Nella liked her bird feeder, even though she had to keep it locked in her closet, because whenever any other birds came close to her room, her owl got grumpy.
But she said it was her favorite, and Sir Reddy and Sir Pants were happy she liked it.
Nella sang a song to them:
"One owl went flying out the door,
One more than there was before.
Two owls went flying right past me,
The second one green as a willow tree,
The first one was as blue as blue can be.
Three owls went flying in the sky,
The third one, a red one, went right by.
The second one green as a key lime pie,
The first one blue like a dragonfly.
Four owls flew into evening dusk,
The fourth one black as a walnut husk
The third one red like a fire truck,
The second one green like rainforest muck,
The first one blue as a blue-dyed tusk.
Five owls flew and said, "Hoo, hoo,"
The fifth one was purple to tell the truth,
The fourth one as black as a big to-do,
The third one red as a bright caboose,
The second one green, green like goo,
The first one you know by now was blue.
Six owls decided to land in a barn,
The sixth one yellower than foamy barm,
The fifth one as purple as thread on a garn,
The fourth one black as if to warn
Of coming night the owl red like yarn,
The second one green as a sick schoolmarm,
And the first one as deep blue as a tarn.
All six of them wanted to rest before hunting,
The yellow and purple on old and torn bunting,
The black and the red ones on bales of hay hunching,
The green one thought rest sounded like a fun thing,
The blue one was already dreaming of punting.
Such an owl coterie was never seen before
And people believe they came straight from lore.
But I saw them with my own eyes that bored
Into the sight of them and remembered evermore.
If you see them don't hurry to tell the tale;
The owls I speak of won't leave any trail.
If you try to prove it you'll most likely fail.
So ends the song that I'm singing to you,
I'm stopping it quickly to go to the loo."
Then Nella said, "Excuse me," and ran out the door to go to the bathroom.
"Bye," said Sir Reddy and Sir Pants.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
Twelve Colored Birds
It was time to give Nella the gift.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed the stairs up to her room in the tallest tower of Caraway Castle. They climbed ten steps. An orange owl flew right above their heads.
"What was that?" exclaimed Sir Reddy, who had not been expecting anything to fly over his head.
Sir Pants was a bit shaken himself, but he said, "It was an orange owl," very matter-of-factly.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy, looking after it.
It was soon gone.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed twenty steps. A purple owl flew over their heads.
"What was--" said Sir Reddy, but then he realized what it was. "Oh."
"That was a purple one," said Sir Pants.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
The purple owl was soon gone from their sight.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed thirty more steps. A red owl flew right over their heads, so close they could hear its wings beating the air.
"Whoa!" said Sir Pants.
"A red owl," Sir Pants and Sir Reddy told each other, at the same time.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
It was soon gone in the same direction the other owls had flown.
"Where do you think they're going?" asked Sir Reddy, as he and Sir Pants climbed more steps.
"Who knows?" said Sir Pants. "Maybe the same place we're going." He smiled. He was just joking.
A green owl passed over their heads.
"A green one, now," said Sir Pants.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
After that owl was gone, Sir Reddy said, "Let's try to guess what color the next one will be."
"How do you know there will be a next one?" asked Sir Pants.
"It's likely," said Sir Reddy.
"Brown," guessed Sir Pants.
"Blue," said Sir Reddy.
A blue owl flew over their heads.
"You cheated," said Sir Pants. "You must have seen that one coming."
"I wasn't guessing," said Sir Reddy. "I was telling you what color it was. Not brown."
"Yes," said Sir Pants a little grumpily.
After a pause and a few more steps, Sir Pants said, "Yellow? Do you think the next one will be yellow?"
"Either that or brown like you said, or black," said Sir Reddy.
"That covers a lot of territory," said Sir Pants.
The next owl that flew over them was yellow. Very soon after that a black owl flew by.
"Will there be any more?" Sir Pants wondered.
A white owl flew over them.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed fifty more steps. A brown owl flew overhead.
"Are...we...almost...there?" asked Sir Reddy, panting. He was very tired from climbing all those steps.
"I...wish...we...could...have...flown...up...here," said Sir Pants.
Before they could knock on Nella's door, she opened it. Out of the door flew an orange owl, a purple owl, a red owl, a green owl, a blue owl, a yellow owl, a black owl, a white owl, and a brown owl. They flew out the top window of the tower and were gone. Sir Pants and Sir Reddy went into Nella's room. In it sat a gray owl, harrumphing and settling its feathers down. It shook its head back and forth a few times.
