Kiddy Carnival
Didn't quite make it to a museum yesterday. We set out for one, but passed a carnival on the way and kids immediately began begging to go. Of course we went, and after paying 27 dollars for all three of us to get in, Kate announced she was not going on any rides. I told her after the admission price I just forked out she damn well WAS going on some rides. The downside of that is that I had to go on with her. The giant slide you ride a burlap bag down was particularly horrible, and I had to pretend I was not freaked out on the ferris wheel, but all in all we had a good time. Jack had to replace me as the lead in the fun house as I kept walking us into glass walls. It was hot for the first time this spring and we huddled in the shade of the dragon roller coaster to eat snow cones. Had to fight the Virgo in me and not get pissy over Kate dripping cherry syrup all over a new shirt. In my next Life I would like to be a Libra please, or some other charming, carefree, less annoying sign.
Around five O'clock we met Alison and company down at the beach. Alison and I talked ghosts and cosmic signs while sharing an eggplant parm hero. We talked about birds of prey as messengers. Then a crow landed on the garbage can next to us and I tried to psychically intuit what he was trying to tell us. I think it was "give me a piece of sandwich." Next time we are bringing a bottle of wine. Kids quickly scarfed down pizza and ran off to enjoy the sand and surf. It is so nice that they are now big enough to not need constant close supervision. Talked to Alison about my suspicion that I am missing some vital mommy gene because as much as I love my kids, the day the second one leaves for college will be a day of champagne soaked celebration, followed by a trip to the airport with a one way ticket to Paris.
Gracious Goodness
by Marge Piercy
On the beach where we had been idly
telling the shell coins
cat's paw, cross-barred Venus, china cockle,
we both saw at once
the sea bird fall to the sand
and flap grotesquely.
He had taken a great barbed hook
out through the cheek and fixed
in the big wing.
He was pinned to himself to die,
a royal tern with a black crest blown back
as if he flew in his own private wind.
He felt good in my hands, not fragile
but muscular and glossy and strong,
the beak that could have split my hand
opening only to cry as we yanked on the barbs.
We borrowed a clippers, cut and drew out the hook.
Then the royal tern took off, wavering,
lurched twice,
then acrobat returned to his element, dipped,
zoomed, and sailed out to dive for a fish.
Virtue: what a sunrise in the belly.
Why is there nothing I have ever done with anybody
that seems to me so obviously right?
Didn't quite make it to a museum yesterday. We set out for one, but passed a carnival on the way and kids immediately began begging to go. Of course we went, and after paying 27 dollars for all three of us to get in, Kate announced she was not going on any rides. I told her after the admission price I just forked out she damn well WAS going on some rides. The downside of that is that I had to go on with her. The giant slide you ride a burlap bag down was particularly horrible, and I had to pretend I was not freaked out on the ferris wheel, but all in all we had a good time. Jack had to replace me as the lead in the fun house as I kept walking us into glass walls. It was hot for the first time this spring and we huddled in the shade of the dragon roller coaster to eat snow cones. Had to fight the Virgo in me and not get pissy over Kate dripping cherry syrup all over a new shirt. In my next Life I would like to be a Libra please, or some other charming, carefree, less annoying sign.
Around five O'clock we met Alison and company down at the beach. Alison and I talked ghosts and cosmic signs while sharing an eggplant parm hero. We talked about birds of prey as messengers. Then a crow landed on the garbage can next to us and I tried to psychically intuit what he was trying to tell us. I think it was "give me a piece of sandwich." Next time we are bringing a bottle of wine. Kids quickly scarfed down pizza and ran off to enjoy the sand and surf. It is so nice that they are now big enough to not need constant close supervision. Talked to Alison about my suspicion that I am missing some vital mommy gene because as much as I love my kids, the day the second one leaves for college will be a day of champagne soaked celebration, followed by a trip to the airport with a one way ticket to Paris.
Gracious Goodness
by Marge Piercy
On the beach where we had been idly
telling the shell coins
cat's paw, cross-barred Venus, china cockle,
we both saw at once
the sea bird fall to the sand
and flap grotesquely.
He had taken a great barbed hook
out through the cheek and fixed
in the big wing.
He was pinned to himself to die,
a royal tern with a black crest blown back
as if he flew in his own private wind.
He felt good in my hands, not fragile
but muscular and glossy and strong,
the beak that could have split my hand
opening only to cry as we yanked on the barbs.
We borrowed a clippers, cut and drew out the hook.
Then the royal tern took off, wavering,
lurched twice,
then acrobat returned to his element, dipped,
zoomed, and sailed out to dive for a fish.
Virtue: what a sunrise in the belly.
Why is there nothing I have ever done with anybody
that seems to me so obviously right?
posted by MJ at 6:57 AM
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