Toolbox Chronicles

A long time ago, when At was a kindergartner, he earned a nickname. One of his classmates was describing him to her mom as her new best friend and thought his name was "Toolbox." We laughed and thought it was cute. We've called him that on and off, and he claims it as his YouTube channel name, etc.

So when I saw this cool cooler that shaped like a toolbox, I got it so we could ferry him food  from home. Imagine my dismay when I found it was liberally plastered with references to beer. So Nu and I set to work obscuring all the references to beer. I got a Rosie-the-Riveter fan art for feminist cred, Nu blocked out "beer" on another patch so it now reads "I love puppies." Then I filled it with treats and sent it off via grandparents for his Boss Day treat.

Delivery was accomplished and they even took him out for lunch at the pub.

_

Only Easter

When you're the only child at home,

people may forget that you probably want an Easter egg hunt.

But you may get multiple Easter baskets from parents and grandparents

and may even find a blouse that matches your mama's.

-

The Future is Looming

_

Earlier this week...

I'm still getting used to just three of us at dinner since At went away to college this year. Well, technically five since we always count Scout and Huck, but they don't sit AT the table, just under it : ). We've had to rearrange our places at the table: Nu now sits at the head with Big A and I on either side. Big A and I used to sit on the same side before.

And sometimes the other side of the table is just too far.

We were sitting across plates of felafel, pita, and sliced salad (the pita was from the store, but I made everything else) and Big A just got this look on his face. "Look at you," he said. "You just take care of everyone. You made Nu breakfast and lunch, then went to teach all day, stopped to take care of your CASA kid before you came home, and then made us all dinner."

And then, Big A and Nu came around to my chair and hugged and kissed me over and over. Puppies too, because they're always one second away from celebrating. I feel incredibly lucky to do what I do with the people I love so much.

_

Symposium #4

I am amazed and charmed by what my students get up to every year.

(We were a bit bummed that we were assigned the lobby,

but then, the traffic turned out to be way better.)

_

First Dance!

She said: "It's not the kind where you ask people to dance with you..."

So I guess it must have been the fun kind where everyone got to dance.

I got this picture after Nu came from school...

It reminds me so much of the Nirma ad...

_

"Last Dance with Gorgeous George"

KB's title when she posted this to FB.

I'm lucky to have colleague-friends who crack me up.

And the original.

(My student had dropped her project mannequin off in KB's office 

as I was in class. I was moving him to my office, but I didn't realize 

that his pants were falling off and thus making me look extra perv.)

_