"He gets a little territorial," said Nella. "Would you like some tea?"
"We brought you a gift," said Sir Pants. He didn't want to have to look for another tea cup.
"Ooh!' squealed Nella. "What is it?"
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy handed her a bird feeder.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed the stairs up to her room in the tallest tower of Caraway Castle. They climbed ten steps. An orange owl flew right above their heads.
"What was that?" exclaimed Sir Reddy, who had not been expecting anything to fly over his head.
Sir Pants was a bit shaken himself, but he said, "It was an orange owl," very matter-of-factly.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy, looking after it.
It was soon gone.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed twenty steps. A purple owl flew over their heads.
"What was--" said Sir Reddy, but then he realized what it was. "Oh."
"That was a purple one," said Sir Pants.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
The purple owl was soon gone from their sight.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed thirty more steps. A red owl flew right over their heads, so close they could hear its wings beating the air.
"Whoa!" said Sir Pants.
"A red owl," Sir Pants and Sir Reddy told each other, at the same time.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
It was soon gone in the same direction the other owls had flown.
"Where do you think they're going?" asked Sir Reddy, as he and Sir Pants climbed more steps.
"Who knows?" said Sir Pants. "Maybe the same place we're going." He smiled. He was just joking.
A green owl passed over their heads.
"A green one, now," said Sir Pants.
"Pretty," said Sir Reddy.
After that owl was gone, Sir Reddy said, "Let's try to guess what color the next one will be."
"How do you know there will be a next one?" asked Sir Pants.
"It's likely," said Sir Reddy.
"Brown," guessed Sir Pants.
"Blue," said Sir Reddy.
A blue owl flew over their heads.
"You cheated," said Sir Pants. "You must have seen that one coming."
"I wasn't guessing," said Sir Reddy. "I was telling you what color it was. Not brown."
"Yes," said Sir Pants a little grumpily.
After a pause and a few more steps, Sir Pants said, "Yellow? Do you think the next one will be yellow?"
"Either that or brown like you said, or black," said Sir Reddy.
"That covers a lot of territory," said Sir Pants.
The next owl that flew over them was yellow. Very soon after that a black owl flew by.
"Will there be any more?" Sir Pants wondered.
A white owl flew over them.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy climbed fifty more steps. A brown owl flew overhead.
"Are...we...almost...there?" asked Sir Reddy, panting. He was very tired from climbing all those steps.
"I...wish...we...could...have...flown...up...here," said Sir Pants.
Before they could knock on Nella's door, she opened it. Out of the door flew an orange owl, a purple owl, a red owl, a green owl, a blue owl, a yellow owl, a black owl, a white owl, and a brown owl. They flew out the top window of the tower and were gone. Sir Pants and Sir Reddy went into Nella's room. In it sat a gray owl, harrumphing and settling its feathers down. It shook its head back and forth a few times.
"He gets a little territorial," said Nella. "Would you like some tea?"
"We brought you a gift," said Sir Pants. He didn't want to have to look for another tea cup.
"Ooh!' squealed Nella. "What is it?"
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy handed her a bird feeder.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The Roc Cooks Chicken
chapter by Xander Powers and Kristy Powers
The roc was cooking chicken. It liked chicken.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy did not know the roc.
So they weren’t invited to eat the chicken with the roc. That was good, because the roc was so hungry and wanted to eat the chicken all by itself.
After it ate all the chicken all by itself, the roc was thirsty for some milk. First, it drank some milk. Then, it ate a whole elephant! A big knight man showed up. Sir Pants and Sir Reddy came with the big knight man. They saw a horse to ride. And then they saw two horses to ride to catch the basilisk.
But only they took away the horses. They needed to find the basilisk and the horses. And the basilisk and the horses were just right there, right over a pillow hill.
And the horses and the basilisk peeked out of the pillow hill. And then the knights scratched the horses. One of the knights scratched the basilisk’s wing. Then they all saw the Astro Boy! He had something he could shoot out of his arm. He was going to shoot the basilisk. He shot it! Oh, and the basilisk was all killed. The basilisk was hurt on one of its corners, and Sir Reddy gave the basilisk a Cars movie Band-Aid. The basilisk tried to lick him.
And then, dinosaurs and monsters and dragons and knights!
Knights Fight and Mythical Beasts and Monsters and Dragons Fight
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy hammered. They hammered, hammered, hammered, and hammered some more. They were making good progress on the gift for Nella.
Then a basilisk swooped in and carried away the gift.
