doing

chaperoning
Today I met Winston’s kindergarten class—make that all five kindergarten classes, each with at least twenty learners—at the Children’s Museum where they spent a few hours exploring. I kept an eye on my own child, plus Sam and Keishon. Going into this, I was a little nervous that I might lose a kid not my own. Mostly I spent my time hanging out with Win’s teacher, Ms Maura. She’s a trip, and I really like her. Well, really, how could I not when she spent so much time telling me how entertaining and wonderful my kid is. Two little boys in Win’s class were each wearing khaki-ish cargo pants and baggy jeans jackets with satchels (appeared to be purses) slung across their bodies. When I commented to Elijah's mother that I liked his bag, she said, “Oh, you mean, Indiana Jones?” I felt sort of dense for not noticing. Win's excited about Indiana Jones, but until movie number four is released, he's all about Star Wars. The best part of the outing—the twenty minutes walk in each direction from my office. Today’s high temperature was 50 degrees. With a warm sun and blue skies, it was a glorious day.

reading to myself
Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma has me rapt. He’s a fantastic writer, which makes the eye-opening nature of this book easy to take. I have resisted reading this book for a long time. I’ve read enough articles and reviews to know Pollan’s argument, and I’m in his camp so I’ve never felt like I needed to be further converted. Also, I’m a little afraid of some of the details that might force me out of my comfort zone. But, I’m reading this for a worthy cause—book group. In fact, I chose the book based on the strong encouragement of a friend who also had it on her TBR list. A little hand-holding is a good thing. I’m trying to write daily notes here.

reading to kids
In eager anticipation of the new Horton Hears a Who movie, the kids are on a serious Seuss tear. Not a horrible thing, in my opinion. I’ve read Horton to each of them, as well as Seuss’s first book, And to Think That I Saw It on MulberryStreet (1937), and I Wish That I Had Duck Feet. Simon has checked out Yertle the Turtle from the school library, and I hope to get to it tomorrow night. Yertle was one of the Seuss books I had as a kid (If I Ran the Circus and The Grinch Who Stole Christmas were the others). Seuss is near perfect (illustrations, complex but accessible stories, terrific rhyme scheme), and I’m really enjoying myself.

eating
Hot Cross Buns. I can feel the carbophobes recoiling in horrow now. But, ‘tis the season, and it's a very short season at that. Whole Foods had samples fresh out of the oven last week, and I couldn’t resist. Made with whole wheat flour, WF’s version is flecked with raisins and citron, spiced with cardamom and cinnamon, and drizzled with a healthy amount of icing. They are best served warm. Wuollet’s rendition is, at best, a dinner roll with raisins and a cross of fondant or marzipan. I’ve sampled both, but didn’t find them to be as good as in previous years. Breadsmith, so far, has my favorite HCB. Their version also sports a whole wheat dough, on the sweet side but not too yeasty, and raisins and citron. The icing drizzle is deftly applied. I know I shouldn’t be gorging on bread, especially as the first thing I eat in the morning, but it can’t be helped.

listening
Grooving to the lo-fi sounds of the Black Keys’ 2004 album Rubber Factory. Krista included this in the big box of music she sent me for my birthday. Thanks Krista! I love the blues-inspired rock these boys from Akron—yes, O-HI-O, kick out. Also in heavy rotation—Queen’s Greatest Hits and, taking me back twenty years, R.E.M’s Life’s Rich Pageant. Up next: a couple of new EPs, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Is Is and The Rascals Out of Dreams.