Five Short of a Six Pack

The other morning littleb stopped me on the stairs.  “Mom, what’s this on my stomach? “, he asked, pulling up his shirt. “What’s what?” I asked? “That”, he said, pointing at an indentation near his rib cage. “Oh. That’s an ab”, I said. “I THOUGHT so!”, he beamed.  Then he ran upstairs to show his…

Bucket List

On  his last day as a first grader, littleb wrote a bucket list of things he wanted to do over the summer.  This is his list: 1.  Go into a pool2.  Go to Block Island3.  A Celebration4.  Have a vacation5   Buy flowers6.  Go out with my family7.  Go to Mystic  Aquarium8.  Go Fishing9.  Go…

No, I’m Good. You Go Ahead Though

I know a guy who is afraid of heights.  He’s going to rappel down a 22 story building in a couple of weeks.  It’s for a good cause.  I am also afraid of heights.  I’m  giving the other guy some money for the good cause.  I will not be rappelling from anywhere higher than my…

BigB’s Breastfed Lawn

BigB believes in yard upkeep.  He’s out there daily, enthusiastically tugging weeds, watering the grass, spraying things, cropping things, and so on.  BigB  thinks there is not enough  time in the day to get his lawn as pristine as he wants it.  This may be true, but still, BigB’s work shows. We have beautiful  flowers,…

My Dead Relative Went to Heaven and All I Got Was This Lousy Dime

I spotted a dime on my walk this morning and I stopped to pick it up because a.) I felt bendy enough to do so, b.) I was in a waste not/want not frame of mind and c.) I thought it might be a message from my dead father.  Or mother or, for that matter,…

Conversations With Littleb: Father’s Day

Chicken:  Littleb, what would you like to get Dad for Father’s Day? Littleb:  Jewels, clothes, and flowers? Chicken:  Doesn’t really seem like Dad’s style…. Littleb:  Oh,  yeah, that’s you! Littleb:  (thinks hard for a few minutes, comes back) Littleb:  A ring tone that sounds like a fart? Chicken:  Perfect. And it was.  And as for…

You Can’t Escape the Atelier

I need to write and run today.  Littleb has big plans for me. The other day, as we were leaving his after school enrichment program, we noticed a book fair going on in the Atelier. Littleb has been enrolled in this school since he was 6-months-old and during that entire time, I’ve intended to look…

Yahtzee: Rules of Engagement…

Last year I taught littleb how to play Yahtzee.  He’s since become a master Yahtzee strategist.  He has also developed some interesting rules. 1.  If you are just one die away from getting Yahtzee you may have an extra turn. 2.  When one of the dice rolls off the playing table, all the dice must…

Mercy

Littleb and I were in the car again.  He was sitting in the back seat munching french-fries.  I was driving. Yes, Nancy Drew, I was also munching french-fries.  I’m sort of a Francophile.  Littleb was telling me about a new game he learned called Mercy.  It is a game of strength over brains…. Littleb:  Dad…

Littleb’s To Do List

BigB and I are both list makers.  I’m a daily list keeper and BigB has one continuous list that he adds to and re-prioritizes as necessary.  If I do something that is not on my list, it gets added to the list and then crossed off.  BigB will never reach the bottom of his list.…