"Oh, no!" shouted Sir Pants. "There goes my gift! That very dangerous basilisk took it away!"
Sir Reddy said, "Strap on your sword. Make sure you've got your helmet and shield. We will chase the basilisk and get your gift back."
"I always have my helmet, shield, and sword," said Sir Pants, insulted. "I am always ready. But aren't you scared of the basilisk?"
"No," said Sir Reddy. "This is what knights do. They chase and fight. And guard things. And give things to nice magicians. We will find the basilisk."
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy ran off after the basilisk. Unfortunately, they did not have horses to ride. But they ran very fast.
They encountered a minotaur.
The minotaur said, "Stop! You may not go past me!"
"We have to go chase a basilisk," explained Sir Pants.
"I am not going to let you," said the minotaur.
"Then let's fight," said Sir Reddy.
"Okay," said the minotaur. "If you can beat me in a fight, I will let you pass to keep chasing the basilisk."
Sir Reddy hit the minotaur over the head with his sword. The minotaur was very dizzy and fell down.
"Okay," he said, "you can go."
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants ran after the basilisk.
Then a chimera ran up to them. It roared and hissed and bleated at them with its lion, serpent, and goat heads.
"You cannot go past me!" said the chimera with a roar, hiss, and bleat.
"We have to go catch that basilisk who carried away my gift for Nella the magician," said Sir Pants.
"No!" thundered the chimera.
"Oh, just fight already, Sir Pants," said Sir Reddy.
They fought. The chimera let them pass.
They could not really see the basilisk anymore, but they knew which direction it had gone. They kept running.
Then they saw a cyclops. He looked scary. Sir Pants got ready to fight so they could pass by the cyclops. He drew his sword. The cyclops raised his hands in the air.
"Hold on," said the cyclops. "Please don't fight me. I just wanted to know if you wanted some stew. I made some in my deep, dark cave and there is too much for me to eat all by myself."
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants were very hungry.
"Okay," they said.
They went to the cyclops's deep, dark cave and sat down on the ground in front of a huge fireplace to eat some stew. The bowls of stew the cyclops gave them were enormous. So were the spoons. Sir Reddy and Sir Pants ended up eating chunks out of the stew with their bare hands. Then they tilted the heavy bowls to drink all the broth.
"Ha ha!" said the cyclops. "I put something in the stew to make you drowsy, so I could tie you up and keep you as prisoners!"
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Sir Reddy. "What was it you put in the stew?"
"It was Galloping Mint," said the cyclops.
"Oh, right," said Sir Pants in a cheerful voice. "I love that stuff in the mornings. Are you sure that was supposed to make us drowsy? It usually wakes me up!"
"All us knights drink that stuff for tea when we camp out during sieges," said Sir Reddy. "I feel quite energetic. Let's go catch that basilisk!"
"Hmmm," said the disgruntled cyclops as Sir Pants and Sir Reddy ran away.
A sphinx caught up with them.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked.
"Trying to catch that basilisk who took my gift," said Sir Pants.
"I know of a faster way to catch it," said the sphinx. "I can fly. You could ride on my back. I'll catch that basilisk in an instant."
"Sounds great," said Sir Reddy.
"Wait, what if it's a trap, like the one the cyclops set for us?" asked Sir Pants.
"Don't worry," said Sir Reddy. "The cyclops's trap didn't even work."
"Oh yeah," said Sir Pants.
They got on the sphinx's back. She flew strong and fast. They could soon see the basilisk in the distance again.
"What do you want me to do to that basilisk once we catch it?" asked the sphinx. "Shall I tear it to little pieces?"
"Um...." Sir Pants thought about her offer.
"No, I don't think so," said Sir Reddy. "That would be not nice."
They saw a hydra down below.
"Oh, that's my best friend the hydra," said the sphinx. "I'm going to stop and say hi."
"No!" said Sir Pants. "We have to catch the basilisk!"
But the sphinx was already landing on the ground. She and the hydra had a lot to talk about. The hydra especially had a lot to say out of its nine mouths.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy decided to run after the basilisk again while they could still see it. After a while, they heard a loud panting behind them. It was the hydra. The hydra was running with them.
"I want to eat the basilisk," said the hydra, "when you find it."
At that point, they caught up with the basilisk. It was facing off to a very large, green Western dragon. The dragon breathed fire at the basilisk. The basilisk stared at the dragon. The dragon started to whimper.
