precious cups, trying to make it last as long as possible, seeing how many beverages I could get with it.
Last week, I used my last of the gift certificate, a bit sadly. It was a bittersweet moment, when I surrendered the card, remembering fondly the cute little boy and his sweet mom who had bestowed it lovingly upon me. As I stood on line, I noticed a chalk board with the trivia question of the week. Apparently, you could guess at the answer, put it on your receipt with your name and telephone number, and you'd win free coffee or something. Ok. I had noticed this board before, but the questions were always something I didn't know...based on nuclear physics, or some rock idol, or which celebrity shared a birthday with Lewis Carroll or some such. But this day, I happened to know the answer! Yippee. So, after placing my order, I asked how to supply my try at the prize, filled out the slip, and was on my merry way, the question now forgotten.
Yesterday, I had a very long day of teaching ahead of me, so I stopped mid-way through to purchase a cup of the brew that I've begun to enjoy (especially now that I have finally learned HOW to order there...sooo complicated!) When it was my turn, I looked up to see the flavors of the day, and saw my name in big bold print on the chalkboard.
"Hey, that's me!" I said.
"What?"
"Up there...that's my name!"
"Can you prove it?"
"What???"
"Can you prove it?"
"You mean like with i.d. or something?"
"Yeah...I gave a prize to someone once who said it was them, and then the real person came in to claim the prize and I'd given it to the wrong person."
"Oh. Well, my pocketbook is in the car (dumb move, I know), but I can go get it."
"Is that your mail you're holding?"
"Yes."
"That'll do"
So, I handed over a piece of mail with my name on it, and was given a card that said "Customer of the Week" with stamps for 7 complimentary beverages...any type, any size, anything I wanted. Wow!
So, now, I will slowly savor this card, allowing myself hot, comforting, caffeine-laced beverages to get me through long teaching days that stretch into evenings, without pinching pennies, for a little while longer.
Ahhhhh.
Not being a mathmatical genius by any stretch of the imagination, I took one uneducated guess, judging by the sheer girth of the thing, and wrote it down on the slip, with all my info (name, address, telephone.) The ladies were still at it, so I continued to fill out slips. I just threw a set of random numbers down, with a decimal point somewhere in the midst, slip after slip, until I got writers' cramp. Finally, Mom was done and we left the store, with the pumpkin promptly forgotten.
About a week or so later, I got this call from the store, asking for me. Confused at first, I couldn't imagine why they'd call me. I hadn't shoplifted or anything, and certainly hadn't applied for a job. You guessed it...I won! I was all excited, hardly believing my ears.
"Which number won?" I asked.
"Excuse me???" came the reply.
"Well, I made more than one guess, so which one was right?"
Turns out it was one of those random numbers, about twenty digits long.
Huh. Go figure.
Probably made me look exceptionally brilliant.
"So, what did I win?" I asked.
I won a "fabulous turkey dinner for two, including 2 complimentary glasses of wine" at the store's attached restaurant (whoo hoo!) and...
the pumpkin.
Ok. So I dragged someone with me to redeem the prize, ate the semi-edible turkey dinner in the ambiance-free setting, too young to drink the wine (even tho' the drinking age was 18 back then!), and loaded that pumpkin into the back seat of the car (no small feat!) Triumphantly, I brought the pumpkin into the house, where it sat in all its orange glory on a table in the living room for quite some time, the conversation-starter of the decade, until it was time to butcher it and turn it into many, many dinner-time experiments (and a freezer-full to last a very, very long time.)
Ok. Fast forward to yesterday, 29 1/2 years later.
One of my music students gave me a beautiful big coffee mug for Christmas, with this really pretty wintery scene etched on its clear glass, the envy of the household. Everybody wants to drink out of it. It was filled with Lindt truffles (mmmm) and a Starbucks gift certificate. Very nice. Very thoughtful gift to a music teacher who's on the road a LOT, and who's always pinching pennies, so I don't treat myself to this sort of thing very often. I have been doling out the precious cups, trying to make it last as long as possible, seeing how many beverages I could get with it.
