Crouton Pie

Which school supply are you?

Just a quick interruption of "what we did last summer" to give an update on our wonderful Stella Rondo Elementary School.  Bronson's sixth grade teacher, Miss Chenille, new this year, is fabulous.  Her web site included not only a detailed list of school supplies to bring on the first day, but a writing assignment as well.  The kids were assigned to write a paragraph with the following creative prompt:  "If I were one of these classroom supplies, I would be..."

Fortunately, after visiting several stores, we were able to find all the supplies.  Then Bronson chose the box of 16 crayons to write about, saying, "there are hundreds of boxes of 8, 24, 64, and 96, but I am that rare box of 16 that has all the colors any sixth grader needs."  Obviously, he feels ready for sixth grade! 

Stella Rondo Elementary is K-6, so Hailey and Bronson are in the same school again, so thankfully during this stressful time Bronson does not need to be ready for a new school.

Hailey has already decided that if she gets the assignment next year she will be a glue stick.  "I go on purple (my favorite color), and then I disappear, but I'm still there."   Amber is our green highlighter, her big green eyes reflecting and amplifying our family's every mood. I am the three-ring binder, with one ring for each child, keeping us together and organized!

The only problem we had was choosing a school supply for Purcell.  Hailey suggested hand sanitizer.  "For someone who caught one of the most contagious diseases anywhere?" said Bronson, both bitter and proud.

Hailey objected that that was unfair.  "As we speak, he is protecting the world from contagious chronic fatigue," she said, sounding much older than a fifth grader.  I decided it was time to serve an early dinner of crouton pie, then cuddle up with the kids and dogs to watch one of our favorite movies, maybe The Five Little Peppers and How they Grew.

Ask me about my canine aromatherapist

By the way, Mothers Day was lovely.  Leila and Poncho got me a wonderful t-shirt that says "Ask Me About My Canine Aromatherapist," which I have worn every day this week for my run with Leila.

Bronson has been busy getting ready for the science fair and with a new hobby, rocketry (more on that later), but he found time to make me a lovely card written on a real snakeskin!  He made the letters dot by dot, using a Sharpie to fill in the indentations made by the scales.  Hailey and Amber brought me breakfast in bed.  Hailey had helped Amber string a necklace of Cheerios, Froot Loops, mini bagels and mini donuts, which I wore like an Elizabethan ruff during my morning run, nibbling as I went.  Surely this should become a trend for car commuters as well, as it would allow plenty of calorie intake with no hands off the wheel except to rotate the necklace. 

Plop

I was too upset last night to write!  But now I'm getting ahead of myself. 

Yesterday afternoon, I could not help but notice the reassuring plop-thunk of the Alto Cinco Quill landing on the driveway.  I looked up in time to glimpse the delivery girl on her bike.  A typically amazing Alto Cinco teen, she has the newspaper route, a dog walking business, and cross-country practice, so she seems to always be passing by our house.  I could swear her silver bike helmet and track shoes have golden wings of Mercury painted on them, but she never slows down enough for me to be sure.

Amber went right out with Leila and Poncho to get the newspaper.  The dogs let Amber carry it, which she loves.  Amber is walking so well now that she doesn't crawl through puddles, which really saves on the laundry. 

Sitting on the floor with Amber, it seemed a perfect afternoon as I turned to my second-favorite column, Mike Wheelbeck's "Double the Fun." Wheelbeck writes about the activities of his twin son and daughter, Connor and Conner, and since they are in fourth grade with Hailey, I like to see what he has to say--although I must admit he has a negative streak that makes me think he would really like to halve the fun rather than double it.  (I've heard that back when he started the column, as a stay-at-home dad when the twins were born, he was a lot more positive.  Now he's back to work in bio-tech or some such and on the PTA board.) 

But, I have to admit, I was thrilled to see Hailey's party featured in his column!  He began by describing the Jellyfish Roundup parade in glorious detail.  I interrupted Hailey from writing her thank-you notes to come see it. 

Why is it called "Too Much of a Good Thing?" asked Hailey.  I hadn't even noticed the headline!

Hailey read the whole thing aloud. We were stunned that after describing the parade in glowing terms, Wheelbeck made it the first example in a rant against elaborate and expensive children's parties!  He didn't even mention the homemade vegan cake or the turtles made from paper bowls!  He did mention the money Hailey raised for STRP, suggesting that she would have rather had age-appropriate presents! 

As Bronson helpfully mentioned, Hailey's party was not the only one criticized.  Wheelbeck also critiqued a dog's birthday party that included a group sheep-herding lesson, and a toddler's party that featured a seventies rock cover band.  (To be sure, it was not exactly a rant, or it would not have been published in our caring, courteous town, but it was as much as allowable in print.)

The most despicable sentence:  "By spending more and more money, parents hope to achieve a sense of family and community, which inevitably pops as soon as the bubble machine is turned off and the low-paid musicians drive away." 

The paper has been out over twelve hours now, and I have not received a single email or phone call about it yet, so I think my worst fear is realized: no one believes that we didn't hire the Mariachi band and undersea dancers.   Purcell says we should just write a letter to the editor correcting the facts.  But I think we need to do more than that. The question is what?

Save the leatherback!

On Saturday morning, Bronson and the dogs came home from Australia Night in good spirits.  Bronson's only regret was that Poncho, despite his name, was not much use as a blanket.  Poncho kept wandering off to sniff around under some nearby picnic tables. 

Even after two helpings of Purcell's special RCMP pancakes Bronson was still chilled.  (RCMP stands for Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the pancakes are as big around the famed mountie Stetson.)  After her own low-cal breakfast, Leila seemed refreshed, but Bronson and Poncho spent most of the remainder of the day in bed.  Although we don't normally allow it, we decided to make an exception, since one of the emergency treatments for frostbite is since skin-to-skin contact with a person or animal.  Even without actual frostbite, it's never too early or too late to reinforce a best practice! 

