See this face? The center of my days, the middle of my schedule, the priority of many of my hours are right here. Today’s activity? Tea Party, of course. Because when 6 asks you to her tea party, naturally, we are “Delighted!” Because it is no small thing. She even prepared real tea. In Russia my…
Playing Candyland.
When a 6-year old calls out to you, “Let’s play Candyland!”, how do you respond? Someone in our house is continually trying to throw Candyland away. Trying to convince the kids they are “too old for Candyland,” (whaaat?) Perhaps the most important part of my job these days is saying, “Ok, Candyland, not Uno?” and…
It happens every year: The best Summer Reading for the first half of life
The summer begins. Mine has begun, and there is an extra 8 weeks bonus time when kids are still in school. Which means I have 4 hours a day without kids or work. This is amazing. This has not happened in Years. Naturally this means chores. It also means Books! Before you hiss at me,…
Changing directions, getting muddy and redeeming mess
Not so long ago an educational program was started. The goals were to have conversations about things dear to the heart, to hear other ideas, to meet other people, to read some different books and have some new thoughts. Unfortunately, the educational program was located a tad far from the home, and so the online…
Diversity
This is a repost from about 10 years ago. Writing 121 was a required course for all undergraduates. In that class we were assigned to write a paper on Diversity. I didn’t really know what was meant by “diversity”. For some people it means many races, for some it means just black and white, for…
What I know and don’t know
There is a rumor out there that it never sunshines in the Pacific Northwest. It is true in Olympia, Washington. But elsewhere, well, I’ll never tell the truth about that. Today there was a surprising deluge though. It was in fact magnificent. It defied all my attempts at appropriate attire. The boots were in the…
Getting Credit
Credit cards advertisements really are a study in tremendous irony. They almost ubiquitously vaunt the amount of freedom that their card will give the cardholder. Which is hilarious and ironic to anyone who ever had to swear off credit cards because they were an absolute albatross around ones neck. The thing any 18 year old…
At the Trappist Abbey, my shorty ‘n me
Sunny fall Friday’s are priceless. When the wind is low, the temperature is not too cold and the leaves are all just the right color. It is the best time of year for taking pictures, no other time of year has such color and lighting. I also miss exploring new places desperately, and the opportunities…
Rarified Places: Kalmykia
The cars in the industrial grease and creosote smelling stations had names on their sides of strange places. One such place was “Dagestan”. My silly mind went to Doggystan. This Russian train is clearly marked to go to Moscow, which was the hub for nearly all this 11-time-zone spanning country. Amidst all the metal, people,…
Love and Logic, natural consequences and limitations on each
Like plenty of moms, in the bucket of my tools to work with my kids figures prominently the Love and Logic way of doing things and the concept of natural consequences. Letting kids experience the consequence of their strong decision to not wear a coat on a 50 degree day. Or run downhill in flip…
Should old acquaintance
Sometimes contrast walks in. Its name is an old friend with whom I used to whoop it up. Its name is an old friend I may have hurt. Its name is someone who doesn’t believe I could be different now. My kids sleep in the tent surrounded by old warm coco cups now holding water…
No kids
When there are no kids, the dog gets walked. When there are no kids every drawer gets organized. When there are no kids, there are no conversations with the neighbor girl about sitting. When there are no kids, old chores, piles and details scurry from industrious mothers. When there are no kids mom and dad…
