MonsterFool

The Girl in the Windowsill

Apr 15, 2010

_Since it’s National Poetry month I’ve been reading Sam the poem of the day posted to Poets.org, and the poems that children’s book reviewer/blogger Tanya is posting to her website at books4yourkids.com. Today Sam asked to dictate a poem to me and after I’d taken it all down she said, “Now how can we make it so other …

14 April 2010 Mask

Apr 14, 2010

Today we went to the Mask Making Workshop at the Brighton Museum, courtesy of the Brighton and Hove Children’s Festival that is on this week. Sam made three masks: the rabbit pictured above, a cat, and a “Dad” mask that she plans to give to her father for his birthday this weekend. Shh, don’t tell! 🙂

13 April 2010 Signs of Spring

Apr 13, 2010

The Brighton beach chairs are out!

12 April 2010 New Trainers

Apr 12, 2010

11 April 2010 The Lift

Apr 11, 2010

We live on the seventh floor of our building. We ride the lift a lot. And yet just today I realized that because it is mirrored, I could snap a family picture of the three of us. Sam was busy counting down the floors, but AC obliged me with a suitably gobsmacked look.

10 April 2010 Oh the Wonderful Things

Apr 10, 2010

We went on a walk today around Stanmer Park. In the US I would call it a hike, but they call them walks here, not sure why. Perhaps because it sounds more civilized, or perhaps because walking trails nearly always end or begin with a tea room or a pub. Very civilized indeed. Our walk took us in and around farm land …

9 April 2010 Keep Up, Mum!

Apr 9, 2010

That’s what a man called out to me when he saw me jogging after Sam to keep her in my sights. She goes nearly everywhere on scooter now, which is the mode of transportation for kids her age, who are too big to ride in a buggy or pushchair, and too short to keep up with adult strides. Over the past few weeks Sam has …

8 April 2010 Balcony

Apr 8, 2010

It was warm enough today to have lunch on the balcony.

7 April 2010 Waitrose

Apr 7, 2010

I love these nifty list holders on the shopping trolleys at Waitrose.

6 April 2010 Ready to Roll

Apr 6, 2010

Do you see Instructor David leaning over Sam in the picture? I could tell he was asking her something, but I couldn’t hear what. After class I asked her about that and she said, “Oh, David said, ‘I like your shirt, Sam. Where did you get it?'” Sam was wearing the London 2012 Olympics t-shirt that her father had brought …