Meanwhile, we worked on the invitations for Hailey's 10th birthday party.  I’m SO proud that she has decided to make the endangered sea turtle her party theme.  She’s asking her guests to donate to Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) in lieu of a birthday present.  The little bit we can do to help the sea turtles will be her gift!

We plan to have the guests make decorative turtles from paper bowls and make SAVE THE LEATHERBACK posters.  We're planning a vegan menu (more like what desert tortoises eat, Hailey says).  Anyone reading this can be there with us in spirit by becoming active on behalf of the Leatherbacks. 

Australia Night

Hailey just went to bed, after we spent a wonderful mother-daughter evening together making green tea muffins and planning her birthday party.  More on that later!

For now, just a quick prayer for Bronson, Leila and Poncho, who are off at Australia Night, in honor of Australia Day.  After a night hike around the zoo, the lucky participants sleep under the stars next to the wallaby compound, with their dogs to keep them warm, just like Australia's aboriginal peoples.  Bronson's soccer coach, Victor Luna, is supervising a group of boys there.  In case of rain, everyone piles into the reptile house.  Of course this would be a better event in Australia, where it is now summer, but Bronson is so thrilled to live in a community that even acknowledges Australia Day, that neither Purcell or I wanted to put a damper on it.

Resolved

And so at last we're back on our usual schedule and performing our New Year's resolutions, which we always try to finish in January so as to leave time for impromptu self-improvement later in the year. As Purcell says, NOW is the most efficient moment!

According to our usual custom, we all write down our resolutions, and then put them in our Accountability Box for us to open at the end of the year.  I was a little disappointed this year that Bronson felt the need to decorate the box, burning the words "Or Else" on the lid with his wood-burning set.  But he and Hailey were very cheerful about offering to write resolutions for Amber and the pets.  I can only guess what they all resolved, but based on their behavior here's what I suspect:

Poncho is giving up peanut butter dog treats now, rather than waiting for Lent.

Amber is teaching Leila to fetch.

Bronson is finishing his Requiem for Steve Irwin, composed for drum and didgeridoo. 

Hailey is wearing her black and purple seahorse shirt no more than once a week. 

Purcell hasn't told me what he resolved, but he is is doing a fantastic job soundproofing the garage, which he started when we moved in.   Perhaps he's moving ahead now because we've finally accumulated enough old copies of the Alto Cinco Quill to use as insulation (reduce, reuse, recycle!--another good new year's motto). 

For the record, my resolution to take some quiet time for myself every day to practice my Taiko drumming is going splendidly.  It's amazing how a late-night practice session in the garage is even better than yoga for helping me relax at the end of the day and ease in to a great night's sleep!

 

Our Christmas card to you

Hailey: Peace on Earth

Purcell: Goodwill to men and women

Bronson: Gloria in et cetera and no worries!

Amber: Luv

Leila and Poncho:  And the greyhound shall lie down with the corgi...

Louray: The best of all possible Christmases to you!

Adaptation

Fortunately I decided this year that I would not be making all our Christmas gifts, as in the past.  Since we just moved a few months ago, I think it would really be too much.  However, I am going to adapt ready-made items. 

For Hailey, I've already turned an Under the Sea Hideaway into a more realistic Kelp Forest Retreat by adding sequins made of real mother of pearl.  I still  have to make the kelp.  I'm going to quilt brown plastic grocery bags onto cotton batting.  She'll be thrilled to have one corner of her room looking like a little piece of Monterey Bay!

Of course I bought one of Freya Wootan's handmade pots at her Loveliness in Imperfections party.  Its irregular shape will make it a perfect shared food bowl for Leila and Poncho.  Though they have always eaten from separate bowls, I think it will be a wonderful lesson for them to learn to share. It will be like having our own corner of the Peaceable Kingdom right here at home.

I glue-gunned the felt place mat I made at Ivanna's Felt Party to the bottom to the bowl for the perfect homemade touch.

I still have to figure out what to do with the official Socceroo jersey I got for Bronson.  It's what he asked for: an official jersey from his favorite Australian team, so I will have to make some kind of adaptation that he won't really notice.

Stella Rondo Surprise

It was a glorious fall morning for the Stella Rondo Surprise. This annual event, when students from the small International School down the street parade to campus with their Taiko drum band and play an early morning wake-up concert on the lawn, is in its twelfth year at the school.   

I can say that as newcomers it was a surprise to us. Amber nearly jumped out of her batik baby sling at the first drum-crack.

Unfortunately, Poncho howled throughout the drumming, and Leila hid her head between her paws.  Fortunately, they enjoyed themselves in the dog park after the drumming ended, while Amber and I went into the multi-purpose room for the second-to-last Among the Ohlone meeting.

Memorial Dog

Now that Amber has had lunch (she loves her homemade babyfood), I can relate the rest of the morning's events!

After a lovely stroll, our group of four arrived at Stella Rondo Elementary to find a wonderfully quiet campus.  Everyone must have been inside working diligently as we made our way along a covered walk to the multi-purpose room. Nothing like the sounds of silence on a gradeschool campus!   

At the door of the multi-purpose room we were greeted by a large, officious woman in baggy jeans who instructed me to take the dogs to the Tony the Rock Memorial Dog Park.  I have to admit I was confused.  I didn't know they had gangsters here I was thinking as she led us back down the hall. 

Behind a fence that looked like it screened a dumpster, half a dozen dogs were frolicking in the autumn morning air.  Wow!  Leila and Poncho would get a playdate while I went to the meeting.  How wonderful to be part of a school that thinks of everything!