RALFing

A friend of ours recently introduced us to Words with Friends. It has quickly taken over our whole household so that frequently you will hear someone screaming from another room, "NOOOOOOO!" or, "Seventy-three points for ZEP? You've got to be kidding me! That's not even a word!" The latter has happened enough times that we have changed the name of the game. It is no longer Words with Friends, but rather Random Arrangement of Letters with Friends, or RALF. Now in addition to the howls of frustration you will also hear someone say, "Hey, have you RALFed yet today?"

Calvin wanted to get in on the action, so I've been playing with him. He is particularly good at RALFing. Some of his most recent words include PECH, FUD, and YAG, all RALF-tastic words. He has also discovered the chat function on the game where, in addition to playing, he likes to practice his trash talking.

C:  I'm going to beat you >:)

Me: Bring your lunch because it will take you ALL day. ;)

C:  We won't even get to BRUNCH >:)

C plays JOW for 24 points

C:  See that pure skill.

Me: Not skill, but the power of RALF.

C: I got the moves like ralf. I got the moves like ralf

C: I got the mooooooOOOOOooooves like ralf.

Dinner at the George household

Sabrina: One of my life goals was to be six feet tall, but it looks like I am never going to achieve that. I am devastated, but I believe I am going to have to resign myself to being a high-heel-wearing short girl.

Rose: I like my height right now. I'm taller than most of the boys in my class.

Calvin: As long as I'm not freakishly small or really, really, really, really, really, really tall, I don't care what my height will be. I can still have pie.

That's my girl

Sabrina: Mom?

Me: Yup.

S: I like my teen books, but I've decided I like adult books better.

Me: Oh, really? Why?

S: The girl characters are too whiny and weak in the teen books.

It's all in your perspective

While at the bookstore yesterday, I got the kids a treat to eat while they were reading their new books. Calvin chose an apple tart. After making a valiant effort at eating it with a fork, he finally gave up and ate it with his hands. This was, predictably, extremely messy.

Rose: Calvin, oh my gosh, look at your hands! They're all covered in --

Calvin: Heaven.

It's so hard to be 12 years old.

It was really hot, and Rose had a couple of gift cards to spend, so we went to the book store yesterday afternoon. She spent some time in the kids'section, picked up a couple of books, put them down, and generally looked sort of uncomfortable.

R: Um, Mom.

Me: Yes, sweetie?

R: I'm not really sure I belong in this section anymore.

Me: Oh, really? Why not?

R: I'm thinking I'm just too old for it now.

So I told her there was a teen section, and she asked where it was. I took her there, being very familiar with its location due to her older sister practically living there. She browsed for a while and then turned to me and said, in a very disgusted voice:

R: Are ALL these books about love?

Me: Pretty much.

R: Then I'm going back to the kids' section.

Tooth Loss Revisited

While we like to be ahead of the game in many things here at the George household, we are ever behind the eight ball in tooth loss. None of my children got their first tooth as babies until they were over a year old. This has translated into late tooth loss. Unfortunately for them, this is hereditary. I also lost my teeth very late. I remember watching every kid in my first grade class get to put up sticker after sticker on the tooth-loss chart, while the column after my name stayed pristine and unsullied. I hated that teacher. I never got anything. By the time I started losing my teeth, nobody was doing charts anymore. Therapy is helping me to deal with this loss.

The delay in tooth loss means that we are still getting visits from the tooth fairy at the George household. Sabrina just lost her last baby tooth last month, and she is well on her way to 14. I cannot tell you how tired I am of reminding that fairy to exchange teeth for money; so tired that often it is forgotten until weeks later when one of my children hands me a letter asking me to deliver it to the tooth fairy, and if I happen to see him, would it be at all possible to let him know that he is obviously showing his age since no money has been delivered on time for quite a while now. There is a general air of weariness around everyone involved in these transactions, a little bit of cynicism, and a wish for it to all be over. Here is the latest note from Rose.

Dear tooth fairy, Here's my stupid, gross tooth that made my mouth look awful. I hope you're happy. Rose :(

What did they say?

We took the kids up to Ashland to see a couple of plays last week. One was Animal Crackers, a completely zany and fun Marx Brothers show. And since we were at the Shakespeare Festival, we thought perhaps we should take the kids to see Romeo and Juliet also. David was preparing the kids before the show started letting them know the play was going to be close to three hours including intermission. Calvin says, "Why does it have to be three hours?" This made the older gentlemen sitting next to me giggle. He said, "I've often wondered the same thing myself."

Later, about 20 to 30 minutes into watching Romeo and Juliet, David leaned over to Calvin.

D: Calvin, do you know what's going on?

C: (disdainfully) Of course. I understand old English, Dad.

D: Great. Can you tell me?