We were just watching horseracing on TV as Katie saw it on the guide and wanted to watch the horses. She’s under the belief–the unbelievably mistaken belief–that there is some way we will get her a pony. I think she would be fine with it living in her room as far as she’s concerned, although she might not think so when it filled her shoes with crap.
Anyway, as we watch the race and are commenting on the horses, Katie says (so we can all clearly hear):
“My heart aches with longing…”
Uh huh.
I’m in the kitchen feeding Katie, Ellen and our neighbor child Claire a nice fresh pizza and I get into this conversation with Ms. Bug:
Katie: Dad, when are you going to have your own pizza parlor?
Me: Not for years, Bug.
K: I have a great name for it. You could call it Paul’s Perfect Pizza Parlor.
M: thats a pretty good name, but it’s a lot of P’s. I try to keep the pee away from the food (lame joke as I’m walking out of the kitchen).
K (to my retreating back): But Dad, alliteration is good in a restaurant name!
I just stopped, turned around, stared and said something like…”uh. right.”
She’s 7.
We’re on the way to our accountant, playing a game at Katie’s suggestion where someone says a proper noun (usually a name) and then the next person has to say another name that starts with the letter that the last person’s choice ended with, e.g., if I say “Batman”, the next person would have to pick a name that starts with “N”. So we’re going around dozens of times and I say one that ends in an R. Kim’s next and says “R2D2”. Katie comes next and, not surprisingly, is sort of stuck coming up with a name that begins with the number 2:
Me: How about 2Pac Shakur (which is also spelled “Tupac”).
Katie: OK. (mumbles something) Ellen, it’s “n” to you now.
Me: wait..N? shouldn’t it be R?
Katie: no, chicken ends in N.
Me: um…chicken?
Katie: yeah, didn’t you say “2 packs of chicken?”
There’s the new king of rap: 2pack of chicken. Word up, wingboy.
Never to be outdone, Bug entered a poetry contest this week at school. Not only did she write a wonderful poem, but she won first place for her whole grade with this very timely and hopeful poem:
It is University of Phoenix Stadium…
Quarterback throws the ball,
Punter kicks the ball,
Somebody yelling,
“GO GIANTS!”
Somebody selling,
“Peanuts, Peanuts For Sale!”
GIANTS SCORE!
Giants and Patriots bend, the last play,
There it goes!
Touchdown!
GIANTS WIN!
Yes!
Let’s hope life imitates art. Great job, Bug!
This is all Ellen. Every week she needs to use her spelling words in some way–a story, a poem, any kind of writing. This week, this is what she came up with, all on her own, in about 15 minutes according to Kim. Note: the spelling words she had to use are in italics.
Once before
I had a love
a maiden fair
and sweet.
Once again,
as long ago
in a foreign place
we shall meet.
Our meeting place
a restaurant
with fine food
for breakfast, lunch
and dinner.
Come and eat!
Take a seat!
Be careful
not to fritter.
But then- alas!
A man in black
breaking my
tranquillity.
He said
that my love
had fallen from a tree.
On to
a serrated edge
my true love had
fallen.
There she lay,
quiet as hay
until death
came calling.
So here she lays
peacefully
in her sarcophagus.
My saddness rests
upon my shoulders
for I am
Frank Manopidos.
By Ellen
This is why Ellen is one of a kind.