My Legacy?

Bryan recently read this book that studied the traits of people who later became great in life. One of the biggest factors was simply the time spent doing the activity that the person went on to master. There is a certain number of hours that the book claims all people will have spent practicing before becoming a master at his/her art/sport/trade, etc. I cannot remember what it is exactly, but it is in the tens of thousands.

While reading the book, Bryan did some calculations and figured out that there is one person in this household who should be a master at a particular activity based on the number of hours spent engaged in the activity. Yup, the person is me. Any guesses as to the activity? If you guessed reading, go give yourself an extra cookie from the kitchen as your prize for being right. While you are at it, send another one my way :).

I am a reader. I read almost every day, and sometimes for hours at a time. I have been known to pop out my book in inappropriate situations (like in the middle of class or church). I have an unusual penchant for reading on my bathmat at 2:00am so as not to wake my husband. I have 40 shelves of books and many, many more under my belt that were not saved.

Yet, at first, this realization depressed me a little bit. So I read alot. Big deal. It's not going to make the world a better place. It's not going to leave a lasting imprint on the world. It's not even going to earn me millions and let me retire at a young age. So, it felt like kind of a waste.

But then, Robby suddenly hit a stage where he is less interested in a book for the pictures and more for the story. He wants to read the same story over and over, and if you get it wrong, he lets you know right away. He takes a book to bed at night, and happily tucks in to re-devour the pages.

And, it has made me remember once again the pure bliss of engaging in a story and allowing my imagination to take over. There is little in this world that I would rather be doing than sitting with my children in my lap and a good book in my hands.

My children have a strong legacy of readers on both sides of the family, and I am so happy that they are also getting to experience the pleasure of reading stories to my children and helping them to discover the adventures that I once discovered as a little girl myself.

Recent Computer Troubles

While we both primarily work off our laptops these days, we do have an old desktop from our Knoxville days that still takes up residence in our little used office. In our ongoing attempts to sell our house, we have cleaned out much of our old junk, and we recently decided to assess whether or not to sell the computer. So, we called a local computer company who agreed to send out a technican.

Upon arrival, I admit to being surprised at who they sent both because of her relatively young age, and, honestly, her gender. I suppose I am antiquated in my thinking of men as computer technicians though. I have to say that I was impressed as she quickly cut past the greetings to get right to work.



She spent quite a bit of time just looking the computer over. From what I could tell, she was fairly sure of the grim prognosis from the first few minutes.

But, she did have several tests she wanted to run before discussing her diagnosis.

Then, she ran a few more tests just to be sure (she is nothing if not thorough).


After the decisive banging on the top of the machine method was a failure, she was left with only one option. A laying on of hands.


But, to no avail, she had to deliver the sad news. Our machine appears to have said its last goodbyes and is now nothing more than a prop in our underused office.

Curious George Indeed

Over the past few days, Robby has developed a passion for Curious George. This started with a recent trip to Barnes and Noble where he eschewed the trains for reading with Mommy (much to Mommy's delight!). We read Curious George Visits the Fire Station, and he was hooked.

Now, when I was pregnant with Robby, I got a hankering early on to start buying baby stuff, but I had not had any showers yet, so I knew enough to wait to see what I would get. So, instead, we started scavenging for cheap children's classic books. We went to used book stores, book sales, and garage sales. As a result, we have many older Curious George books. Over the last few days, we have read them all.

I remember George very fondly from my childhood, but these books had some big surprises in them for me. Such as:

1. In the first Curious George book, the Man with the Yellow Hat smokes a pipe (not entirely shocking)

2. But then, he teaches George to smoke a pipe before bedtime (and this is not one of the naughty things George is guilty of!)

3. In the book two characters are described as the thin man and the fat man (I can't imagine that in today's politically correct world)

4. This one, to me, is the most shocking. In a book from 1985 called Curious George Visits the Zoo, there is a page of people having picnics, and front and center is a dad lounging on a blanket clearly smoking a cigarette.

I am just really unsure of what to make of this development. When Robby asks me what the daddy is doing, will I

a. Tell the truth and use it as a teachable opportunity

b. Go for an evasion tactic and continue to pretend to not see or not know what is going on

c. Tell a white lie

Only time will tell I guess. In the meantime, I have Netflixed the Will Ferrell film. Here's to hoping that the delinquent side of Curious George is left on the sidelines for that one.

