Randomness

Today, in a masterful display of procrastination, I decided to get serious about www.bloglines.com in an effort to aggregate all of the websites and blogs that I visit on a daily basis.

I'm embarrassed at how many sites are now on my "myblogs" list. (No, I'm not going to tell you. It's mortifying.) But I figure it will actually save me time in the long run, as I no longer have to check each site individually for new posts.

Now I'm going to have to take up a new time-wasting habit to pick up the slack. Any suggestions?

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Today was the talent show at the elementary school, and Garrick had decided to learn more of the Richard III speech to present. Well, bless my buttons if the little scamp didn't memorize virtually the whole damn thing (including the "lascivious pleasings of the lute", god help us; terminating with "since I cannot prove a lover...I am determined to prove a villain...)! He did a lovely job, speaking clearly and with distinction. He also understands the whole blessed speech (with - hopefully - the exception of the word lascivious); I'm rather enjoying this explication, but daren't show it to G. I'd never hear the end of it.

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In our middle school, the sixth grade "theme" for the year is the United Nations, and last night was the U.N. Expo. The kids were given tickets and passports outlining a variety of activity stops laid out around the school, each illustrating or pertaining to a different country and culture. Quin had a fabulous time sampling crepes, learning some Japanese calligraphy, and tie-dying his gym shirt. (What? Isn't Hippie Nation part of the U.N., dudes?) After the activities, all of the sixth graders convened in the cafeteria with family members to sample desserts from around the world. (Cacophony = 250 sixth graders hopped up on sugar, confined to a big, echo-ey space. Yikes.) Quin and I made tres leches cake to illustrate his assigned country of Panama. Perhaps the children would have been quieter if I hadn't omitted the rum from the cake's soaking syrup?...

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Tomorrow morning we are getting up early, kennelling the dog, and driving up to Fishkill, New York to bury my grandmother's ashes. As was her wish, she was cremated right away (she passed away on September 17) and Garrick is very put out that he is not getting to see her one last time. He does not approve of the cremating. There will be no officiant at the interment, as my Grandmother was a heretical lapsed Jewish person who dared to marry an Italian Catholic person and subsequently gave up all religion as a bad job. My mother has written a poem to read at the gravesite, which should be as much heart-string-pulling as we can all bear, anyway. Then, of course, we will eat. And sleep. And drive home on Saturday.

Tomorrow's post will be in honor of my grandmother.

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