Strangers and Fiction

(NOTE: I find myself telling this story often these days so I thought I should post it here for general consumption)

My mind was drifting in the din of Holiday shoppers when I felt the tug at the front of my jacket. Liam's urgent whisper brought me back to the crowded express line at our local grocery store;
"Mom, Zoe's talking to a stranger." His tone implying that although he was concerned for her safety, he was also hoping this time he would be the instrument of her really getting in trouble.

Where Liam was squashed in front of me, the accused delinquint was similarly squashed behind me so I had merely to turn my head and look down to witness the transgression. And there she was, head tilted slightly, looking up at the dreaded Stranger; a diminutive elderly lady with short tightly curled pewter locks, not much taller than Zoe herself - they were singing Jingle Bells to each other. I chuckled softly to myself and mussed liam's hair; "Thankyou for telling me Liam, but I think in this case it's ok."

As they completed their duet and realized that they had an audience, the Stranger immediately noticed Liam's recently acquired gap-toothed grin and turned her attention to him. Beaming, he proudly displayed the empty space and neighbouring loose tooth. Not to be upstaged by her brother's sudden garnering of the spotlight Zoe launched into a display of overeager enthusiasm for her elder brothers suddenly fascinating dental display:
"Oooh Liam, can I see?"
"Ooh, wow!
All the while standing on tip-toe and poking her little fingers into Liam's mouth, prodding here and there as though teeth were the most amazing thing she could imagine. Never mind that she couldn't care less about the state of Liam's mouth in any other given situation.

The amused stranger turned to me stating in a conspiratorial whisper, "She's going to be a dentist."
To which I replied with a knowing smirk, "No, She's going to be an actress."

(ASIDE: Zoe sings almost constantly and it seems that this time she found a willing duet partner. Later on outside the grocery store, where her enthusiastic carolling travelled more than a mere few inches, she managed to trigger at least two passersby into subconsciously joining her.)

Deep Freeze

Just another West Coast winter...NOT!
Second snowfall in a winter and a deep-freeze to boot. (I know I know. Big effin' deal, right? Well it's OUR version of climate change so go suck it!). Not that a west coast deep freeze (translation: actually below zero during the day) is anything like the deep-freezes of my prairie childhood (translation: actually below -30 during the day, occassionally with a bonus windchill dropping temps to -50 or so). But it's still pretty freakin cold.

The Kids love it though.
Liam has decided that Snow is the best thing to happen to Outside since we left the old yard and all the climbing toys. He's been honing his snowball-throwing and angel-making skills whenever he gets the chance. We have yet to purchase a sled (? I never thought I'd need one out here and they sell FAST when the snow does fall) and stake out a hill. Maybe next snowfall - and at this rate it could be as soon as February.

Zoe, on the other hand, is working on developing her pallet for snow. I've managed to convince her to stay away from yellow and brown snow, and the salted stuff on the sidewalks etc, but even two day old stomped on snow that still looks relatively white is worth a try as far as she is concerned.

Box No More

OOoooohhhh! A new version of Blogger...

Despite the fact that I NEVER seem to actually post here anymore, I do occasionally sit down and beat my head against the computer screen trying to dislodge whatever is blocking the writing impulse. I do write - just not coherently or consistently and certainly nothing I'd like to share with the world at large. So here is attempt number 20065 or something like that.

At least the computer is no longer on a box in the hallway. Our fab-u-lous internet cafe is finally set up and wowing the guests - or at least Steve everytime he uses the main floor bathroom. (You have to know the layout of our house to get that one).

See, I was just interrupted by Zoe demanding something random from me. THIS is the source of at least one component of my writers block - CHILDREN.

And the other is just the fact that time passes....like 2 and a half days since I started this, so far...