My Mister

I remember a conversation with a friend a few years back when the friend told me that her husband had accepted a telecommuting job that would allow him to work from home. My friend is a stay-at-home mother with two children. While I ooohed and aaahed over what a wonderful development that was, in the back of my mind I was thinking two things:

1. She is crazy to think that this will work
2. My marriage would never survive that kind of arrangement

I did not consider this assessment to be the result of a bad relationship with my husband--on the contrary. I just thought that too much time together would drive us both batty.

Fastforward a little over a year, and suddenly my hubby and I found ourselves in almost the exact same situation, except that I was telecommuting too. The first few months were definitely an adjustment. There were new lines to be drawn and new territory to be staked out. The proceedings were not always jocular.

But, now a year later, we have transitioned into a pattern that we both have found works for us. And the best part is that he still has the power to surprise and delight me. Like when he got on Amazon to look through the list of recent bestsellers just to see if there was anything on there I might like and then ordered me a handful of books without mentioning a word until they arrived at my doorstep. Like taking me to Winslow's cafe on the spur of the moment for no special occasion at all. Like watching the season finale of Grey's Anatomy with me even though he really isn't that big of a fan of the show.

This weekend we celebrate Father's Day, and to be sure my mister is a great father. Truly. But, right now, what I most want to celebrate is his husbandness (blah, blah, blah, that's not a word. It's the essence I'm going for here people). Because in that category too he is great.

**Sweetie, I am not sure how often you check this blog (do you? check this blog I mean?), but if you are reading this, ILY and MB.**

Letters to Juliet (or Happy 8 Months)

Dear Juliet,

I want you to know that I am so proud of all that you accomplished this month. You got your first tooth, which means that you now get Cheerios as a snack. I am amazed at your ability to strew them across a 15 foot spread of the floor from your perch in your high chair. Your booby traps are always well placed, and I never see them until one of us makes that distinctive crunching sound as we walk. It is amazing how many crumbs one tiny Cheerio can produce, and I never would have known that fact without you.

I am so proud of your ability to both sit yourself up and pull yourself up at will. These are the first steps to true mobility. You are so cute as you stand up in your crib and squawk love screeches to us at 5:00 something in the morning. We only hover under the covers feigning deafness for those first fifteen minutes to give you the opportunity to practice your speeches. Of course it is not because we are desperately hoping you might decide to go back to sleep.

You are ever-ready with a smile and a laugh. You love so much to laugh with your brother. The teachers at school all coo over you constantly in order to be rewarded with your smiles. If asked, I would definitely not say that I lie awake at night worrying that your winning smile will lead your father to give you just about everything you ask for. I am sure not worried based on the conversation that I overheard recently where he was promising you any car you want on your 16th birthday. He was talking about barbie cars right??

This month you began to clap and wave bye bye. I looked this up on the baby milestones, and these fall into the category of the most advanced skills babies usually achieve at your age. I think that my letter to Mensa notifying them of your skills is not misjudged at this point. I think the bit about your ability to crawl will really impress the admissions committee. In fact, I probably need to get you a few new dresses today and obviously some additional bows and shoes just to prepare for the ceremony that I am sure will be held. And, speaking of bows, I bought you about 25 on my recent trip to Canton. So, now we just need you to grow some hair so that I have a legitimate explanation to justify this purchase to your daddy.

Each day with you brings more delights, and we all could not love you more.

So proud (and so tired!)

I love you,
Mommy

The Big Game

Most people who read this blog will know that I come from a family of weirdos, that is to say, huge baseball fans. When I tell people that, I am pretty sure they don't get it. I am not saying that my family (and, really by this I mean mostly my mom) just like baseball. They want to marry baseball. Baseball and the Harris' sitting in a tree.

Skeptical are you?

Exhibit A: they go on baseball themed trips every year, usually more than once. This year they were so desperate to see spring training that they actually rode a greyhound for two straight days to get there.

Exhibit B: My mother has been known to sit in her car in the garage for long stretches of time (in the summer in Texas!) just to listen to the game on satellite radio

Exhibit C: My parents built a baseball field in the backyard that is fully stocked with stands, a batting cage, a pitching machine, bases, infield, outfield, and a sign that says "Field of Dreams."

It's a disease. Luckily, I escaped the gene, but they are trying to pass it onto my children.

Exhibit A:

They tricked me into letting him go to the Rangers game on Sunday with them by beguiling me with how cute he is in his hat and jersey

Exhibit B:

Now my brother is in on the act. According to Robby, this style is "the Curtis."

Exhibit C:

He's turned his back on me and my non-baseball ways. I'm not sure if it was the new baseball mitt, the two new baseballs, the free jersey giveaway, the batting helmet, the two popsicles, or just the very special adventure with his Pahpah and tah that won him over.....because one thing I do know is that it was not because he actually likes baseball.