Then the hydra jumped in between them, and the dragon stopped whimpering. It flew away, breathing a little smoke out its nostrils just to prove that it still could.
"I want to eat you," the hydra said to the basilisk.
Sir Pants noticed that his gift for the magician was lying on the ground between the basilisk's clawed feet.
The basilisk hissed and stared at the hydra meaningfully. The hydra shrugged.
"Doesn't hurt me," said the hydra. "I've got nine heads to share the sting."
The basilisk grunted in disgust and turned away. It left the gift that Sir Pants and Sir Reddy had been hammering for the magician. Sir Pants ran up and retrieved it.
"Let's go home quick, while we can," he said to Sir Reddy.
Sir Reddy nodded eagerly.
They started home. Eventually, they met a harpy. The harpy offered to fly them home so they could get back quicker. They were a little suspicious, but when a chupacabra walked up and offered good references for the harpy, they agreed to ride her back home.
As they flew, they saw a leviathan in some dark waters below. Later, they saw a gorgon hanging out by an open fire with the legendary cerberus, who was barking quite loudly. The gorgon laughed. At some point, a red-colored Western dragon passed them.
"Hello," it said to them.
"Hello," they said back.
"Sir Pants, maybe some other time we can come back and meet the rest of these creatures," said Sir Reddy.
"Agreed," said Sir Pants.
They went home and went to sleep.
Then a basilisk swooped in and carried away the gift.
"Oh, no!" shouted Sir Pants. "There goes my gift! That very dangerous basilisk took it away!"
Sir Reddy said, "Strap on your sword. Make sure you've got your helmet and shield. We will chase the basilisk and get your gift back."
"I always have my helmet, shield, and sword," said Sir Pants, insulted. "I am always ready. But aren't you scared of the basilisk?"
"No," said Sir Reddy. "This is what knights do. They chase and fight. And guard things. And give things to nice magicians. We will find the basilisk."
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy ran off after the basilisk. Unfortunately, they did not have horses to ride. But they ran very fast.
They encountered a minotaur.
The minotaur said, "Stop! You may not go past me!"
"We have to go chase a basilisk," explained Sir Pants.
"I am not going to let you," said the minotaur.
"Then let's fight," said Sir Reddy.
"Okay," said the minotaur. "If you can beat me in a fight, I will let you pass to keep chasing the basilisk."
Sir Reddy hit the minotaur over the head with his sword. The minotaur was very dizzy and fell down.
"Okay," he said, "you can go."
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants ran after the basilisk.
Then a chimera ran up to them. It roared and hissed and bleated at them with its lion, serpent, and goat heads.
"You cannot go past me!" said the chimera with a roar, hiss, and bleat.
"We have to go catch that basilisk who carried away my gift for Nella the magician," said Sir Pants.
"No!" thundered the chimera.
"Oh, just fight already, Sir Pants," said Sir Reddy.
They fought. The chimera let them pass.
They could not really see the basilisk anymore, but they knew which direction it had gone. They kept running.
Then they saw a cyclops. He looked scary. Sir Pants got ready to fight so they could pass by the cyclops. He drew his sword. The cyclops raised his hands in the air.
"Hold on," said the cyclops. "Please don't fight me. I just wanted to know if you wanted some stew. I made some in my deep, dark cave and there is too much for me to eat all by myself."
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants were very hungry.
"Okay," they said.
They went to the cyclops's deep, dark cave and sat down on the ground in front of a huge fireplace to eat some stew. The bowls of stew the cyclops gave them were enormous. So were the spoons. Sir Reddy and Sir Pants ended up eating chunks out of the stew with their bare hands. Then they tilted the heavy bowls to drink all the broth.
"Ha ha!" said the cyclops. "I put something in the stew to make you drowsy, so I could tie you up and keep you as prisoners!"
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Sir Reddy. "What was it you put in the stew?"
"It was Galloping Mint," said the cyclops.
"Oh, right," said Sir Pants in a cheerful voice. "I love that stuff in the mornings. Are you sure that was supposed to make us drowsy? It usually wakes me up!"
"All us knights drink that stuff for tea when we camp out during sieges," said Sir Reddy. "I feel quite energetic. Let's go catch that basilisk!"
"Hmmm," said the disgruntled cyclops as Sir Pants and Sir Reddy ran away.
A sphinx caught up with them.
"Whatcha doing?" she asked.
"Trying to catch that basilisk who took my gift," said Sir Pants.
"I know of a faster way to catch it," said the sphinx. "I can fly. You could ride on my back. I'll catch that basilisk in an instant."
