Adventures in Fourth Grade

This post is a sequel to an earlier post. This time, BB3 is the reporter. According to her, Nick, another fourth grader, was pretending to stick his finger far up his nose, when lo and behold Nate came along and bumped Nick, causing Nick to jam his finger so deep into his nose that he couldn't get it out.

I kid you not.

This incident resulted in a visit to the school nurse, who I'm sure never expected that extracting fingers from noses was part of her job description.

My children's school is rated "exemplary" based on its standardized testing scores, but recent events cast doubt on that rating. I think that the teachers are teaching the three Rs which is good, but they just might want to add a lesson or two on the importance of not sticking things in ones ear or nose.

Just sayin'.

A Night to Remember

It's pretty special anytime someone opens their home for a homemade meal of beef tenderloin, macaroni and cheese, peppermint cucumbers, salad, yeast rolls, and chocolate cake with strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

It's particularly special when that someone is former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun. Yesterday evening with Senator/Soror Braun was the highlight of the 30 year reunion in Chicago of my college sorority line sisters.

Given her prominence as a former senator and former ambassador to New Zealand, her connections to both Pres. Clinton and Pres. Obama, not to mention her many and varied accomplishments, she could be forgiven for not wanting to give us the time of day. Instead, she was gracious, down-to-earth, funny, and insightful. And we learned that Senator Braun can "bust a move!"

We have my soror, Maria, to thank for the invitation. Five years ago, Maria did a favor for Senator Braun, and Senator Braun promised Maria that she had a friend for life. Senator Braun was true to her word so that when Maria called Carol to say that we would be in Chicago for the weekend, Carol suggested that we have a get-together at her house.

For lots of reasons, we had a weekend that won't soon be forgotten.

I am an April Fool

I actually flirted with the idea of pulling an April Fool's prank, but too much to do, so little time. So it was only a fleeting thought, and it was gone for good--or so I thought.

BB1, nearing the finish line of her 17 years of education, called mid-morning. She sounded distraught from the word "hello." She explained that her college had sent her an email informing her that she was one class shy of graduating. According to the message, she would be able to take the course in the Fall and graduate in December.

My blood ran cold. She'd lose her job, scheduled to start in June! She'd be delayed six months! She'd lose face! We couldn't move her off the family payroll!

"What?? How could this happen," I inquired. She wailed as only she can, "I don't know-w-w!" We ended the call quickly because of her professed need to get to class and her promise to try to sort it out and call me back later.

Two minutes later I get the text message, "April fools!!!"

I've got a whole year to come up with the mother of all (get it!?!) pranks. Payback.