Slowing down to the speed of life

I have decided not to use a cell phone for now.

Our Halloween costumes will be made at home this year. Alexander has decided what we will be for this favorite holiday of ours...A will be Grendel, and I Grendel's Mother. Of course, I protested. I wanted A to be Beowulf and me the dragon. But no. Grendel and Grendel's mother it is. I plan to devise a bear-esque monster costume for me, with huge teets covered in fur. How else will anyone know who/what I am?

A has stated he wishes to learn to cook. For real. So far he knows how to make:

Pancakes ("complete" from the package)
Miso soup from the package
Pasta al dente
"Pizza" on bread
Easy Mac (in the microwave)
French toast

Next will be lasagna. I will also teach him how to make curried chicken - more complicated, but greater satisfaction once it is cooked.

Last night at bedtime, I asked A what was on his mind. For the next hour and half, he proceeded to tell me all one-hundred-and-twelve items that were on his mind. I began counting around the 12th item. He took me on a major time-machine ride of it. Which is why I was not surprised, when I later asked, "If you could have a magical power, what power would it be?" he answered, "To go back in time," and then thoughtfully, "so I could save Ricky's* life."

We also did "Dead Poets Society" in the darkness of his room for a bit, with a flashlight's help, by opening our Oxford Book of American Verse and reading what sounded nice, interesting, and scary.

*Ricky was, until last week, the family Yorkshire Terrier. He died in our backyard in Florida of unknown causes. He is survived by two adopted ex-racing greyhound buddies, Neo and Destiny (Neo is black and Destiny a black & white tick), as well as my mum, me, and A.