"Sounds great," said Sir Reddy.
"Wait, what if it's a trap, like the one the cyclops set for us?" asked Sir Pants.
"Don't worry," said Sir Reddy. "The cyclops's trap didn't even work."
"Oh yeah," said Sir Pants.
They got on the sphinx's back. She flew strong and fast. They could soon see the basilisk in the distance again.
"What do you want me to do to that basilisk once we catch it?" asked the sphinx. "Shall I tear it to little pieces?"
"Um...." Sir Pants thought about her offer.
"No, I don't think so," said Sir Reddy. "That would be not nice."
They saw a hydra down below.
"Oh, that's my best friend the hydra," said the sphinx. "I'm going to stop and say hi."
"No!" said Sir Pants. "We have to catch the basilisk!"
But the sphinx was already landing on the ground. She and the hydra had a lot to talk about. The hydra especially had a lot to say out of its nine mouths.
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy decided to run after the basilisk again while they could still see it. After a while, they heard a loud panting behind them. It was the hydra. The hydra was running with them.
"I want to eat the basilisk," said the hydra, "when you find it."
At that point, they caught up with the basilisk. It was facing off to a very large, green Western dragon. The dragon breathed fire at the basilisk. The basilisk stared at the dragon. The dragon started to whimper.
Then the hydra jumped in between them, and the dragon stopped whimpering. It flew away, breathing a little smoke out its nostrils just to prove that it still could.
"I want to eat you," the hydra said to the basilisk.
Sir Pants noticed that his gift for the magician was lying on the ground between the basilisk's clawed feet.
The basilisk hissed and stared at the hydra meaningfully. The hydra shrugged.
"Doesn't hurt me," said the hydra. "I've got nine heads to share the sting."
The basilisk grunted in disgust and turned away. It left the gift that Sir Pants and Sir Reddy had been hammering for the magician. Sir Pants ran up and retrieved it.
"Let's go home quick, while we can," he said to Sir Reddy.
Sir Reddy nodded eagerly.
They started home. Eventually, they met a harpy. The harpy offered to fly them home so they could get back quicker. They were a little suspicious, but when a chupacabra walked up and offered good references for the harpy, they agreed to ride her back home.
As they flew, they saw a leviathan in some dark waters below. Later, they saw a gorgon hanging out by an open fire with the legendary cerberus, who was barking quite loudly. The gorgon laughed. At some point, a red-colored Western dragon passed them.
"Hello," it said to them.
"Hello," they said back.
"Sir Pants, maybe some other time we can come back and meet the rest of these creatures," said Sir Reddy.
"Agreed," said Sir Pants.
They went home and went to sleep.
Friday, November 13, 2009
I Can't Think of Titles While A Baby Is Crying
Couple of things that interest me:
It was Erik's idea recently for us to have nights of the week when we do particular things after the kids are in bed. It has worked out fantastically so far. We do Business slash Sustainable Practices Night (everything that needs to be discussed, scheduled, budgeted, or done plus brainstorming about little projects we can do around the house to live more sustainably); Golf Night for Erik when I stay home with the kids; Library Night for me when Erik stays home with the kids; TV Night (Thursdays for The Office, of course); Board Game Night; Night Off, otherwise known as the Gator Game in football season; and Date Night At Home. I love how we anticipate the different nights, and not for the TV shows that come on. Except for Thursdays. I believe it's important for the kids to see that their parents love each other, have fun together, and do things for each other sometimes that don't involve the kids. Xander notices when we have game nights and sounds excited when he asks, "Do you play game with Daddy?" "Daddy, do you play game with Mommy?" This is on his way to the bathroom for the fifth time that night, of course. He likes the games we play with him (Candy Land, Word Bingo, Dora Dominoes, the Minotaur's Maze game that's a bit above his head) and we intend to include him in the more interesting family and adult games as soon as he's able. I've seen some pretty cool looking strategy games for very young kids that I am itching to get for him, like Gulo Gulo. A couple of the euro games we have now could be played by an 8-year-old. Only four and a half years to go! I'd like to keep the game playing exciting so it's something the whole family wants to do together as an alternative to watching TV. Don't get me wrong, we do plenty of that, too, but I want other things in our lives. Xander loves to watch Nature with Erik or home improvement shows with me and that's pretty nice, too. TV relieves stress well and promotes cuddling. But I am off track.
