My Seussical Life for 2005 April 29

Fri Apr 29 2005 14:56 When the Wind Blows . . .: Today is sunny, so the snow has mostly melted, but the wind is brutal. Where are these warm chinooks that everyone talks about when they discuss the tempermentality of Southern Alberta weather? We took the occasion to eat out at Pizzas and Cream, a charming pizza joint downtown Cardston. Here is a list of Cardston restaurants: there are two pizza restaurants, two Chinese places, and one Yotee's (a sort of Shoney's, or Denny's, or the like). Pizzas and Cream is my favorite because of the ambience: there are mini juke boxes at each booth, the seats are upholstered with glittered red and white vinyl, and there are 1950's-1960's antique things on high shelves along all the walls. Besides, the name Pizzas and Cream just makes me hungry. We ordered one medium pizza, half with pepperoni for the boys, and half veggie supreme for Ginger and me. It was quite good.

(2) Fri Apr 29 2005 15:14 Bittersweetness: I overheard Atticus answering questions about his leg in the other room, where he was playing Nintendo with Mark's eleven and twelve year old friends.

"What did you do to your leg?" Another boy asked, "Did you break it?"

"I had surgery." he said, and then went on, "I was born with it. I kind-of crawled weird."

I'm not sure if Mark's friends understood what he was telling them. It is also hard to know what Atticus understands about his own body. I wonder sometimes how he feels about himself. Does he consider himself to be different from other children around him? Does he recognize that his left side is partially, mildly paralyzed? Does he see that as a limitation, or a challenge?

I want Atticus to grow up a self confident, happy child. I hope that our conversations help him to understand his uniqueness in a positive way. I sometimes want to cry about the whole thing, except that Atticus has so much sweetness and optimism.

He handles things better than his mother.