Last week, I used my last of the gift certificate, a bit sadly. It was a bittersweet moment, when I surrendered the card, remembering fondly the cute little boy and his sweet mom who had bestowed it lovingly upon me. As I stood on line, I noticed a chalk board with the trivia question of the week. Apparently, you could guess at the answer, put it on your receipt with your name and telephone number, and you'd win free coffee or something. Ok. I had noticed this board before, but the questions were always something I didn't know...based on nuclear physics, or some rock idol, or which celebrity shared a birthday with Lewis Carroll or some such. But this day, I happened to know the answer! Yippee. So, after placing my order, I asked how to supply my try at the prize, filled out the slip, and was on my merry way, the question now forgotten.
Yesterday, I had a very long day of teaching ahead of me, so I stopped mid-way through to purchase a cup of the brew that I've begun to enjoy (especially now that I have finally learned HOW to order there...sooo complicated!) When it was my turn, I looked up to see the flavors of the day, and saw my name in big bold print on the chalkboard.
"Hey, that's me!" I said.
"What?"
"Up there...that's my name!"
"Can you prove it?"
"What???"
"Can you prove it?"
"You mean like with i.d. or something?"
"Yeah...I gave a prize to someone once who said it was them, and then the real person came in to claim the prize and I'd given it to the wrong person."
"Oh. Well, my pocketbook is in the car (dumb move, I know), but I can go get it."
"Is that your mail you're holding?"
"Yes."
"That'll do"
So, I handed over a piece of mail with my name on it, and was given a card that said "Customer of the Week" with stamps for 7 complimentary beverages...any type, any size, anything I wanted. Wow!
So, now, I will slowly savor this card, allowing myself hot, comforting, caffeine-laced beverages to get me through long teaching days that stretch into evenings, without pinching pennies, for a little while longer.
Ahhhhh.
Friday, February 22, 2008
A Perfect Meal
Every so often I happen upon a wonderful, memorable meal, and I just want to savor the moment. Yesterday, sick to death of the same old, same old round of meals (no more chicken, please! tired of spinach, green beans, blah blah blah) I went to the fish market looking for inspiration. They had scallops (ocean scallops and bay scallops) that looked pretty good, so I bought some, thinking they cook up pretty quickly, and I could throw something together after Little Sir's karate class.
The result was mmmmmmmmm...
Here's what I did:
Mediterranean Scallops
serves 4
Ingredients:
2 TBL butter
1 1/2 lbs bay scallops (could use sea scallops)
3 medium-sized tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 lemon
1 package pilaf
(flavor or your choice)
1 large loaf Italian bread
Prepare rice (plain or pilaf, your choice. As it's cooking, based on how much time it will take, start the following.)
Put about 2 TBL butter in a large shallow (fry) pan, on low heat to melt.
Cut up 3 medium-small sized tomatoes into about 3/4" chunks, add to melted butter.
As the tomatoes are sauteeing, slice 2 sections of garlic and set aside (for maximum potency or flavor and nutrient-absorption, they're supposed to "rest" for at least 10 minutes after slicing/chopping, before cooking.)
Rinse a big bunch of parsley (we like Italian parsley) and pull off the leaves...about enough to fill a dinner plate 1/2 - 3/4" high. Discard the stems. Set aside.
Rinse the scallops and set aside to drain.
Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon, set aside.
Once 10 minutes has passed since slicing the garlic, add garlic and parsley to tomatoes. Once garlic is soft, add lemon juice, and a minute later add the scallops.
Once the scallops are fully cooked, white all the way through, it's ready to serve!
Serve the scallops and mixture over the pilaf with some warm Italian bread. Bon appetit!
**you could substitute olive oil for the butter. I usually do use it instead, but sometimes the garlic burns too quickly, and the temperature needed for the rest is too high. Butter works better for me with this recipe.
The result was mmmmmmmmm...
Here's what I did:
Mediterranean Scallops
serves 4
Ingredients:
2 TBL butter
1 1/2 lbs bay scallops (could use sea scallops)
3 medium-sized tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 lemon
1 package pilaf
(flavor or your choice)
1 large loaf Italian bread
Prepare rice (plain or pilaf, your choice. As it's cooking, based on how much time it will take, start the following.)
Put about 2 TBL butter in a large shallow (fry) pan, on low heat to melt.
Cut up 3 medium-small sized tomatoes into about 3/4" chunks, add to melted butter.