The other thing I wanted to mention, particularly to any grandparents reading this, is that our children are fortunate to have lots and lots of toys and books, so please don't feel the need to go all out for them for Christmas. Now it is at least half my doing that they have so many toys and books, so I understand the allure of buying things for them. Make yourself happy. Just know that they don't need anything. Trains, cars, trucks, stuffed animals, blocks, crayons, pirates, mythical beasts, dress-up clothes, dinosaurs, cozy quilts, puzzles, games, books for all ages, knights, stacking cups, pictures, lacing beads, hanging monkeys, movies...they've got all that and more. I'm trying to make all our holidays about happiness, and for us a lot of times that means simplicity. But happiness comes from a lot of different places, as long as there's love, so do what you do.
Nick is crying angrily and that's my cue to go. I guess one thing he would put on his Christmas list is a 24-hour IV of milk. That might make him happy.
It was Erik's idea recently for us to have nights of the week when we do particular things after the kids are in bed. It has worked out fantastically so far. We do Business slash Sustainable Practices Night (everything that needs to be discussed, scheduled, budgeted, or done plus brainstorming about little projects we can do around the house to live more sustainably); Golf Night for Erik when I stay home with the kids; Library Night for me when Erik stays home with the kids; TV Night (Thursdays for The Office, of course); Board Game Night; Night Off, otherwise known as the Gator Game in football season; and Date Night At Home. I love how we anticipate the different nights, and not for the TV shows that come on. Except for Thursdays. I believe it's important for the kids to see that their parents love each other, have fun together, and do things for each other sometimes that don't involve the kids. Xander notices when we have game nights and sounds excited when he asks, "Do you play game with Daddy?" "Daddy, do you play game with Mommy?" This is on his way to the bathroom for the fifth time that night, of course. He likes the games we play with him (Candy Land, Word Bingo, Dora Dominoes, the Minotaur's Maze game that's a bit above his head) and we intend to include him in the more interesting family and adult games as soon as he's able. I've seen some pretty cool looking strategy games for very young kids that I am itching to get for him, like Gulo Gulo. A couple of the euro games we have now could be played by an 8-year-old. Only four and a half years to go! I'd like to keep the game playing exciting so it's something the whole family wants to do together as an alternative to watching TV. Don't get me wrong, we do plenty of that, too, but I want other things in our lives. Xander loves to watch Nature with Erik or home improvement shows with me and that's pretty nice, too. TV relieves stress well and promotes cuddling. But I am off track.
The other thing I wanted to mention, particularly to any grandparents reading this, is that our children are fortunate to have lots and lots of toys and books, so please don't feel the need to go all out for them for Christmas. Now it is at least half my doing that they have so many toys and books, so I understand the allure of buying things for them. Make yourself happy. Just know that they don't need anything. Trains, cars, trucks, stuffed animals, blocks, crayons, pirates, mythical beasts, dress-up clothes, dinosaurs, cozy quilts, puzzles, games, books for all ages, knights, stacking cups, pictures, lacing beads, hanging monkeys, movies...they've got all that and more. I'm trying to make all our holidays about happiness, and for us a lot of times that means simplicity. But happiness comes from a lot of different places, as long as there's love, so do what you do.
Nick is crying angrily and that's my cue to go. I guess one thing he would put on his Christmas list is a 24-hour IV of milk. That might make him happy.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy Finally See a Mirror
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy stared into the mirror in the hidden closet in the magician's room. There they saw murky, shadowy versions of themselves. (It wasn't a very good, flat mirror, so they looked a little bit wavier than their normal selves.)
Sir Reddy waved and said hello. At the exact same moment, the murky, wavy version of himself waved and said hello. Sir Pants jumped up and down once. The Sir Pants in the mirror did the same thing at the same time.
"I see," said Sir Pants. "I think I understand now."
Nella the magician nodded encouragingly.
"The doubles of ourselves do what we do as soon as they see us doing it," said Sir Pants. "Can they come out of the closet?"
He backed up and pulled Sir Reddy back by his arm, to give the doubles space to come out. But as they backed away from the mirror, the strange doubles of Sir Reddy and Sir Pants disappeared.
"Where did they go?" asked Sir Reddy. His eyes were open wide. He was worried about what had happened to their doubles.
Nella closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she put a smile back on her face.
"Walk up to the mirror again," she suggested.
They did. Their doubles reappeared in the mirror!
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants stared. They tried backing away again. The doubles disappeared. They walked back up to the mirror. They reappeared. They tried this again and again, sometimes waving and shouting and jumping at their doubles, and sometimes not. Their doubles did all the same things they did.
