Cait, having two parents who make their living from writing, has been doomed from birth. She sticks out like a sore thumb in any conversation with her peers. That is, she has an impressive vocabulary and she’s not afraid to use it. Her speech is also remarkably free of teenage idiomatic stutters such as “like,” “ya know,” and “I mean.”
So I was not surprised when she told me that she wanted to share her new favorite poem (as she … Read More
Thank you to all the wonderful French families who so generously took our kids into your homes. It was a gift for them to get to experience your wonderful country through your eyes. I know one girl who won’t soon forget!… Read More
Cait is going on a foreign exchange program soon. We’re in the countdown to liftoff, with its attendant flurry of activity. That means that along with going over packing checklists, we’re running through cultural and language checklists as well.
Having lived in other countries, I’m keenly aware of the fact that because all humans essentially look the same–two eyes, two ears, a mouth, etc–we tend to make assumptions that people everywhere else are pretty much like us. And therefore we … Read More
Cait is of the age where it’s time for me to teach her how to drive. For as exhilarating as she finds her lessons, that’s how nerve-racking I find them. So when we get in the car for another lesson, I take comfort in the way she falls back into our usual “long drives” routine.
She starts with her customary opening line, “So what should we talk about, Mom?”
As Cait has a tendency to drive a little too … Read More
As per usual, I made the trek to Cait’s school to pick her up from after-school activities. She threw her too-heavy backpack on the back seat and slid into the front, pulling the car door closed after her. Before I could even ask how her day went, she launched into conversation.
“Mom,” she said, “You won’t believe the most wonderful thing happened today.”
Not usually the opening line when Cait hops into the car these days, I was curious to … Read More
While I truly love growing things, I also really enjoy harvesting straight from nature. I’ve been a wild edible collector for almost as many years as I’ve been a gardener. This year, even Cait seems to have taken to foraging. All that was required was to have her taste the sweet nectar of these two drinks for herself to get her scurrying out the door for more.
This first drink is a tea that is delicious hot or cold. We … Read More
Yes, time flies — and those of us, ahem, over a certain age know exactly just how fast. Seems every time I turn around another one of my animals has just turned another year older. Just this week Finnegan and Wink have traveled around the sun one more time.
Finnegan is 6 years old now — the longest I’ve had a cat live. He tells me he’s going to live to be 16. I’m choosing to take him at his … Read More
So goes a recent phone conversation between Cait at home after school, and Andrew and me at work. Cait calls. Andrew picks up the phone.
… Read MoreCait: Dad, there’s a mouse in the dog food drawer. How do I get it out?
Andrew: Yell at it.
Cait: Yell at it?
Andrew: Yeah, that’ll scare it out.
Cait: Is Mom there?
Andrew (handing me the phone): Cait wants to talk to you .
Me: Hey honey, what’s up?
Cait: Mom,there’s a mouse
