This morning was one of those beautiful half-days that I hope I'll remember twenty years from now. Outside it was crisp and bordering on downright cold, and James woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I got him up out of his crib at 7:45, he and his "entourage." His entourage is Steven, New Steven, and the stuffed monkey we've been calling George. James has fallen in love with the Curious George books, and so he loves anything monkey-related. He wants to wear monkey pajamas, make monkey sounds, and most of all to read "Curious George and the Birthday Surprise" about thirty five times a day.
"George" doesn't look much like Curious George from the books--he's too light, and the proportions are all wrong--but James felt it was important to have a monkey in his retinue, and insisted that we call him George. We visited the Pittsford Library last week, and in their splendid children's section there were two very authentic Curious George monkeys, along with about a hundred Curious George books. James toted the two library Georges around for an hour, and it was only with the greatest reluctance that we put them back on the shelves for the other library patrons to sneeze on. Our substitute George didn't seem as nice after that.
James' friend Alexa happens to own the exact same authentic George, and she brought it with her when we had a playdate at RWC the other day. Needless to say, James was the designated George-carrier all morning, and there were many tears at their parting. He howled and fussed and complained when we gave George back to Alexa.
I could tell right away that this morning was going to be a rough morning. He wasn't interested in his brand new Thomas the Train shirt. He tried to spill his cereal on purpose, he only wanted to beg for television and iPad time, and he fussed at anything that didn't go his way immediately. When he declined my offer to take him outside I wondered if he might be getting sick. "I think we need to strap him down in the stroller and take a long walk."
"You know" said J "they sell the real G-E-O-R-G-E at Barnes and Noble."
And that was how we went outside. The sun was bright, the cold wind was behind us, and the leaves skittered across the sidewalks and crunched under our feet. We walked past Mt. Wegmans, circled round the grand plaza, and smelled the cinnamon brooms and pumpkin displays outside. We bought coffee beans and quinoa at Trader Joes, picked up hot drinks and Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters, and poked inside various shops. Then we went to the Barnes and Noble, and James set up camp with substitute George by the Thomas the Train toys. ("Dada, look, I have Thomas on my shirt!")
I browsed the children's books and thumbed through copies of Blueberries for Sal and The Mitten. We replaced our half destroyed copy of Chika-Chika-Boom-Boom, and debated whether or not to let him know we would by an authentic George. He found them on his own before we could decide, and attempted to carry off five at once. To his great surprise we told him he could take one, and he snuggled it tight as we made our traditional exit. (Go to the checkout counter via seven trips up and down the escalators.)
He wouldn't let go of the new George, and I had to hold him up on the counter, snuggling him tight, while the cashier scanned his tag. He snuggled new George (and old George) in the stroller in the face of the wind as we walked back home, and when we got back home he insisted on taking new George, old George, new Steven, and old Steven everywhere he went for the rest of the day. J pointed out that if we have another boy at some point he'll probably expect us to name him "new James."
He's been a completely delighted and delightful little boy ever since. I told J, "he knows this is the real George...George with a capital G."
"I think you mean George with a capital 'TM'."
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Exodus, Chapter II
And it came then that the summer days ended and the time of harvest was begun, and in the ninth month R. Dudlius gathered his wife and her all her possessions and his son and all his possessions, and they made journey eastward beyond past the great city and its river unto the slopes of Mt. Wegmans, and they made their dwelling there in a new home which was strange unto them and unknown.
And on the day they made their journey they were joined by men of stout hands, including Thomas, son of Richard, the father of R. Dudlius and the grandfather of James Bear. Also with him did he bring his other strong sons, the minstrel Pax and the priest Calvus. Even up from the southern lands came the mother of fair Julie, in a journey not made lightly. Yet there was burdensome toil to be wrought, and in no wise was even their strength together equal to the labor. And then came also goodly William the Engineer, who had fit conveyance for such work and was much skilled in its accomplishment. And then also came the flute-girl Cassandra, and goodly Joseph, the father of Alexa.
On the twentieth day of the ninth month did R. Dudlius and his wife and his son strike their dwelling and move all their possessions, and there were exceeding many, even more than they had counted in their careful reckoning. So many were there indeed, that their conveyance was overbrimmed and could only be moved by the strength of its subtle engine. Among their possessions numbered many fine clothes, garments and undergarments and coats to be worn in cold of the northern-lands. There were also many fine costumes of such sort as the musicians should wear, yet the odor of these was no longer pleasant. There was also woodcraft for sturdy chairs and tables, and of these some were fine and carved well, but some also were rude and made by unskilled hands. There were in those days many boxes heavy laden with books. And in those lands books are contrived with light expense, and even the basest laborer might buy many books for himself to little cost. Yet these books are full of idle tales and nonsense, and it would not profit a man to read the books of that land, for they have no poets or wise men and such as they have pay no thought to the words they write in books. Yet R. Dudlius had among his books several dozen in the olden tongues, and even among these was he urged to lock them away in hidden places, for their appearance was in no way sightly to the eye. And also among the possessions of R. Dudlius and his wife and his son were devices made by strange craft for to be used with foods, and in that land also a base laborer might keep his own kitchen without cook or servant. There were also musical instruments of great beauty and value, and fine things for the small James Bear--pictures and skin-balls and doll animals and wheel-shod toys. And all these did R. Dudlius and his father and his brothers and his friends carry by the strength of their arms. And when all was finished the sun had descended and the night had grown cold, yet they took strong refreshment of ale for the toil of their work.