As the tomatoes are sauteeing, slice 2 sections of garlic and set aside (for maximum potency or flavor and nutrient-absorption, they're supposed to "rest" for at least 10 minutes after slicing/chopping, before cooking.)
Rinse a big bunch of parsley (we like Italian parsley) and pull off the leaves...about enough to fill a dinner plate 1/2 - 3/4" high. Discard the stems. Set aside.
Rinse the scallops and set aside to drain.
Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon, set aside.
Once 10 minutes has passed since slicing the garlic, add garlic and parsley to tomatoes. Once garlic is soft, add lemon juice, and a minute later add the scallops.
Once the scallops are fully cooked, white all the way through, it's ready to serve!
Serve the scallops and mixture over the pilaf with some warm Italian bread. Bon appetit!
**you could substitute olive oil for the butter. I usually do use it instead, but sometimes the garlic burns too quickly, and the temperature needed for the rest is too high. Butter works better for me with this recipe.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Help Me Make A List
I have decided to compile a list for myself and other teacher-friends of important things to do (and NOT to do) to inspire creativity, true learning, even greatness in our students. I am looking for good ideas. What did your favorite teacher(s) do? What did the worst teacher (s) do? What do you wish a teacher had done?
This may be something updated, revised, and revisited here on the blog. So...let me hear your ideas!
This may be something updated, revised, and revisited here on the blog. So...let me hear your ideas!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
It's The Little Things
Saturday afternoon was cold, but sunny and not windy, so Little Sir and I took advantage of the mildness. After playing whiffleball for awhile, we took his bike (me walking, him pedaling) down the road to visit the neighbor's horses. We brought a bag of windfall apples from a tree at DH's job...not particularly edible for people, unless you bake them to death in something, but a nice equine treat.
On the way home we had a nice chat. Little Sir decided he really wants a horse. I explained that horse ownership requires a lot of money. "So, can you give me lots of monies?" he asked sweetly.
"Well, I don't have lots of money, Love."
"Pleeease..."
"It's not a matter of 'please'...I just don't have it."
"So...how do you get lots of monies?"
"Ah. Everybody wants to know the answer to that question."
"So...what's the answer?"
"Well, first you have to get a job."
"Why do I have to get a job?"
"You work for someone, and they pay you for what you do."
"Oh." "What can I do?"
"Well, you need a job that pays very well. Maybe you could plan to be a doctor."
"Or a soccer player?"
"Yes, that would pay you a lot of money."
"Ok."
"Ok."
Problem solved.
On the way home we had a nice chat. Little Sir decided he really wants a horse. I explained that horse ownership requires a lot of money. "So, can you give me lots of monies?" he asked sweetly.
"Well, I don't have lots of money, Love."
"Pleeease..."
"It's not a matter of 'please'...I just don't have it."
"So...how do you get lots of monies?"
"Ah. Everybody wants to know the answer to that question."
"So...what's the answer?"
"Well, first you have to get a job."
"Why do I have to get a job?"
"You work for someone, and they pay you for what you do."
"Oh." "What can I do?"
"Well, you need a job that pays very well. Maybe you could plan to be a doctor."
"Or a soccer player?"
"Yes, that would pay you a lot of money."
"Ok."
"Ok."
Problem solved.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Since We're Talking About Kids' Stuff...
Maybe it's because I have been reading more kids' books lately, partly to prepare for upcoming lesson plans, and partly to see what I want to add to my personal classroom library, but while Little Sir and I were on our weekly library video/DVD hunt, I was looking for something a little different than we usually get. Sometimes I get him things that are purely educational, like wildlife flicks, or more along the line of The Electric Company, and sometimes I'm aiming for widening his literary/cultural horizons, broadening the base of his culture-acquisition, like last week's The Adventures of Robin Hood, with the incomparable Errol Flynn.
This week, I just wanted something different...not sure what...
And then I saw it, and I knew this was the one. Did you ever read Beverly Cleary's books? She was one of my favorite authors, as a child...I love the Beezus and Ramona books (even tho' I wasn't sure I particularly liked either sister), Henry and Ribsy, and especially The Mouse and the Motorcycle. It was made into a movie many eons ago, so the animation of the mouse isn't as high-tech as Stuart Little, but it's still good. Little Sir was absolutely laughing out loud at several portions...deep, belly laughs. I was laughing, just listening to him laugh! And it is funny.