Finally Nella said, "Stop! Arrgh. Let me help you."
She took up a red crayon that was hidden behind a tower of dried leaves and drew a red dot on both Sir Reddy's and Sir Pants's noses.
"Go look in the mirror again," she said.
They did. The mirror versions of Sir Reddy and Sir Pants also had red dots on their noses.
"How did that happen?" asked Sir Pants.
Sir Reddy, while looking in the mirror, carefullly touched the red dot on his nose. The Mirror Sir Reddy did the same thing. Sir Reddy touched the dot five times in a row, quickly. So did the Mirror Sir Reddy. He touched the dot five times in a row, slowly. The Mirror Sir Reddy touched the dot five times slowly. Sir Reddy hit himself hard in the chest, as did the Mirror Sir Reddy, and yelled, "Ow!" The Mirror Sir Reddy did all of the same things at the same time.
"That is Sir Reddy!" shouted Sir Pants, who almost understood now.
"That is a reflection of Sir Reddy in the mirror," corrected the magician.
"So the mirror..." said Sir Pants, looking questioningly at Nella.
"...shows you a reflection of yourself when you are standing in front of it," Nella said.
"These guys are boring," announced Sir Reddy. "Can we go now?"
"Come back and see me some other time," said Nella. "Maybe I will find another tea cup when you come."
"Goodbye," said Sir Reddy and Sir Pants.
They left the magician's room at the top of the Castle Caraway tower.
Sir Reddy waved and said hello. At the exact same moment, the murky, wavy version of himself waved and said hello. Sir Pants jumped up and down once. The Sir Pants in the mirror did the same thing at the same time.
"I see," said Sir Pants. "I think I understand now."
Nella the magician nodded encouragingly.
"The doubles of ourselves do what we do as soon as they see us doing it," said Sir Pants. "Can they come out of the closet?"
He backed up and pulled Sir Reddy back by his arm, to give the doubles space to come out. But as they backed away from the mirror, the strange doubles of Sir Reddy and Sir Pants disappeared.
"Where did they go?" asked Sir Reddy. His eyes were open wide. He was worried about what had happened to their doubles.
Nella closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she put a smile back on her face.
"Walk up to the mirror again," she suggested.
They did. Their doubles reappeared in the mirror!
Sir Reddy and Sir Pants stared. They tried backing away again. The doubles disappeared. They walked back up to the mirror. They reappeared. They tried this again and again, sometimes waving and shouting and jumping at their doubles, and sometimes not. Their doubles did all the same things they did.
Finally Nella said, "Stop! Arrgh. Let me help you."
She took up a red crayon that was hidden behind a tower of dried leaves and drew a red dot on both Sir Reddy's and Sir Pants's noses.
"Go look in the mirror again," she said.
They did. The mirror versions of Sir Reddy and Sir Pants also had red dots on their noses.
"How did that happen?" asked Sir Pants.
Sir Reddy, while looking in the mirror, carefullly touched the red dot on his nose. The Mirror Sir Reddy did the same thing. Sir Reddy touched the dot five times in a row, quickly. So did the Mirror Sir Reddy. He touched the dot five times in a row, slowly. The Mirror Sir Reddy touched the dot five times slowly. Sir Reddy hit himself hard in the chest, as did the Mirror Sir Reddy, and yelled, "Ow!" The Mirror Sir Reddy did all of the same things at the same time.
"That is Sir Reddy!" shouted Sir Pants, who almost understood now.
"That is a reflection of Sir Reddy in the mirror," corrected the magician.
"So the mirror..." said Sir Pants, looking questioningly at Nella.
"...shows you a reflection of yourself when you are standing in front of it," Nella said.
"These guys are boring," announced Sir Reddy. "Can we go now?"
"Come back and see me some other time," said Nella. "Maybe I will find another tea cup when you come."
"Goodbye," said Sir Reddy and Sir Pants.
They left the magician's room at the top of the Castle Caraway tower.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Sir Pants and Sir Reddy Talk to the Magician
The magician asked Sir Pants and Sir Reddy to please come in. They went into the magician's room. It was small. There was a table in one corner, a stool near the door, a wooden bed frame and mattress in another corner, and one small window. The table, stool, bed, and floor were all heaped with piles of things. It was hard to tell what the things were because they were lying all on top of and tangled around one another. The window showed them just how high up they were in the magician's room at the top of the castle tower. Sir Reddy almost fell over looking at how far it was down to the ground.
