It’s always enlightening to have one’s foibles pointed out. “Do I really say that?” “I sound like that? Really?” Sometimes it’s not even necessary to seek confirmation. This morning as Hugh rummaged in the pantry to make his lunch (see post labeled Sifting Crumbs from Cheezits, last week), he said, “Malcolm honey, would you run [...]
Kids today are taught all about Stranger Danger. I think this too often tips over into hysteria and teaches children to be paranoid and afraid of, well, everyone. But the pendulum always swings. Here’s a rather shocking little essay from a 1904 children’s third grade reading primer, when there was apparently very little suspicion about the [...]
There I stood at 7:15 this morning, the dregs of a box of Cheezits in a metal colander, shaking it gently back and forth to allow the crumbs to fall through into the kitchen sink so the Cheezits would be deemed worthy of inclusion in a plastic baggy in a school lunch. I’m rather proud of this bit [...]
It’s fascinating to see which traits show up, and where, on the family tree. For instance, I have no artistic ability, despite having a grandmother who painted and drew beautifully. One aunt, one uncle, and one brother inherited this gene. And at least one son. More on that in a minute. When Grandma Lorene was a [...]
At Chris’s request, his mother brought two big bags of old photos to sort through before Thanksgiving dinner. Here they are doing just that, with my mother in law holding a photo of Chris, her firstborn, when he was a preschooler. And speaking of how those babies do grow up, you can see the results of my firstborn’s No [...]
Two cookbooks I’ll be using today: My little brother’s church youth group put together the yellow cookbook as a fundraiser. Just getting out this old spiral-bound standby is like opening up a trunk in the attic. Memories come pouring out. With a story behind every recipe and cook, this humble book is an artifact in my personal history. [...]
Over the last decade, it has come to my attention that “annoy” has become the default word of American children to describe negative forces ranging from mildly irritating to downright horrendous. When our boys were in elementary school, they would come home complaining that this kid or that was “annoying.” I couldn’t get to the bottom of it - how, [...]
In two days, my blogging partner turns 40. So I’m posting this today, because typically we don’t write over the weekend. Happy Birthday, dear Emily! And thank you, Brook, for secretly sending me your baby’s baby photo. I promise to mail it straight back to you. Emily is famous for her contagious smile, her sharp wit, her [...]
So the Big Three automakers are groveling in Washington, DC, begging for a bailout. As an occasional new car buyer, I sense a rare and precious opportunity for revenge. Before giving them an answer on their bailout question, I’d like to usher each guy into a separate little overheated cubicle “while I go get my manager.” My manager, [...]
One of the things I most love about parenthood is the spontaneous creativity constantly simmering in our household. Malcolm is often playing guitar or practicing his “tags” on the grocery list. Ian’s paintbrushes, canvases and sketchbooks have taken over the first floor as he works on his senior portfolio. Hugh keeps us laughing with his quick [...]