It's a cute flick, which the box says for "ages 4-11, adults" ... whatever THAT means.
For a little light fun, innocent, nonobtrusive, and worth even comparing to modern computer-animation techniques, check it out.
This week, I just wanted something different...not sure what...
And then I saw it, and I knew this was the one. Did you ever read Beverly Cleary's books? She was one of my favorite authors, as a child...I love the Beezus and Ramona books (even tho' I wasn't sure I particularly liked either sister), Henry and Ribsy, and especially The Mouse and the Motorcycle. It was made into a movie many eons ago, so the animation of the mouse isn't as high-tech as Stuart Little, but it's still good. Little Sir was absolutely laughing out loud at several portions...deep, belly laughs. I was laughing, just listening to him laugh! And it is funny.
It's a cute flick, which the box says for "ages 4-11, adults" ... whatever THAT means.
For a little light fun, innocent, nonobtrusive, and worth even comparing to modern computer-animation techniques, check it out.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Another Book Review
My current job has some lag time, which permits me extra reading time. I have not found any wonderful grown-up books to report (I have started and left many, not worth finishing, and one I did finish left me very disappointed at the end.) However, I have discovered two more for elementary kids, probably more for girls than boys, but not necessarily so.
Me and the Pumpkin Queen, by Marlane Kennedy. A delightful book that follows a girl through several years in elem. school. She's not prissy prim, but more interested in successfully growing a giant pumpkin to enter the Pumpkin Show (there are lots of details in this process) than nail polish and clothes. She is also dealing with the recent death of her mother, and has a wonderful relationship with her dad and grandparents. Her best friend is a boy, which is another healthy relationship. Probably appropriate for ages 7-12, depending on reading ability, I give this 4 stars.
Lucy Rose, by Katy Kelly. There are at least 3 of these out: Lucy Rose Big On Plans, Lucy Rose Busy Like You Can't Believe, and Lucy Rose Working Myself to Bits and Pieces. This character is delightful, intelligent, a little quirky, a breath of fresh air. She and her best friend, Jonique, spend a lot of time coming up with ideas to help other people, from the residents of a retired-people's home, to Jonique's mom's struggling to open a bakery business. Lucy Rose's parents are going through separation/divorce, but are doing so with a healthy supportive relationship with their daughter. Both sets of gradnparents are also available, which adds much flavor and humor to these books. Lucy Rose gets 4 stars from me, probably appropriate for ages 7-10, depending on reading ability.
Me and the Pumpkin Queen, by Marlane Kennedy. A delightful book that follows a girl through several years in elem. school. She's not prissy prim, but more interested in successfully growing a giant pumpkin to enter the Pumpkin Show (there are lots of details in this process) than nail polish and clothes. She is also dealing with the recent death of her mother, and has a wonderful relationship with her dad and grandparents. Her best friend is a boy, which is another healthy relationship. Probably appropriate for ages 7-12, depending on reading ability, I give this 4 stars.
Lucy Rose, by Katy Kelly. There are at least 3 of these out: Lucy Rose Big On Plans, Lucy Rose Busy Like You Can't Believe, and Lucy Rose Working Myself to Bits and Pieces. This character is delightful, intelligent, a little quirky, a breath of fresh air. She and her best friend, Jonique, spend a lot of time coming up with ideas to help other people, from the residents of a retired-people's home, to Jonique's mom's struggling to open a bakery business. Lucy Rose's parents are going through separation/divorce, but are doing so with a healthy supportive relationship with their daughter. Both sets of gradnparents are also available, which adds much flavor and humor to these books. Lucy Rose gets 4 stars from me, probably appropriate for ages 7-10, depending on reading ability.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Ya Hadta Be There
Life from a 4-year-old's perspective can be very interesting, and the communicating of life's experiences often needs a translator (transliterator?) to sort out the details. Case in point: our first real field trip, tagging along with East End Homeschoolers at the Long Island Science Center. Little Sir was telling his big sister all about it on the phone. It went something like this.
"Guess what? We had a chocolate class today!"
"Really! Was it fun?"
