Excitement ran high last night, as we prepared to go to the World Series. Phillies were up, 3 to 1. The forecast was for rain, but no matter – what’s a bit of moisture? Malcolm and I were in the magic section in center field where home runs have been landing. He brought his glove, [...]
Before having babies, I had illusions. My children would wear hand-knit sweaters, play with wooden toys, and eat what their parents ate. They would sleep through the night at four months, effortlessly learn a second language as toddlers, shake hands and make eye contact like small diplomats at 36 months. None of this folly came [...]
The scourge of the Stinkbug Horribilus, genus Ubiquitous, did not exist in the United States until a few years ago. Now, the stinkin’ things are everywhere. Seeking asylum on my scissors. Hiding out in handpuppets (Malcolm received this nasty shock). Walking across windowpanes. Sticking to screens. Emitting bitter fumes when maddened, they are well-named, ugly [...]
All 5th graders in our school district go through a program called DARE, in which friendly cops come in to scare the kids straight. The kids learn the grisly facts and dangers, write essays on why they will never indulge in behaviors that can lead to addiction, and get a T-shirt at the end. I [...]
I’ve been in a 50th state state of mind this week. On Monday, Malcolm had to bring in an authentic Hawaiian dessert to share with his 6th grade Visa (world cultures) class, currently reading about Pearl Harbor. I’ll spare you details of the 3 grocery trips and endless stirring over low heat to make a [...]
That was the text of a hand-lettered sign Chris found on the fence of our first-born’s nursery school at pick-up time one winter afternoon. There had been wild rumors of a giant cat roaming the general area, flames fanned by every TV station, and the nursery school wasn’t taking any chances with its defenseless tiny [...]
Last night, when homework and showers were done, the boys were dispersed through the house. Hugh and I were in the kitchen, watching the debate. He headed to the freezer to get one of the cartons of ice cream we had purchased at the grocery store last night (“only” $3 for each 1.5 quart container, [...]
The New York Times Online has a wonderful feature, Talk to the Newsroom, in which readers send questions to a different editor or writer each week. Last week, obituaries editor Bill McDonald was in the spotlight. He answered questions about whether or not celebrities try to shade aspects of their lives, how to write an [...]
After sending out an SOS for ideas on how to use up school portrait wallet-size pictures, and getting some suggestions (thank you!), I remembered that my friend Lindsay had sent a brilliant card when her first-born, Liam, was in first grade. And I actually found it in a box right near my desk within five [...]
Attention, School Picture Studios! Times have changed! Kids still carry wallets but trust me, they are NOT trading photos of their friends like Pokemon cards, much less carting around a collection of postage-stamp-sized photos in their hip pocket. That is not cool. Now there’s FaceBook. Kids post photos, comment on them, and post updates on [...]
