Eden's Sayings

Yesterday in the car Eden said, "I've had my winter fun, and now I'm ready for spring."  Amen, sister.

A couple of days ago Eden told me that for her birthday she wants two books: "Shakespeare* and Calvin and Hobbes."  The girl has good taste, no doubt about it.

*A few nights ago we decided to try to talk only in Shakespearean English.  It was surprisingly fun for all of us.

Retrospective: "The Lobster Pot"

Yesterday I (Nathan) was moving our filing cabinet and a poem fell out.  Huh!  It was a poem hymning the existence of the Lobster Pot, a seedy dive across the street from us on Craighall Road in Edinburgh ca. 2007.  We went in once.  That was enough.  There was no lobster, but lots of sketchy characters.  Hence the poem.  Still, now there's a Sainsbury's Local across from our flat, and I feel disgusted.  C'mon.  A Sainsbury's?

The Lobster Pot

Drunkards out, railing, waking
Sad conclusions to the night
For every sleeper to eavesdrop
Upon laments and dynamite,
The senselessness for neighborly taking.
Let every ear consume the rot
All's revered at the Lobster Pot.

Pale Christmas lights so soon
Blinking, faded, beckoning in
To watch the big screen players
While boasting of what might have been
That same old tired tune
Every night that age-old plot
Is told again at the Lobster Pot.

Age 11

The boy is, um, creative.  Two instances from the past week.

1. Nathan was going to a whisky tasting.  He announced he was leaving so he could get there a little early.  Z's commentary: "Get in early, start drinking early.  Squawkadoodles."

2. Nathan was tucking in the kids.  He noticed that the plastic bag left there a month ago had not left the middle of Z's room.  He picked it up and began teasing Phin with it.  The dog obligingly jumped at it and ripped it in multiple places, virtually tearing it in half.  When Nathan went to throw away the bag, Z ran after him, protesting that it would be wrong to throw away Frederick.  The bag.  Its name is Frederick.  Not only did Z retrieve Frederick from the trash, he set him in the middle of his room and proceeded to perform CPR.  Nathan was told that Frederick was breathing again.

Christmas!

Christmas at Amah's!

Z was trying to figure out his presents by touch and smell.

 Z got Mardi Gras beads and disgusting fake teeth in his stocking.  He couldn't have been happier.

Christmas at home!

Christmas in Kansas!

The traditional trip to the Topeka Zoo.  The masked ones (from left to right) are Z, Faith, Eden, and Katy.

These two parrots were making quite a ruckus!  I love Eden's face!

Z, Charis, and Quentin with the monkey.

This is the note Eden left for me the first night we got home after being in Kansas.  She was quite sad about leaving Kansas and needed a sympathetic ear.