"Yeah. And we ate yucky beans." ("cocoa beans," I prompted)
"And it was hot."
"The room was hot?"
"No. The chocolate. It was hot. It came in a cup. And we made shapes out of it."
"Oh! You made chocolate to eat?"
"Yeah. And there were bugs!"
"Bugs in the chocolate?"
"No."
"You used a candy mold shaped like bugs?"
"No." ("We were at the Science Center." I whisper.)
"We were at the Science Center."
"Oh! The Science Center had bugs."
"Yeah. They were in a cage. There were lots of them!"
"Oh."
"And a snake!"
"A snake?"
"Yeah. He had a really long tail."
"Oh. That's nice."
"Yeah. And I got a yoyo."
"Did they do something with yoyos at the Science Center?"
"No."
"Did they show you how to use one?"
"No."
"Was it a chocolate yoyo?"
"No. It's here! Wanna see it?" He holds his new yoyo up to the phone.
Deep sigh... "I gotta go now. I love you. Bye!"
Sometimes I wish I had it all on tape.
"Guess what? We had a chocolate class today!"
"Really! Was it fun?"
"Yeah. And we ate yucky beans." ("cocoa beans," I prompted)
"And it was hot."
"The room was hot?"
"No. The chocolate. It was hot. It came in a cup. And we made shapes out of it."
"Oh! You made chocolate to eat?"
"Yeah. And there were bugs!"
"Bugs in the chocolate?"
"No."
"You used a candy mold shaped like bugs?"
"No." ("We were at the Science Center." I whisper.)
"We were at the Science Center."
"Oh! The Science Center had bugs."
"Yeah. They were in a cage. There were lots of them!"
"Oh."
"And a snake!"
"A snake?"
"Yeah. He had a really long tail."
"Oh. That's nice."
"Yeah. And I got a yoyo."
"Did they do something with yoyos at the Science Center?"
"No."
"Did they show you how to use one?"
"No."
"Was it a chocolate yoyo?"
"No. It's here! Wanna see it?" He holds his new yoyo up to the phone.
Deep sigh... "I gotta go now. I love you. Bye!"
Sometimes I wish I had it all on tape.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Locked Out
Little Sir is very very happy. He has a story to tell, and he doesn't care who he shares it with. The fact that it might bring embarrassment upon his mommy somehow makes the whole story-telling that much more pleasurable.
It all started like this. I had come home from substitute-teaching on one of those particularly brutally windy and cold days last week, just in time to kiss DH good-bye as he rushed out the door for work. As we were scurrying around the house, grabbing coats, hats, Little Sir's backpack, etc. , yelling questions back and forth ("What did Little Sir eat for lunch?" "Who's babysitting him today?" "I have to drop him off at K's after karate so I can go teach lessons." "Did you fix the flat on your car?", and so on.) These days, this is basically how DH and I communicate in person...on the fly. We actually speak more on the phone than face-to-face.
In the midst of all that, Little Sir is yelling, "Someone's knocking on the door!" "What?" "Somebody's knocking on the door!" "NO! Not now! Who is it?" "I don't know. There's a "Stranger's" car in the driveway."
Sigh loudly. Grumble, grumble. It better NOT be a JW or something, or someone trying to sell us something. NOT today!
I open the door to see 2 ordinary-looking young men standing on the porch, obviously freezing to death. "Are you selling that bus out there?"
Oh no. Not now. DH and I look at each other. If he does it, he'll be late. I have about 15 minutes leeway before Little Sir and I absolutely have to roll out of the driveway. Ok. DH leaves, and I play saleslady.
I grab the keys to our converted schoolbus/RV (which IS for sale...anyone interested?) and take the young men on the tour. "It's fully self-contained, has all new kitchen appliances, tub as well as shower," blah blah blah. They are suitably impressed, as everybody is. Discuss the engine, price. Blah blah blah. "We'll be back..." They never are.
I stick the bus keys in my coat pocket, run back in the house. , "Are you ready, Honey?" I ask Little Sir. He's all bundled up like a snowman, over his karate clothes. I briefly think I should either change his pants into something heavier, or pull sweats over them...second guess myself...no, we'll only be outside for a second, then in the car, heat on, he'll be fine. Make sure the back door is locked, lock the front door behind me, check my coat pocket for the keys, and race to the car. "Ok, Hon', let's get buckled quickly. We don't want to be late!"
