Friday Hodgepodge

Four Things

1. With the other three items in this list being mainly about my son, I think it's only fair to include the painting of a penguin at right by my seven-year-old daughter, who was playing with watercolor paints one day and presented me with this one.

2. My five-year-old son was sent home from school early with what turned out to be strep throat. His description of one of the symptoms was, "My brain hurts."

3. At the pediatrician's office, my daughter was growing impatient while we waited for the results of a throat culture (for strep) and a nasal mucous culture (for possible flu).

Already a little annoyed, I snapped back to what seemed like the hundredth "When can we go?" with the following, "We'll leave when the boogers speak." A moment's reflection on my word choice melted away my annoyance.

The parental brain can come up with some amusing formulations sometimes.

4. The following conversation, during piano lessons, caused me to laugh.

Instructor: Do you know who Liberace is?

Little Man: Yes.

I appreciate her humor and am jealous of her ability to establish a rapport with the kids no matter what their mood.

-- CAV