My Sunday Kicks

Head on over to Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast to read everyone's weekly kicks as they roll in. Here are mine, written on Saturday night:

1) Thursday, we attended a wedding on the beach of the Golden Gardens, and then partook of a potluck dinner afterward. Years before I met Bede, I thought that if I ever got married, the Mennonite in me thought a potluck for the reception was a grand idea. Bede and I didn’t go that route, but I still think it’s a good way to go.

2) Friday, the House of Glee met up with Eric Herman and family for dinner, and then headed to Magnuson Park for a Recess Monkey concert. The three girls got to play with each other and I enjoyed watching them holding hands while they jumped up and down in the Recess Monkey mosh-pit. I’d love to see an Eric Herman/Recess Monkey double-billing show someday, or have even more local children’s musicians get together for an all-day festival. I didn't bring my camera, so if Eric posts photos, I'll add the link later. Update: here is the link.

3) At the recommendation of Eric Herman and other friends, I finally checked out the Arlo Guthrie-esque Randy Kaplan’s children’s music albums, “Five Cent Piece” and “Loquat Rooftop.” They’re new hits in our household. Lucia’s favorite song is “Shampoo Me,” a story-song about a shark that pops up in the bathtub and wants to get clean. My favorite lyrics:

I said, “Why can’t you shampoo yourself?"
He said, “I got no fingers, only fins
They’re second stringers…”

You can listen to “Shampoo Me” and other songs on the Randy Kaplan “junior” MySpace Page.

4) I’ve finally started my voice lessons. Right now, my homework is a series of stretching and vocal exercises plus steaming my respiratory system (towel over the head with the face above a steaming bowl of water) twice a day. I’m working up to the twice a day part, but I’m starting to notice a difference in my immunities at least. Knock on wood, I’ve not had a sore throat in weeks.

5) My sewing project, a two piece dress with a pattern I ended up creating and modifying, worked out rather well. The last dress I sewed ended up being a tent with princess seams. I'm wearing the dress in the above picture.

6) I’m not sure if this is a kick or not, but I’ve agreed to be a co-class parent this year for my daughter’s kindergarten. It’s a job that can seem like herding cats at times, but I’m hoping that I can implement my new motto, “As painless as possible,” for the tasks ahead.


Mary Poppins umbrella (the one that belonged to P.L. Travers) and other memorabilia on display at the Donnell Library Central Children's Room in 2006


7) I’m reading aloud Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers to my daughter, and we are both enjoying it very much. I read the books years ago (with the original version of the infamous “Bad Tuesday” chapter, later rewritten by Travers herself). I showed Lucia the movie this summer, and while certain aspects of the film are firmly rooted in her brain, she has gone on in her imaginative play to incorporate the baby twins, John and Barbara, and adventures that didn’t make it into the film. Lucia is fascinated by how Mary Poppins always sniffs with disapproval. We just read aloud one of my favorite chapters, “John and Barbara’s Story,” where the twins can’t comprehend why grownups don’t seem to understand the speech of the sun, wind, and birds or the twins themselves. When they find out that everyone starts out understanding but soon forgets after their teeth come in, the twins are determined that they won’t. Of course, there is one grownup who has never forgotten....