I reach in my coat pocket for the car keys, pull them out and, "Oh, no! NO!"
"What's wrong?"
"These are the bus keys!" I frantically search the other pocket, my pocketbook (where I KNOW my cars keys are not...my keychain, the one with the HOUSE key on it!)
I quickly close Little Sir into the car. At least he won't be out in the wind. Ok. I can figure this out. I am an intelligent woman.
I check the back door, even tho' I know I just checked it from the INSIDE to be sure it was locked. I check all the windows, but they have these security stops on them...can't open them more than an inch from the outside. Sigh. Ok. What do I do now? DH is already too far away to have him come back. What do I do? I don't have my car keys, so I can't drive to get help.
Think! Nothing. No ideas.
Ok. Call DH. "I'm almost to Southampton. Do you want me to come home?" "No. That's crazy. Then you'd be really late for work. I'll figure something out."
Back in the car. Tell Little Sir what's going on. "Try the window." "I did...they're all locked." Well, actually, I didn't try ALL the windows. Not the ones in his bedroom. Ok. Couldn't hurt to check.
By some miracle, one of those opened! Yay! But it's over my shoulders. Ok. Go get Little Sir. "You have to help me, Hon'. I'm going to put you through your bedroom window, and you go unlock the front door, ok?" (Normally, he is NOT allowed to unlock the doors!) "Ok!" HE'S got a big smile on his face. HE thinks this is an adventure. HE is laughing as I put him through the window, and drop him on the other side, ever-so-carefully. I hear his footsteps through the house. I hear his little voice on the outside of the front door, "I did it!"
I am so happy, so proud of him! "You did such a great job! I'm so glad you were here with me!"
Oh no. I check the time. Too late to get him to karate, now. He would've missed half the class. No point. "I'm sorry, Love. That took so much time, we can't go to karate today."
"That's ok." he beams back at me. "I saved the day!"
On our way to K's now, to drop him off for a few hours of playing with her kids while I teach music, he is happily chattering in the backseat. "I did it! I went through the window. I opened the door all by myself. We were locked out and I saved the day!" I call DH and let him know, and let Little Sir tell his exciting news on the phone.
And as soon as we got to K's, he had to share his story.
It's great to get to be the hero sometimes. Even when you're only four years old.
(Many thanks to Luna for sharing her story, and inspiring me to blog about mine!)
It all started like this. I had come home from substitute-teaching on one of those particularly brutally windy and cold days last week, just in time to kiss DH good-bye as he rushed out the door for work. As we were scurrying around the house, grabbing coats, hats, Little Sir's backpack, etc. , yelling questions back and forth ("What did Little Sir eat for lunch?" "Who's babysitting him today?" "I have to drop him off at K's after karate so I can go teach lessons." "Did you fix the flat on your car?", and so on.) These days, this is basically how DH and I communicate in person...on the fly. We actually speak more on the phone than face-to-face.
In the midst of all that, Little Sir is yelling, "Someone's knocking on the door!" "What?" "Somebody's knocking on the door!" "NO! Not now! Who is it?" "I don't know. There's a "Stranger's" car in the driveway."
Sigh loudly. Grumble, grumble. It better NOT be a JW or something, or someone trying to sell us something. NOT today!
I open the door to see 2 ordinary-looking young men standing on the porch, obviously freezing to death. "Are you selling that bus out there?"
Oh no. Not now. DH and I look at each other. If he does it, he'll be late. I have about 15 minutes leeway before Little Sir and I absolutely have to roll out of the driveway. Ok. DH leaves, and I play saleslady.
I grab the keys to our converted schoolbus/RV (which IS for sale...anyone interested?) and take the young men on the tour. "It's fully self-contained, has all new kitchen appliances, tub as well as shower," blah blah blah. They are suitably impressed, as everybody is. Discuss the engine, price. Blah blah blah. "We'll be back..." They never are.
