Derbies and reels
Oxbear is preparing a pan of eggs for the kids before we leave for church as the dog watches expectantly for scraps... “She's a dumb dog...” Oxbear notes... making the kids laugh... “Recite the preamble to the Constitution... nothin'... What's two plus two?... nothin'... What's the first letter of the alphabet?... nothin'... See? Dumb...”
Out to the warmed-up van over crunchy zoysia under ice frost... off to church...
Can't stay longer than the service today though... Yali is due at Beaumont Scout Reservation for Districts Pinewood Derby...
The event is already humming when we arrive... Yali's car is having a bad day and loses a tire at the end of the track... he won't advance to the afternoon heats... “I think someone must have dropped it...” Oxbear explains later... “all the wheels were superglued in”... but Yali isn't complaining... he gets a lemonade and an hour to hang out with one of his best buddies... back in the cool sunshine of the reservation... tall pines stretching skyward... hills of quiet brown woods...
Back home briefly to pin up Patience's giant wig of curls... “It looks like I'm wearing an animal” she grumps, but also clearly enjoys the look, pausing at every mirror...
Patience and I then split south again for her first show team performance of the St. Pat's season...
...while Oxbear brings Yali to his Scout buddy's house for a late afternoon hang-out...
Patience and her dance friends are sardine-squished onto a linoleum tile stage on the second floor of the upscale retirement center... and they clearly can't hear the music very well... but the residents seem to enjoy the half-hour performance... Patience pauses to chat with friends as we leave, departing from each other with their signature... “Bye, Tanneritos! Bye, Tanneritos!”...
At home Puck is hunting another meal... the young man is entirely competent but there's just something about someone else preparing a meal for you, even if it's just... “Ramen pleeeeeease...”
Then – because it's a little quiet – Patience and I play nine rounds on the mini deck of UNO cards because she's feeling some competition... 7 to 2, Mama...