A Facebook friend recently posted something that made me want to go find her and smack her in the head. I’m not normally a violent person. I am a big talker, though, so by “smack her in the head,” I mean “give her a stern look and maybe stick my tongue out at her.” But I don’t want […]
By the way, Namaste
A little while ago, Mike and I spent the morning with a group of emotional teenagers. … Sorry, that’s redundant. I meant “more emotional than usual, even given the teen thing.” We were chaperoning a group of kids on year-long exchanges from all corners of the globe. On a regular basis during the year, these kids would leave their […]
Buh-bye boc choy
Every Saturday morning since spring started, we’ve shopped for produce at one of the local farmers’ markets. The veggie selection can be slim early in the season. We’ll take home some of what my friend Steph calls “yuppie lettuce,” and maybe a bunch of kale. If nothing else, we’ll grab a fancy maple-bacon glaze or […]
The sound of music
When I was a second grader somebody let me pick up and scratch out a few notes on a violin. I can’t fathom why I wanted to. Might have been a Laura Ingalls kind of thing. The class was held in a building I remember looking a little like a one-room schoolhouse. It was probably […]
Maturity is overrated
This weekend we were at a conference with a bunch of people I sincerely enjoy being around, and one person in particular I’m trying to avoid. Because apparently I lack the maturity God gave a fifth grader. He ticked me off earlier this year and owes me a conversation. I know he knows. I know […]
Papa’s got a brand new bag
Mike has a picture somewhere of himself standing with his sister, mom, and dad next to a sign shaped like Idaho. He is five years old and wearing the same wide grin we get from Colin when he poses for a picture. His sister is wearing short shorts and his dad has the most awesome […]
I’m (mostly) kidding about the grass clippings
I was just thinking about posting something about our experience with food allergies, and it turns out it’s Food Allergy Awareness Week, which makes it seem like I have a plan, you know, like, ever. Anyway, I’ve posted stuff before about our first exchange student, Saara, and her multiple food allergies. To recap: Saara is […]
A riff on the ride home
“I’m so thirsty, I could carjack that Coke truck for something to drink.” “How would you do that, exactly, Jack?” “Well, I’d jump on the bumper and cut a hole in the back with a laser and pull out a coke at the next stoplight. You want one?” “That’s way too complicated, and I don’t […]
Hold on, new phase alert
A Lamborghini will run a person anywhere from $200k to $4.5 million, which is totally news to me, but not to Jack who seems to have moved on from an obsession with video games, set in post apocalyptic zombie land, to a more expensive, but still fantasy-based hobby. He’s also a fan of the Corvette and the Ferrari. He […]
Take this job …
This month Jack is schlepping around, looking for someone who will hire a fifteen year old with no experience. He has very high standards. Nothing in food service, or with pets, kids or yardwork. He’d like full time with a little more than minimum wage. Something having to do with playing video games all day would […]