Monday, July 21, 2003

virtues of computer-based learning
In the last few weeks, Clara and Ellie discovered a website with a number of fun, free arcade-style games. Clara likes Crypt Raider and Bug On A Wire, while Ellie is partial to Cube Buster. We have the site bookmarked, and they are allowed to visit the site whenever they have permission to use the computer. Some of the games allow high scorers to enter initials or a (short) name, just like real arcade games.

Sunday morning Clara and I were reading on the couch (I finally finished Harry Potter 5) when Ellie came running in, flushed with success after a good round of Cube Buster. "Clara, great news! BITCH doesn't have the high score any more."
posted by Tom 10:21 AM

breakfast of champions
On Saturday morning, as I was getting to a crucial part in the new Harry Potter book, the girls told me they would take care of their own breakfast. They certainly did! They made cinnamon toast, which they topped with more sugar, chocolate syrup and Reddi-Wip. Even Clara couldn't finish it. As Maynard Moose would say: "disgustifying!"
posted by Tom 10:15 AM

fireflies, time flies
On Friday night we spent an hour or so in the front yards as the kids caught fireflies with Tyler. Several neighbors drifted by in the lazy evening, and we talked with Jennifer and Jack about the upcoming sale of their home. They found a nice home in Middletown, where the home-buying dollars go a lot further than in Westfield.

On Sunday we met the couple (Joe and Heather) who will be buying the Lynch's house in late August, as they completed their home inspection. They have a son who is almost two--- just about the same age as Michael Magnotti across the street. They seem excited to be moving to Westfield, and seem friendly and quite likeable. I remember that Jennifer and Tyler were the first neighbors we met, as they dropped by during our home inspection four years ago. Tyler and Ellie have grown a lot since then...

Mallary points out that the houses on either side of us will have a father called Joe and a son called Joseph. Time for nicknames, perhaps?
posted by Tom 10:11 AM