"I know it's here somewhere," mumbled the magician, meanwhile. The magician was throwing things from the piles up in the air in order to see what was underneath them. The magician was looking for something.
"May I help you?" asked Sir Pants politely.
"Oh, I was just looking for my tea cup so I could offer at least one of you a cup of tea. But I don't see it anywhere."
"May I?" asked Sir Pants again, reaching toward the magician's scraggly hair.
"Yes," said the magician.
Sir Pants pulled the china cup out of the magician's nest of hair and wiped it off with a hanky he carried in his pocket. Although Sir Pants often looked dirty because of the strange dark bronzy color of his armor, he liked to clean things up. So he always kept a hanky with him in case it were needed.
"Thank you!" said the magician delightedly.
Sir Reddy stood up again. It had taken him a while to get up because, while he was laying on the floor, he could see the most fascinating kind of fluorescent green and black striped spider spinning a web on the ceiling. Eventually, that got boring.
He got up and said, "Who are you? I know you're a magician, but what's your name?"
"Sir Reddy!" said Sir Pants. "That's not very good manners. Excuse him," he said to the magician. "I am Sir Pants and this is Sir Reddy. And you are...?"
"Nellawellabella," said the magician. "But everyone calls me Nella."
The magician thought for a minute.
"Actually, that's not true," the magician said. "Not everyone calls me Nella. I think only two people know who I am. And now you two. So about four, total. If you'll call me Nella, then I can say that all the people who know about me call me Nella."
"Certainly," said Sir Pants in his deepest, most self-conscious polite voice, "Nella."
"My mom used to call me Red," said Sir Reddy. "It was shorter, you know."
Nella nodded.
"We're looking for a mirror," said Sir Reddy. "By the way. Have you got one?"
"Sir Reddy!" said Sir Pants again.
"I have a mirror," said Nella.
Sir Pants gasped. "You have a doubler?"
Nella pursed her lips. (The magician was a woman.) After a while, she said, "Not sure. What's a doubler?"
When Sir Reddy and Sir Pants had taken turns interrupting each other to tell Nella their ideas about mirrors, she nodded her head slowly up and down.
"I think I understand," she said. "Well, come here and look."
She opened a door that neither Sir Pants nor Sir Reddy had seen before.
to be continued...
"I know it's here somewhere," mumbled the magician, meanwhile. The magician was throwing things from the piles up in the air in order to see what was underneath them. The magician was looking for something.
"May I help you?" asked Sir Pants politely.
"Oh, I was just looking for my tea cup so I could offer at least one of you a cup of tea. But I don't see it anywhere."
"May I?" asked Sir Pants again, reaching toward the magician's scraggly hair.
"Yes," said the magician.
Sir Pants pulled the china cup out of the magician's nest of hair and wiped it off with a hanky he carried in his pocket. Although Sir Pants often looked dirty because of the strange dark bronzy color of his armor, he liked to clean things up. So he always kept a hanky with him in case it were needed.
"Thank you!" said the magician delightedly.
Sir Reddy stood up again. It had taken him a while to get up because, while he was laying on the floor, he could see the most fascinating kind of fluorescent green and black striped spider spinning a web on the ceiling. Eventually, that got boring.
He got up and said, "Who are you? I know you're a magician, but what's your name?"
"Sir Reddy!" said Sir Pants. "That's not very good manners. Excuse him," he said to the magician. "I am Sir Pants and this is Sir Reddy. And you are...?"
"Nellawellabella," said the magician. "But everyone calls me Nella."
The magician thought for a minute.
"Actually, that's not true," the magician said. "Not everyone calls me Nella. I think only two people know who I am. And now you two. So about four, total. If you'll call me Nella, then I can say that all the people who know about me call me Nella."
"Certainly," said Sir Pants in his deepest, most self-conscious polite voice, "Nella."
"My mom used to call me Red," said Sir Reddy. "It was shorter, you know."
Nella nodded.
"We're looking for a mirror," said Sir Reddy. "By the way. Have you got one?"
"Sir Reddy!" said Sir Pants again.
"I have a mirror," said Nella.
Sir Pants gasped. "You have a doubler?"
Nella pursed her lips. (The magician was a woman.) After a while, she said, "Not sure. What's a doubler?"
When Sir Reddy and Sir Pants had taken turns interrupting each other to tell Nella their ideas about mirrors, she nodded her head slowly up and down.
"I think I understand," she said. "Well, come here and look."
She opened a door that neither Sir Pants nor Sir Reddy had seen before.
to be continued...
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