I stick the bus keys in my coat pocket, run back in the house. , "Are you ready, Honey?" I ask Little Sir. He's all bundled up like a snowman, over his karate clothes. I briefly think I should either change his pants into something heavier, or pull sweats over them...second guess myself...no, we'll only be outside for a second, then in the car, heat on, he'll be fine. Make sure the back door is locked, lock the front door behind me, check my coat pocket for the keys, and race to the car. "Ok, Hon', let's get buckled quickly. We don't want to be late!"
I reach in my coat pocket for the car keys, pull them out and, "Oh, no! NO!"
"What's wrong?"
"These are the bus keys!" I frantically search the other pocket, my pocketbook (where I KNOW my cars keys are not...my keychain, the one with the HOUSE key on it!)
I quickly close Little Sir into the car. At least he won't be out in the wind. Ok. I can figure this out. I am an intelligent woman.
I check the back door, even tho' I know I just checked it from the INSIDE to be sure it was locked. I check all the windows, but they have these security stops on them...can't open them more than an inch from the outside. Sigh. Ok. What do I do now? DH is already too far away to have him come back. What do I do? I don't have my car keys, so I can't drive to get help.
Think! Nothing. No ideas.
Ok. Call DH. "I'm almost to Southampton. Do you want me to come home?" "No. That's crazy. Then you'd be really late for work. I'll figure something out."
Back in the car. Tell Little Sir what's going on. "Try the window." "I did...they're all locked." Well, actually, I didn't try ALL the windows. Not the ones in his bedroom. Ok. Couldn't hurt to check.
By some miracle, one of those opened! Yay! But it's over my shoulders. Ok. Go get Little Sir. "You have to help me, Hon'. I'm going to put you through your bedroom window, and you go unlock the front door, ok?" (Normally, he is NOT allowed to unlock the doors!) "Ok!" HE'S got a big smile on his face. HE thinks this is an adventure. HE is laughing as I put him through the window, and drop him on the other side, ever-so-carefully. I hear his footsteps through the house. I hear his little voice on the outside of the front door, "I did it!"
I am so happy, so proud of him! "You did such a great job! I'm so glad you were here with me!"
Oh no. I check the time. Too late to get him to karate, now. He would've missed half the class. No point. "I'm sorry, Love. That took so much time, we can't go to karate today."
"That's ok." he beams back at me. "I saved the day!"
On our way to K's now, to drop him off for a few hours of playing with her kids while I teach music, he is happily chattering in the backseat. "I did it! I went through the window. I opened the door all by myself. We were locked out and I saved the day!" I call DH and let him know, and let Little Sir tell his exciting news on the phone.
And as soon as we got to K's, he had to share his story.
It's great to get to be the hero sometimes. Even when you're only four years old.
(Many thanks to Luna for sharing her story, and inspiring me to blog about mine!)
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Amber Brown
I am a read-aholic. Ok. I admit it. My husband often teases me for it (and I quickly retort with my minutes reading = his hours reading news/politics/finance on the internet...somehow, he doesn't see the equation.) I enjoy reading many different genres, written for various age levels.
My newest discovery (well, I personally did not discover her, the publishing house did that all on its own, but you know what I mean) is the "Amber Brown" series of books by Paula Danziger. I've only read the first 2 books, but so far, I am hooked. In the first book, "Amber" is a 3rd-grader, coping with different stresses in life, including her best friend moving away, with humor and intelligence. She's a 4th grader in the second book. I don't know how old Danziger has let her grow so far.
I would definitely recommend the "Amber Brown" books, probably for 3rd-5th graders...depending on how old "Amber" gets. Maybe older! And for anyone else who, like me, reads "eclectically."
I have a stack of other books (grown-up, mostly) to browse through to see what I'll read next. Riverhead Library has a winter reading club for adults now, so I may even get a free dinner out of it!
What are you reading?
My newest discovery (well, I personally did not discover her, the publishing house did that all on its own, but you know what I mean) is the "Amber Brown" series of books by Paula Danziger. I've only read the first 2 books, but so far, I am hooked. In the first book, "Amber" is a 3rd-grader, coping with different stresses in life, including her best friend moving away, with humor and intelligence. She's a 4th grader in the second book. I don't know how old Danziger has let her grow so far.
I would definitely recommend the "Amber Brown" books, probably for 3rd-5th graders...depending on how old "Amber" gets. Maybe older! And for anyone else who, like me, reads "eclectically."