And thus was the manner of their new dwelling. It an hour's walk from the home of Calvus the priest, though many wide roads lay between upon which mighty engines passed through the day and through the night. And there was beside one of these roads a circuit of buildings which enclosed a green courtyard. And this courtyard was much loved by James Bear, for in it he would take refreshment and hunt the squirrels which made their home in its trees, and he would also stand in the gazebos and give mighty shouts, for he considered himself as a great knight in the order of Sir Thopas. And there was entrance from this courtyard to a wooden house with six dwellings, and R. Dudlius made his dwelling at the top of steep stairs. Their dwelling was not according to their usual custom, for all the inside was much-bathed and clean from all dirt and defilement. This was pleasing to the wife of R. Dudlius, but most pleasing of all to her was the sorcerous device by which she would wash her kitchen vessels without basin water or the toil of her hands. On this device she was much overjoyed.
And it came one day that R. Dudlius and his wife and his son made visit to the house of Hamway, where dwelled their friend Joseph and his wife and son, and their maiden daughter Alexa. And when Alexa beheld James Bear she was smitten with the sting of love, and she desired much to embrace him and be embraced. Yet after the manner of Pan and the nymph Syrinx or Apollo and the river-maiden Daphne did Love cheat the maiden Alexa. For James Bear in no way desired her love, but wished only to disport himself with thundering engine which they call "vakyum" in their tongue. And Alexa burned with love, and entreated James Bear that he might hold her hand or embrace her and offer kisses, but he only looked upon his vakyum and paid her no heed. And even when the maiden Alexa seized him and made attempt to kiss his brow, even then would James Bear, son of R. Dudlius, not look upon her, but was only minded to hold his vakyum.
And on the day they made their journey they were joined by men of stout hands, including Thomas, son of Richard, the father of R. Dudlius and the grandfather of James Bear. Also with him did he bring his other strong sons, the minstrel Pax and the priest Calvus. Even up from the southern lands came the mother of fair Julie, in a journey not made lightly. Yet there was burdensome toil to be wrought, and in no wise was even their strength together equal to the labor. And then came also goodly William the Engineer, who had fit conveyance for such work and was much skilled in its accomplishment. And then also came the flute-girl Cassandra, and goodly Joseph, the father of Alexa.
On the twentieth day of the ninth month did R. Dudlius and his wife and his son strike their dwelling and move all their possessions, and there were exceeding many, even more than they had counted in their careful reckoning. So many were there indeed, that their conveyance was overbrimmed and could only be moved by the strength of its subtle engine. Among their possessions numbered many fine clothes, garments and undergarments and coats to be worn in cold of the northern-lands. There were also many fine costumes of such sort as the musicians should wear, yet the odor of these was no longer pleasant. There was also woodcraft for sturdy chairs and tables, and of these some were fine and carved well, but some also were rude and made by unskilled hands. There were in those days many boxes heavy laden with books. And in those lands books are contrived with light expense, and even the basest laborer might buy many books for himself to little cost. Yet these books are full of idle tales and nonsense, and it would not profit a man to read the books of that land, for they have no poets or wise men and such as they have pay no thought to the words they write in books. Yet R. Dudlius had among his books several dozen in the olden tongues, and even among these was he urged to lock them away in hidden places, for their appearance was in no way sightly to the eye. And also among the possessions of R. Dudlius and his wife and his son were devices made by strange craft for to be used with foods, and in that land also a base laborer might keep his own kitchen without cook or servant. There were also musical instruments of great beauty and value, and fine things for the small James Bear--pictures and skin-balls and doll animals and wheel-shod toys. And all these did R. Dudlius and his father and his brothers and his friends carry by the strength of their arms. And when all was finished the sun had descended and the night had grown cold, yet they took strong refreshment of ale for the toil of their work.
And thus was the manner of their new dwelling. It an hour's walk from the home of Calvus the priest, though many wide roads lay between upon which mighty engines passed through the day and through the night. And there was beside one of these roads a circuit of buildings which enclosed a green courtyard. And this courtyard was much loved by James Bear, for in it he would take refreshment and hunt the squirrels which made their home in its trees, and he would also stand in the gazebos and give mighty shouts, for he considered himself as a great knight in the order of Sir Thopas. And there was entrance from this courtyard to a wooden house with six dwellings, and R. Dudlius made his dwelling at the top of steep stairs. Their dwelling was not according to their usual custom, for all the inside was much-bathed and clean from all dirt and defilement. This was pleasing to the wife of R. Dudlius, but most pleasing of all to her was the sorcerous device by which she would wash her kitchen vessels without basin water or the toil of her hands. On this device she was much overjoyed.
And it came one day that R. Dudlius and his wife and his son made visit to the house of Hamway, where dwelled their friend Joseph and his wife and son, and their maiden daughter Alexa. And when Alexa beheld James Bear she was smitten with the sting of love, and she desired much to embrace him and be embraced. Yet after the manner of Pan and the nymph Syrinx or Apollo and the river-maiden Daphne did Love cheat the maiden Alexa. For James Bear in no way desired her love, but wished only to disport himself with thundering engine which they call "vakyum" in their tongue. And Alexa burned with love, and entreated James Bear that he might hold her hand or embrace her and offer kisses, but he only looked upon his vakyum and paid her no heed. And even when the maiden Alexa seized him and made attempt to kiss his brow, even then would James Bear, son of R. Dudlius, not look upon her, but was only minded to hold his vakyum.
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