Caleb was helping me in the kitchen. The radio was on and the announcer was talking about William Shakespeare inventing the word housekeeping. That Shakespeare was the first person to ever say “housekeeping”.
Caleb: “Who is William Shakespeare anyway?”
Me: “Oh, he lived a long time ago. He’s a famous play writer. He wrote plays like, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet. I never really understood all his plays. He uses some big fancy words that I don’t know.”
Caleb: “… like housekeeping.”
“Mom, have you written your slice today?”
“Mmm, no I haven’t” I reply as I glance at the clock and think of all the chores left to do.
“Well, I have my story that you could type up.”
“Perfect”
The following is a short story written by my Cat in the Hat.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning when Callie came outside to walk her dog, Butter.
“I can already tell it will be hot again, “ I sighed.
I hurried to attach the leash to Butter’s purple collar so I could get the walk over with and get out of the heat.
“Let’s go Butter, I have homework to do!” Butter just barked in response.
As we walked along the beach, Butter suddenly started barking and pulling on his leash.
As I rounded the corner, I saw a gray shape laying in the sand. It dawned on me that it was a beached dolphin.
I knew it was alive because it was blinking it’s sad eyes at me.
I reached in my pocket to grab my i-phone to call for help—but it wasn’t there.
“Darn it!” I yelled. “I must have left it at home!”
I knew I had to save it on my own. I gently started pushing it in the warm ocean. When the water almost got up to my knees, it started to swim on it’s own.
“Yes! Almost there!” I shouted. With one more push, it was off.
When I thought it was okay, feeling of joy washed over me like the waves lapping at the sand.
With a sigh of relief, Butter and I turned towards home.
THE END
Coming down the hall you can smell the freshly popped popcorn. Smiles light up the hallway and little claps of joy can be heard as we turn into the classroom. There it is, the big brown grocery bag filling up with popcorn. Everyone knows to go straight to their seats. Someone is needed to pass out the cheap brown paper towels. Pick me! Pick me! Pick me! Yes!
Pull, pull, rip.
Pull, pull, rip.
Pull, pull, rip.
Added to this is the sound of salt and popcorn being shaken in that glorious brown paper bag.
Paper towels passed out and here she comes around the room scooping out the salted popcorn.
This is one of my favorite memories from school years. As I think about my favorite memories, it strikes me that they are not about particular lessons. They are the popcorn afternoons, Abbot & Costello movie in the library (and if we were good, we got to see it backwards), my mom dressing up in a full bunny costume to help with RIF, and of course Play Day.
Lurking around house
Hiding around corners
Little boy monkeys
Sister screaming
Sister laughing
Little boy monkeys
Build a snow fort
Stockpile snowballs
Little boy monkeys
Snow Day Memories
We have had quite a bit of snow here today. It progressed from rain, freezing rain, sleet, and finally snow! The 3 big popcorn bowls were ready for their other use –snow ice cream.
After a couple of hours they were full. There was enough snow to double the recipe.
Regular Recipe:
Sweeten Condensed milk
Evaporated milk
1 ½ tsp vanilla
Mix the above ingredients (I use a tall stock pot). Then start adding in the snow.
Ten girls, one ball, and 2 refs on the court, and oh so many moms, dads, grandparents, aunt, uncles…. well, you get the picture.
It is an absolute pure joy to see how confident Cat has become. The first game, the first time she stepped on the court she was a bundle of nerves. And so was I. Sitting in the stands, I wanted to run down the bleachers and tell her it was alright. I didn’t. I knew she would eventually calm down and be alright. And so would I.
Tonight, she played strong. And I felt strong.
Tonight, she smiled and laughed. And I smiled and laughed.
Tonight, I had a glimpse of the young woman she will grow into…
Strong
Happy
Confident
And I am blessed.
It has been a busy basketball season with 2 players. We were finally able to escape to the big library after a tournament loss. We all make a bee line for the Juvenile fiction section. Thing 1 & 2 make quick selections and then head to the x-box. Cat and I meander through the new book selection. We find 2 copies of Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin. We’re excited that we can read it at the same time. She wanders off in another direction and I head to the nonfiction.
Last week someone left a copy of Heroes of the Holocaust: True Stories of Rescues by Teens in the Teacher’s Lounge. After 3 days of no one else picking it up to read, I decided to pick it up. Knowing it would be an emotional read it then laid on our homework table for a week before I finally opened it, and stepped back in time. It is so unreal to me the horrors of this time. I remember very little from history class. That is why my next stop in the library was the non-fiction section. My choices were: In Their Own Words World War II, Kids Who Survived Tell Their Stories, and Memories of Survival.
Next stop for me is the magazine section. I choose 2 “American Patchwork & Quilting” magazines to picture gaze. That’s right. I just look at the pretty pictures because I am not a quilter. But I appreciate the art.
It’s now been about an hour and everyone is ready to check out. I smile knowing that these library times are memories my children will know, cherish and pass on to their children.
What an Easter Break the kids had. Their school was out for 6 days! I had 1 day off. Anyway, it was back to school today. They were excited. How do I know? Well…
-everyone got up when I told them to, no arguing
-everyone ate breakfast, no arguing
-everyone got dressed, no arguing
-everyone was ready 15 minutes early, no arguing
No kidding.
It was a good break.
CLI-CLINK~SPHLIZzzz pour the sweet
PppOPP~Pop~Pop~happy snack
The dreary clouds
shuffling this way
Not a scene for everyday
changes underway
Pit~Pat at the glass
Rain wraps around
Soaking up the sunlight
Snuggly as the almost night
Cultivating in the air
A chill of delight
oh so slight
This blue cover is just right
Nestle among the mountain cushions
Popcorn~Drink~Book
Quiet
Escape.
The 7:20 bell just rung so I head to my doorway to greet children as they come down the hall. Mrs. K is just a few feet away, across the hall greeting children. She gently reminds a couple boys that it’s “polos only” in the restroom.
Kyle is a gentle-bear of a boy. Always polite, and a happy soul to be at school. He’s just one of those kids that needs a little help with organization.
Today, Kyle is wearing an over-sized, solid black, fleece sweatshirt zipped all the way up. He heads back into Mrs. K’s room to slip it off. As I’m standing there wondering “Huh, I wonder what happened that the boys are being monitored so closely.”
Kyle comes out to Mrs. K.
“Ummm, Mrs. K.,” he says and pulls the neck opening of his zipped up sweatshirt out, looks down at himself and says, “I forgot to put a polo on.” Then darts his eyes back up at her with a total look of ‘oops’.
It took all I had, not to spew my coffee everywhere.
Oh, Bless his heart.
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