I have a stack of other books (grown-up, mostly) to browse through to see what I'll read next. Riverhead Library has a winter reading club for adults now, so I may even get a free dinner out of it!
What are you reading?
Saturday, February 02, 2008
"Your Majesty"
As we were driving home from errands, Little Sir was chattering away in the backseat (as usual), and said something about "Your Majesty." So, of course, I had to take advantage of the "teachable moment" and asked him what that meant, and when do you use it, blah blah blah. Since he got the t.v. series Prince Valiant on DVD from his big brother for Christmas, he's had lots of time absorbing medieval protocol and customs.
It got me thinking. Different cultures attach similar titles and phrases ("Oh King __, may you live forever...") Some believe their royalty is descended from, or currently exist as, gods. (This can caused all kinds of terrible repercussions when, as in the case of Japan, the people were subjected to the rude awakening that their sovereign was, indeed, merely human, and able to be conquered and made subject by other powers.)
"Your Majesty." Just think about what that means. I mean, of course you cannot address royalty by their proper name, title-less. I am not up on when it is appropriate to say "Prince So-And-So" and when you use "Your Majesty", but still..."majesty", from whence we get "majestic"...makes me think of awesome nature scenes, like the power of the ocean, or an incredible mountain view. To give that title to a human? I suppose there have been those deserving of the title. In general those in positions of honor and respect get titles thrust upon them, whether they deserve them or not. "Your Lordship"...meaning, you have lordship over me in my mere lowly state. But "Majesty"! Wow. It really is something to think about.
How about "Your Awesomeness"?
I suppose, growing up in the U.S., rather than in a monarchy, say, I don't fully get the significance of these things. But it does give me cause to stop and think.
"My Mere Ordinariness..." me
It got me thinking. Different cultures attach similar titles and phrases ("Oh King __, may you live forever...") Some believe their royalty is descended from, or currently exist as, gods. (This can caused all kinds of terrible repercussions when, as in the case of Japan, the people were subjected to the rude awakening that their sovereign was, indeed, merely human, and able to be conquered and made subject by other powers.)
"Your Majesty." Just think about what that means. I mean, of course you cannot address royalty by their proper name, title-less. I am not up on when it is appropriate to say "Prince So-And-So" and when you use "Your Majesty", but still..."majesty", from whence we get "majestic"...makes me think of awesome nature scenes, like the power of the ocean, or an incredible mountain view. To give that title to a human? I suppose there have been those deserving of the title. In general those in positions of honor and respect get titles thrust upon them, whether they deserve them or not. "Your Lordship"...meaning, you have lordship over me in my mere lowly state. But "Majesty"! Wow. It really is something to think about.
How about "Your Awesomeness"?
I suppose, growing up in the U.S., rather than in a monarchy, say, I don't fully get the significance of these things. But it does give me cause to stop and think.
"My Mere Ordinariness..." me
Friday, February 01, 2008
Brain, Child
At the library (one of my regular hang-outs,) after finding the required items on my list, I had a little extra time, so I browsed the children's room a bit while Little Sir played with the puppet theatre. I'm always looking for early childhood/pre-K/K-2 ideas for projects & educational boosters to do with him.
I ended up at the magazine display, and stumbled upon a publication I haven't noticed before. It's called Brain,Child. The self-titled "magazine for thinking mothers" has lots of interesting articles I enjoyed, and I would highly recommend it to any of you who regularly stop by at my blog here. Definitely not for women only, it's about parenting...but different than all the other parenting magazines I've read over the years. I can't quite put my finger on why, just yet. I'm still dabbling in my first 3 issues, dipping into articles here and there, as a title strikes my fancy. I'll keep ya posted.
I ended up at the magazine display, and stumbled upon a publication I haven't noticed before. It's called Brain,Child. The self-titled "magazine for thinking mothers" has lots of interesting articles I enjoyed, and I would highly recommend it to any of you who regularly stop by at my blog here. Definitely not for women only, it's about parenting...but different than all the other parenting magazines I've read over the years. I can't quite put my finger on why, just yet. I'm still dabbling in my first 3 issues, dipping into articles here and there, as a title strikes my fancy. I'll keep ya posted.
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