Cheeseburgers in Paradise

We're back at last from Oahu...5 fabulous days on Waikiki.

Matt was extremely good on the plane both ways and had a better time than, well, most people on the island. He befriended people on the beach, said hi to everyone in the elevators, shook hands with the waiters and stopped at every waterfall and pond (of which there are many in Honolulu. Trust me).

It's just so weird to Northwesterners to be able to go into the ocean, day or night, and be at no risk of hypothermia, riptides, undertow, rolling driftwood, horses, dogs, etc. Hey, this could catch on!!

Information society

Yesterday, I asked Matt:
--what he did at preschool ("wellllll, I played trains." Why do I ask?)
--what the story was ("an exercise book!")
--and who the VIP was. The VIP always gets to share something from home.
I asked Matt what she shared, and he said, "Nothing. But she brought a book. And it was about sharks. Annnnnd, oh yes, some shark teeth."
So really, nothing.

Happy Mother's Day

Thanks to a NYT reader for posting this last night:

What I would love for Mother’s Day?
*happiness, health, peace, security of every kind for every mother and her family
* all the sons and daughters in the military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan to be home — permanently.
* national health care so no mother has to worry about preventive or corrective health care for their families or themselves
* a safe, unpolluted environment for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
* jobs for mothers who need to work because of financial need (although I would rather have it that mothers never had to work unless they chose to do so)
* safe, affordable day care for mothers who work I could go on and on…..

A blessed day to all mothers!

Skills?

Matt likes to play a game where he sneaks up on you...except the "sneak" part isn't very clear. (He tells you where you'll sit so he can surprise you.)
Today, he put his little stuffed penguin on the bed and said, "Let's sneak up on penguin!"
I said, "What will you do to him? Scare him?"
Matt: "No, take his wallet."

Shock and awe

The family went to see Disney's "earth" yesterday. A great film! It's just like those "Disney TRUE LIFE ADVENTURES" you used to watch in grade school, with the Himalayas and the rain forest and the deserts and that cool time-lapse photography where all the trees bloom at once.

One of the highlights is a dramatic night sequence filmed during a lightning storm in the Kalahari desert - a herd of exhausted elephants has finally found water after 2 weeks on the move, but they arrive at the watering hole only to find a pride of lions...that is willing to share...for a while.

And the great white shark footage reinforces my desire to never go in the ocean. At all. Ever. For any reason.

Matt insisted on bringing a book with him, even after I told him it was dark in the movie and he wouldn't be able to see. Still, Harry the dog is a favorite story. And it was easier to carry along then the animal friends - penguin, Snoopy and rabbit. (Snoopy rattles. &^%$##)