Tidbits of Life

Luke came down for school the other day with something black hanging out of his shirt sleeve. I wasn't sure what it was but knew it didn't belong there. Imagine the horror of a first grader to pull a black sock out of your shirt sleeve in math class. So he grabs the exposed end and starts pulling. And pulling. And pulling. With his incredibly quick wit, he says, "it's like a magic trick!" (Think the magician pulling the scarves endlessly out of the hat.) It was the longest black shoe string I've ever seen. I'm not sure why it was in his shirt sleeve. But it was funny to see his face grow more surprised with each pull.

The poor boy isn't feeling well and woke up this morning with a fever. He said things were all bladdery when he got up. It took me a while to decipher that he had blurry vision. (Not to worry, it cleared right up and he's doing fine. I know, it sounded scary.)

We live near an Amish community and my kids love them. The boys insisted on buying an Amish straw hat and it's since found it's way to the dress-up box. Micah found it the other day and I have no idea what he thought it was. He wore it off and on throughout the day, and each time he'd either grab a stick or a gun and would look for something to fight. The Amish would be horrified to know that he associates their headgear with war.

The kids all hang onto a shopping cart like it's a port in a storm. This drives me insane. They won't let go when we pass someone in the aisle. Instead they will force the other person to hug the display shelves. I yell all the time for them to just let go and let someone pass. Please step aside. Come on, people, let them through! (I refer to the kids as People when I get frustrated.) So we were in Joanne the other day and I had these Clingers on my cart. On either side mind you, not all lined up one side. This makes us three times as wide. The cutting counter was backed up and the crowd was thick. We needed to shortcut through there, and the Clingers weren't backing down. So I said loudly enough to be sure they all heard me (because kids frequently develop selective hearing in public) "Step aside, People!" It wasn't until we were through and gone that I realized what I said. I simply cannot imagine what the entire crowd thought of me.

I cleaned out the pony paddock the other day and offloaded the wheelbarrow onto my garden. Nothing like organic fertilizer steeping into the ground all winter. My garden should love me for that next spring. The boys were playing catch close it the other day. They were diving for the ball, and were in danger of wearing the fresh fertilizer. I yelled across the patio "Dont' fall in the poop!" just as my daughter walked by me with the phone to her ear. Now I have to wonder what her friends think of me, too.