My Seussical Life for 2005 May

(3) Mon May 02 2005 11:49 Cowboys: Shawn, my brother-in-law, not only farms, but he also raises cattle. We had a family dinner out at Shawn and Patty's farm on Saturday. Atticus enjoyed it, but Samuel was in heaven. We saw cows, bulls, and calves, including one that was barely newborn (mama cow was still licking off all the "stuff" from being in the "womb." There was a premature calf, about a day old, that was in a warming box in the barn. We watched that little guy take a bottle. That was a thrill, but no match for each of their short turns sitting on a cow that was in a pen. Then we watched Shawn AI two cows. The bull-donor lives somewhere in Brazil.

We had tacos for supper, made from the ground steak of one of Shawn and Patty's own cows. One of the conveniences of modern living is that one doesn't usually consider the source for what is on the dinner table when food comes from the grocery store. Eating the meat from a cow just like the ones I'd just been watching was a queer experience. I felt a mixture of reverence and discomfort eating that beef. It was top quality meat, but somehow that quality was hard to enjoy. Don't think I'm a total saint, though. There is compassion for living beings on one hand, and then there is the recent memory of stinking manure and the mess Shawn had to clean off the to-be-mother cows in order to artificially inseminate them. I have to say that the latter was more disturbing than the former in my case.

I also gave a second thought to the title of the Spielberg movie AI, which I'd previously only thought of as referring to artificial intelligence. Now I think the title is purposefully ambiguous. Does anyone else follow me there?

(2) Tue May 17 2005 20:32 Just a Spoonful of Sugar: I have this awful habit of sticking papers in between books in our bookshelves when I am in a hurry to tidy up. This works great for getting rid of clutter, but it is a big problem when I need to find things later.

(1) Thu May 19 2005 20:39 Where do my kids come up with this stuff??: I haven't been updating since returning from my long-long trip because first, I was so happy to be back I spent every moment basking in the feeling of home. Then we entered into the phase of re-setting expectations, which was awful, and who wants to hear me complain about my otherwise sweet children (but they are, after all, children). Then we entered into our third phase of being home: rehabilitation when Atticus' cast came off on Tuesday. **Remember that this is also finals week (which explains as lot in itself)! Ah, the struggles never cease!

The one I really should feel sorry for is Atticus, who has gone through so many abysmal sufferings in the past two months. But I've been feeling sorry for myself (I am, after all, human)!

On to the cute kiddie story: I served pancakes for supper tonight, leftover ones from the dinner I made yesterday (at least they were from scratch). Yes--that means we had pancakes for dinner two days in a row. I know I suck. I mumbled my apologies to the kids, and Atticus responded, with gusto, "Mommy, we are honoured to eat this supper tonight!!"

SO, just when I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide in shame over the day's outbursts, Atticus makes it all better by enthusiastically eating his leftover pancakes. The moral of the story is: kids have a special sense for those that really need some loves.

(1) Thu May 19 2005 20:54 Post Script: I at fudge for dinner!

(4) Wed May 25 2005 12:02 Chaos Theory in Daily Living: Sometimes I feel like my life is a Twilight Zone episode along the lines of the Fox and the Chicken and the Egg riddle. Have you heard it? It is the puzzler where one has to cross a river in a boat that carries only two passengers. The fox can't be left alone with the chicken or the eggs, or he will eat them. That means four passengers and only two can ride in the boat at a time. So, how is it done??

This is the riddle of my life. How do I get the groceries and two children into the apartment without losing one, two boys, or whatever groceries splat down the stairs because I am falling over myself, carrying too much?

How do I get from the atrium of the Aquatic Center to the car with the boys, an armful of swimming noodles, a life vest, and a duffle bag of wet towels and suits without a boy sprinting into the street (hopefully dodging the cars), dropping all of the precariously balanced stuff, or losing my composure in front of the spectators?

How do I take a pee at the park in those disgusting restrooms without some risk of indecent exposure as the boys come in and out of the toilet stall, or perhaps contract some awful disease because they are army-crawling all over the floors, running their hands along the toilet seat to get back to the flushing-lever (which they pull, repeatedly)?

Ah, the joys of parenthood. There really are nice moments, too. I'm sure of it.

(2) Sat May 28 2005 13:21 To Market, to Market: We went to the Farmer's Market and bought a refill 12 pound jar of honey, a head of lettuce, a couple bunches of bok choy, emu hot dogs for our Memorial Day bar-b-que, and honey stick treats for the boys. We love our Saturday market. Dave and I go for the food, Atticus goes for the treats, and Samuel goes to meet all the doggies. I think the dogs like meeting him, too.

(1) Mon May 30 2005 06:01: Made a chocolate cake last night for a gathering of friends. I messed up on the ingredients and put 3/4 cups of both white sugar and brown, when the recipe called for only 2/3 cups of each. It turned out to be more like a torte than a cake, but it was chocolate. What can be wrong about that???