Last week I was so full of news from our trip I didn't even mention that our schools were closed on Tuesday. I don't know whether to say March came in like a lion or not. We had a blast of cold air and places west of here got a little snow but we didn't. Our schools were closed due to black ice on the roads. It has been pretty ever since. I've even heard tree frogs for the first time this week. Then this evening the rain moves in and we have a chance of snow.
A LONG TIME IN COMING. It was two years ago today that we moved Pauline here from Camden. She has been without a deck behind her house until now. Construction began on Saturday. The rain made the guys working on the deck stop before they completed the job today but it is very close to being done. At 12 by 30 feet it is a very nice size. It was kind of strange walking into the back door of her house this afternoon as there were no steps to this door before.
SUBSTITUTE BEAR. I have mentioned Ben's "well loved" bear before. On occasion he develops a hole and some of his stuffing leaks out (not that there is a lot of stuffing left). When that happens he goes to visit Dr. Grandma. Ben found a hole in Bear the other night so we put Bear aside so he wouldn't leak any more.
I was doing something in the kitchen after the kids went to bed when I looked up to see Ben standing in the doorway. When asked why he was up he explained, "I can't sleep. I need something to hold." I named off several other animals, none of which he wanted, and then I mentioned Bo Bear. Ben hesitated at this so I slipped in Nate's room and got Bo Bear. When I handed Bo Bear to Ben he gave it a good inspection, hugged it really tight and scampered off to bed not to be heard from again until morning.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF BO BEAR. When Vicki was teaching kindergarten Bo Bear was the classroom bear. Throughout the course of the year each of her students got to take Bo Bear home for the weekend as a reward for good behavior. Thinking about that I found Bo Bear's journals. Skimming through them I saw the records of his various visits. He participated in all the normal weekend activities of any family--eating pizza, watching movies, playing video games, going to church, playing with siblings and friends, etc. I also learned that he has taken trips out of town to visit relatives, been to a wedding rehearsal, and learned sign language among other things. Vicki also remembers that Bo Bear was in the wrong place when one kid threw up (the mom sent a note the next Monday explaining why Bo Bear was absent) and has had facial reconstruction (his nose was replaced).
SPEAKING OF SUBSTITUTES. The secretary at my office used to be the secretary at Krisle Elementary. We got a good laugh the other day when she told the story of a little girl in kindergarten who came in her office one morning to deliver the absentee report and proudly proclaimed, "We have a prostitute in our class today!"
EVALUATIONS. Friday morning Vicki told Ben to make up his bed. He agreed and ran off to tackle the job. Somewhere between the kitchen and his bed he ran into Nate at play and all thoughts of the task at hand deserted him!
Twenty minutes later when Vicki was ready to grab the boys and walk out the door she discovers that Ben's bed is still unmade "because [he] forgot." After fussing and doling out the punishment she herded the boy to the van. While buckling Nate in Ben asked, "Are you sure you know how to be a good mommy?"
Playing along Vicki said, "No, how is a good mommy supposed to be?"
Ben's view on the matter became clear when he declared that "good mommies let kids do whatever they want."
At supper I asked Ben if he thought Vicki was a good mommy. Again, she got low marks from our son. Pursuing the matter we asked his opinion on me and all the grandmothers. I also got a low score as well as Pauline (though he hesitated a second before answering about her). Mom and Aunt Mar, on the other hand, were given a glowing review.
Joe
