Picture Day

Who loves picture day? Parents, that's who! Parents who are not actually AT picture day, because they imagine only the moment of the snap and flash of the camera, not the actual trek down the hall, attempting to keep the little cherubs lined up quietly, looking their adorable best, every hair in place. All the outfits carefully chosen, all evidence of dirt and colored markers absent from pink cheeks.

In actuality, it's quite a different scenario. ESPECIALLY with a group of autistic children, some of whom have huge difficulty entering strange rooms, like a school gymnasium, where a pin drop sounds like a huge gong, so forty children, some of whom scream when they feel anxious, sounds like a Super Fast Train whistle blowing directly into your eardrums.

But you know what? They did it! They all, well, almost all, sat down for the group picture (one sweetie couldn't be persuaded to enter the room), and they all managed to smile for the camera and sit still while the photographer snapped away. They even got in line AGAIN to sit for the individual pictures, and while some of them had to have a bit of help to stand or sit in one place, we all survived. They were amazing, all of them troupers, and we were all so proud of them. And now, picture day is over, until the spring, when we get to do it all again.

Now, as a mom, I get to look forward to Joe-Henry's picture day, which is this coming Tuesday. He asked if he could wear his tuxedo that he wore for his cousin's wedding last April, and when I told him we had actually returned that after the wedding, he asked if we could buy one. I took him out shopping yesterday, getting him to agree to a shirt and tie, paired with an almost too small sport jacket. Yes, I know he'll look like the youngest banker ever, but that's what he really wants to wear. It just makes me giggle - his dad wears a kilt, his mom wears jeans, and his favorite thing to wear makes him look like Alex P. Keaton. I let him wear it all afternoon, making him take it off only to play baseball with the kids next door. He complied, but only after saying a hundred times "but mom, I look so HANDSOME!!" I told him that baseball players only wear a tie post-game, but they would never slide into home in a sport coat. Geez. If he wants to rebel in later years, all he needs to do is join The Young Republicans. As long as he doesn't become a lobbyist for Big Tobacco.

I'll try to keep him out of it for a couple days so we can keep it clean for Tuesday. He'll be all spic-n-span, hair just so, face shiny and clean. All his little classmates lined up, eager but quiet as mice, opening their mouths only when instructed to say "Cheese!".

I can just picture it!

This Makes Me Hot

I just ordered this gorgeous little item from Amazon, refurbished, for $87.00.

Since our cat has declared war on us (she has been on a campaign for the last 6 years and 10 months to send Joe-Henry BACK WHERE HE CAME FROM) and keeps pooping on the carpet, I found something that will make my mornings (and afternoons) a little easier.

Free Shipping, too.

I'm damp with anticipation.

Curriculum Night

Last night was Curriculum Night at JH's school, and while I love the teachers and staff at his school, and some of the kids are really amazing, his school has more than his share of, shall we say, problem children. Or, to be more accurate, problem parents.

I didn't have my camera with me, but I will draw you a word picture:

About ten kids, ages six to eleven, fighting with each other on newly poured bark chips, throwing the bark chips at each other and all over the place, wrapping the swings around and around until they were unreachable, screaming and hitting each other, while some of their parents did:

Nothing. Well, that's not exactly true. They ate their hot dogs and smoked their cigarettes and talked to each other, occasionally scratching their bellies.

When I walked over and confronted the kids and told them not to do that, they didn't even stop. But they did look at me and laugh and one of the fifth graders told me that JH takes his bus. Was that a threat, kiddo? Because you have no idea what will happen if you lay one hand on my child. No. earthly. idea.

I consider myself to be pretty liberal, with a live-and-let-live view most of the time, but some people should not be allowed to have pets, much less children.

Oh, and JH? He's doing great in school, his teacher loves him, the principal made a point of telling me that "he is the most enthusiastic first grader" she's ever met.

Sigh...

** NEW ** THE OFFICE SUMMER VACATION

Two more days.

I cannot wait.

Fall's Booty

Yesterday was the perfect fall day, even though technically, Autumn didn't arrive until 2:51 this morning. That's merely semantics, though, because while the calendar might have still read "Summer", Fall was in the air, from the crisp apples at the Farmer's Market, to the nip in the air and the fluffy white clouds.

We celebrated by attending a very Portland event: The Portland Pirate Festival. This city takes it's pirates veeeerry seriously, and while we had a good time, both Charley and I were stumped about the attraction. There were a million stalls selling VERY well made and VERY expensive pirate gear. From the beautifully crafted swords to the authentic costumes, many people were dropping some serious dubloons.


There were swashbucklers and swishbucklers and whole-family-pack-bucklers. Pirates of every stripe. And of course there were pirate themed bounce houses for the littlest pirates. There was even a pirate ship that we managed to tour for five minutes. And of course there was pirate food: Corn dogs and kettle corn and fried oysters. Yummmmmm.


My favorite part of the day, besides being with my amazing family, was being able to haul my camera out of the dust and take a million pictures. There was such a bounty of pictitude, I was vibrating with happiness while I clicked away. The most amazing thing about the event wasn't even the people, it was the setting: under the glorious, and I mean GLORIOUS St. John's Bridge.

It was a feast for the eyes. The weather changed every thirty seconds from warm enough to take off your jacket to chilly enough to put it right back on.

At the end of the day, I even talked my husband into stopping at my favorite abandoned building in Vancouver to snap a few pics. I wasn't alone - there were a few other people there taking pictures, so I didn't have the place to myself like I wanted, but it was enough to give me a start. This building is the reason I wanted a good camera.


Today is cold and cloudy, and definitely not summer anymore. But yesterday? AAAARRRRRR, me hearties, yesterday was FINE.

Renaissance Boy

He writes stories at bedtime




and plays music in the morning

Two new reasons I am counting the days

There are plenty of reasons that I am counting the days until George Bush is out of office, the least of which is that I find it incredulous that someone that cannot pronounce "Nuclear" should be allowed anywhere near the red button.

But should you need any further reasons, here are two really good ones:

Senator blocks presidential-records bill

Bush: Kids' health care will get vetoed

November 2008 cannot come soon enough.