Wednesday's Word: Imagination

Peter was insistent: we were going to Once Upon a Child, our nearby used clothing store, to find "ruby slippers" and a blue-and-white-checked pinafore so Vi could dress up as Dorothy Gale of Kansas. I admit it: I rolled my eyes. Yet another of my husband's crazy ideas..

Except it was a great idea. ViMae loves her ruby slippers and wears them constantly. She loves the dress we found and wears that nearly every day, too. She renamed her little dog and now totes Toto everywhere she goes--sometimes in a basket.

The kids love the excellent Wizard of Oz exhibit at the Children's Museum (the exhibit closes Sept. 12). We showed them the opening scenes of the movie in which Dorothy gets transported to Oz and meets her traveling companions. Mom and Dad showed them the rest, carefully talking through the scary parts. Like Dorothy's heels, something clicked. ViMae decided she was Dorothy and she assigns supporting roles to those around her. Sometimes I get to be Glinda the Good Witch. Pa has been the Wizard... totally appropriate, given his role in encouraging this little scenario. He regularly tells her to "Pay no attention to the man behind..." whatever he's hiding behind at the moment.

She sometimes responds only to her pseudonym and occasionally blames Dorothy for bad behavior ("Vi doesn't have the crayon in her mouth; Dorothy has the crayon"). Mostly she just has fun with it. And what better role model? Dorothy is brave, and she helps her friends.

The other day, Abby mentioned that Vi's feet are growing again. We've already gone back to buy red shoes--er, ruby slippers--in a larger size.

Three more days!

I can't quite believe it, but I have only three days left of working in the office. After this Thursday, I'll be working half-time at home and I'll drop in at the office briefly one or two afternoons a week until December 10, when I officially retire. Funny thing, we've been planning it and discussing it and I've longed for it, but it still doesn't seem real.

It's not like I'm retiring to a life of ease, because as of Monday the kids will show up at 6:45 a.m. every weekday.  Have I mentioned that I don't do mornings? Last year they arrived at about 9:15, which was totally acceptable. This 6:45 thing is a bit daunting.

Truth to tell, I feel a little disoriented.Big changes are in the making, but they are coming in stages. In a way, that makes it easier. In another way, I can't quite focus. So I'm thinking about the silly stuff: I have to figure out which three outfits to wear this week--the most attractive, the most comfortable, or whatever is clean and not too wrinkled!

Tutu times two

By popular demand, here are new photos of ViMae and the St. Paul Saints' Brat Favre wearing their tutus and carrying baseballs to the umpire.


Yes, the pig's name is Brat Favre...names in previous years have included Kevin Bacon and Hammy Davis Junior. Dennis, the animal trainer, carries a bottle of sugar water. ViMae needs no such incentives...she loves putting on the tutu and the helmet and she takes plenty of time to approach the umpire and then to turn and wave to the crowd. Very soon she won't need Grandma to keep her on course.

The helmet is now required for any kids who go onto the field. You can understand it for the bat and ball kids, and the tykes who post the "K" signs to mark strikeouts. But kids take balls to the umpire between innings, when nobody is swinging a bat. Still, rules are rules, and we need to set a good example. So she plops the big old helmet on (as does Augie when it's his turn) and off she goes.

This tutu is huge and puffy. I made it with a no-sew method that you can find here and here. I used 6-inch rolls of tulle from the fabric and craft store--nearly 3 rolls of pink and one of purple. You make a loop of elastic a little bigger than the child's waist, and then cut the strips of tulle to double the length you want (I used 26 inches for a 13-inch skirt). You double the piece of tulle and loop it through the elastic. Repeat a hundred times (or whatever). I think I made it a little too full for a 2-year-old, but she handles it fine. It will look all crisp and neat at first, but if it's worn for play (which this one is) it will develop, um, "character." All the more charming.

An extra-special treet was running into Saints mascot Mudonna beneath the stands and getting a special hug. Both kids LOVE Mudonna. She is very good with children, and it seems as though she goes out of her way to be good to ours.

Wednesday's Word: Blogiversary

Yesterday (August 17) was the one-year anniversary of my blog. My first post was photos of the grandkids at a Saints game. To celebrate, here are some new pix of the kids at the ballpark.

Augie has made friends with the umpires, and the crew chief recently invited him to join the umpire crew as they rubbed mud on the balls before the game. (Yes, the balls come shiny in the box and have to be rubbed with special mud to take the shine off.) He has no idea what an honor that is, or how unusual it is for umpires to emerge onto the field, turn to the stands, and call, "Hi, Augie!" Not only that, they gave him an official American Association umpire's cap.

On the same evening, ViMae was invited to carry balls out to the umpire. One of the Saints' traditions is that each year a new trained pig totes balls to the umpire. On occasion a fan gets to do the job; Augie's done it a few times. ViMae was wearing her new tutu (which I had just made) and the pig wore his tutu, and they were both very cute. (I'll post a better shot of the tutu another day.)