Small fry

For a while, it was pretty easy to talk over the children's heads. They were oblivious to all but the most obvious key words, and when all else failed, we'd spell crucial tidbits of classified info. Then Jane learned to spell, and we had to rely on more elaborate forms of code. This worked for a time, but Jane quickly adapted and began cracking our evolving code-speak. 'Big one,' 'Middlest,' '1.0,' etc. were all laid bare to her quick mind. Sometimes we'd even catch her calling Ella 'Middle One.'

Recently Michael took to calling them Wynken, Blynken, and Nod, which is pretty effective at obscuring intent, if a little outdated. Now he proposes Eeny, Meeny, and Miny, which doesn't seem quite as charming, but it gets the job done.

Now that we've started showing the girls a few (older) Disney movies, we are on the receiving end of an everlasting flood of impenetrable questions. I am reminded of the quote from Drink To Yesterday:

They call her Diana the Wise.

Why?

Because she asks such an awful lot of them.

Why-? Oh, I see.

***********************************

Michael is one of the brothers in our church's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a fun musical which I'd never seen but the lyrics of which are quite clever. ('Being told we're also-rans Does not make us Joseph's fans.') Opening night is two weeks from yesterday, and we're in the final grueling stretch of rehearsals, which means lots of very long days. In a month or so, we hope life will return to normal.

Back, again

We're back home after almost two weeks in Oregon. I had a good life in Virginia, and I feel happily settled in Georgia, but when I travel westward I'm convinced that Oregon is in my blood. The cool weather (such a welcome relief in July!), the lush green moss and ferns, the scent of fresh fruit wafting through the air from countless roadside stands and abundant wild trees and bushes, all struck such a familiar chord with me. And the smell of the air! I used to spend a week just breathing!

We had a great time visiting family, eating feasts at different relatives' houses every day. I miss my extended family, and hope my children can grow up with something close to what I experienced as a child. Right now, though, I'm just trying to catch up on the laundry.