Category Archives: conversations to remember

Mixed Bag Monday

Mondays are full of surprises, aren’t they?

For starters, Riley woke up with an impressive case of pinkeye, which means he’s home from school, which means nothing I wanted to accomplish is getting accomplished.  Instead, I’m avoiding playing Candy Land, and I’m about to start my third load of laundry.

Here’s another one.  I discovered a dead squirrel on the street at the end of my driveway.  (It wasn’t me, I swear.)  Clearly the squirrel is worse off than me, but still, he’s ginning up some trouble.  My curious children want to examine him and reunite him with his mother.  They want to touch him and take him to the hospital.  He’s in good condition right now, but I don’t have a good feeling about how he’s going to look later in the day or week.

And another one.  Later this afternoon, the boys and I are taking Mike to the airport.  He’s flying to New York City on business until Friday afternoon.  This one isn’t a surprise, but it stinks anyway.

Despite the unpleasantries of the day, I’m in a pretty good mood (surprise!), and the way I see it, the week can only get better from here.  That is, unless the “pink guys” get Dylan.

Editor’s note: A few weeks ago, Dylan thought he had pinkeye (he didn’t) and said, “I’m going to look in the mirror and see if there are any pink guys in there.” That’s one for the memory book, which is why I’ve written it here, because I don’t remember the last time I put anything in a memory book for my kids.  Guilty Mama!  (It is Monday.)

The days ahead (Terrific Tuesday? Wonderful Wednesday?) have a lot of potential.  Until then, it’s Mixed Bag Monday.  And Meatless Monday, too!  Since I was stuck at home all day with my little pinkeyed monster, I made mushroom kale lasagna rolls.  Yum-o!  (Check out the recipe here.)  I’ll post a picture of the finished product on my Runaway Mama Facebook page later this evening, which is a good reason to “like” the page if you haven’t already done so (tisk tisk).

What kind of Monday are you having?

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Filed under anxiety, business travel, conversations to remember, cooking, Guilty Mama, pinkeye, recipe

Really

Riley’s been asking me a lot of really tough questions lately.

Riley:  What’s in the ground?

Me:  Dirt.  Worms.  Pipes.  Subways.

Riley:  No, what’s in the ground?

Me:  Tree roots.  The mantle?  Scrat from “Ice Age” chasing an acorn to the inner core?

Riley: No, what’s really in the GROUND?!

Me:  Umm…

Riley:  What’s in the house?

Me:  Furniture.  Walls.  Windows.

Riley:  No, what’s in the house?

Me:  Concrete.  Drywall.  Plumbing.  Termites?

Riley:  No, what’s really in the HOUSE?!

Me:  Well…

Riley:  What’s in the car?

Me:  The engine.  The radio.  The steering wheel.

Riley:  No, what’s in the car?

Me:  Gas.  Wires.  Us?  Cheez-Its?

Riley:  No, what’s really in the CAR?!

Me:  Really?!

I don’t know what Riley’s really asking me, but he’s clearly trying to make sense of the world and figure out his place in it.  (So am I, by the way.)  At least he’s not asking me questions like, “What happens when you die?

In the car yesterday morning, Riley asked, “Mommy, does the sun know me?”  A quick glance in the rearview mirror unveiled a little wrinkled nose and a pair of eyes squeezed shut from the sun’s bright light.  “Yes,” I said smiling, “The sun knows you.”  Then he asked, “Does the sun know everyone?”  As we drove directly east toward the rising light, I realized I was squinting, too.  “Yes,” I said, “the sun knows everyone.”  That one was easy.  Really.

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Filed under conversations to remember, tough conversations