The Blake is currently putting himself to bed. It seems like my life has been extraordinarily blessed at this moment. Other cool things about the Blake: he talks constantly, performing unstoppable monologues in the backseat and tunelessly reciting songs as he wanders around the house; he eats just about everything except raw veggies and potatoes of any description; and his favourite change table companion is Che Guevara. If he starts fussing about an immanent diaper change I can calm him down immediately by showing him the Che doll. He thinks it’s the height of comedy.

A conversation with Blake

Scene: bedtime. Blake struggles mightily as I try to get him into his jammies.

me: No honey, it’s okay. Look, it’s Winnie the Pooh on your pj’s. It’s Pooh bear. You’re going to sleep with Pooh tonight.

He submits. We read a few stories. He falls asleep. Cut to the next morning; we are sitting on the couch reading If I Ran the Circus. Blake starts grunting and clutching his tummy.

me: Blake, honey, are you pooping? Do you need to sit on the potty?

blake: points to his shirt Pooh.

me: That’s right, Winnie the Pooh is on your shirt. But are you pooping?

blake: frowning with utmost severity I sleep with Pooh.

Today was my first day at the AQ course. As I summarize my morning I want you to remember Homer Simpson buying a cursed doll for his child, and fill in the appropriate response.

I was a half-hour late for the course because the time & location were changed. That’s bad. But I’m in a smaller, cooler building. That’s good. They’ve divided up the big class into smaller groups; I’m in a small class with Princess. I’m one of the few to get the book and I’m really interested in the course material; there’s a lot of homework and I seem to be the only one with a small child added to my workload. Almost everyone is really friendly; Princess won’t look at me. I get to be downtown on my favourite campus in the summer; I have a long transit commute. I’m finishing lots of knitting; people are giving my knitting weird looks. The Boy packed an excellent lunch; I’m surfing the crimson tide and not digesting well. I gave $3 to two panhandlers. (Can I go now?)

I got off the frigid bus into an afternoon so humid that my glasses steamed up immediately. The Boy & the Blake came to pick me up from the bus station and there’s nothing quite like Blake’s welcome-home smile. I’m happy. I think I’m really going to learn something in this course, something that will make me a much better teacher. All that and 16 glorious days on the U of T campus. Score!

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- Rocketbride's adventure of 7/04/2005 08:37:00 p.m.