Picture for This Day

I have no doubt I've posted this before, but I found it when going through some files tonight, and so have to post it again.

Enjoy.

From 2006. I send and wish love to all of you. And particularly wish well to Grand Daddy Jake.

Picture of This Day

Today we showed up at Kiernan's school for showings of the musical the third grade has been working on for the last few weeks. The musical is called "Pirates of Grammar Island" and this picture captures Kiernan right before the opening number of the first showing.

I'll put up some videos as soon as I can.

Chill

On Friday a good thing happened. Something my dad is sure to appreciate, as his grandson has. Menchie's, their favorite frozen yogurt place in the world, opened a new store just down the street from our house.

As the three of us drove home from school thinking about the weekend ahead, I recalled that Wendy had told me the place was opening on this day. It seemed to be "Coming Soon" forever, and when I turned onto Vanowen Boulevard there it was at the end of the shopping center with its doors open. Beckoning. I looked at Wendy and flicked my eyes over to the storefront. She nodded and I put on the turn signal.

They were offering free waffle cones. Well, not really cones per se, more like waffle inserts, and they were just okay tasting. But they were free, so what can you say but yes?

Speaking of which, since St. Patrick's Day was the coming Sunday, Kiernan got to pick clothes out of dress code. The shirt is this cool rugby jersey his godfathers, Darren and Daniel, got on a semi-recent trip to Ireland. It looks so cool on him. The hat he picked up when out shopping with his mom the other day. I love this outfit, and if he wanted to wear it every day, I'd be cool with that.

Coolest kid ever.

The Borrowers

I know what you're thinking. Sharpie! That kid is tagging that countertop! How sad that they've raised a vandal.

No, no. Kiernan is using that Sharpie to put his John Hancock down on his first library card. Yep. Look out world, next stop voting!

His latest project for third grade required he venture to the public library to get a book about an animal he'll be studying in class. He's known about this for a couple of weeks, and so has been going through various animals in preparation. His first choice was the komodo dragon. A cool choice that somehow fell by the wayside. Next came along the draco. I didn't even know that was an animal. I thought it was a mythical creature or a Harry Potter character. However, another boy in his class voiced his intention to do the draco, and so Kiernan backed off and considered the basilisk. I love the basilisk, and I think I first saw it during one of the many nature DVDs that my mom has given us over the years. I love those DVDs, and I love the basilisk, which is a cool little reptile that can walk on water.

Kiernan dropped the basilisk in due course and as we approached the library stated that he was going to settle on the anaconda. We both thought that was a fine choice, but asked him to leave the door open for other animals once we did a little research. Something endangered or rare, perhaps.

"Okay," he said. "So long as it's an endangered or rare reptile."

We got to the library and set about filling out applications for library cards for the Los Angeles Public Library system. I have a library card, but it's been so long since I used it that it was expired. I feel bad about that. We never go to the library. We have far more often gone to the bookstore to hang out than to the library. Why is that? We can get stuff there. I can get journal refills there. And a latte. And I feel like we can be louder there. Of course now all the bookstores are disappearing, so we just frequent Amazon. Kind of hard to hang out with your kid there. Sigh.

Anyway, we all filled out library card applications together, which was kind of fun. Then we all signed them.  There he is, up there, signing his.

His first library card. Here's hoping we use it more than once.

Oh, and the animal he settled on is called a Moloch. Also known as the thorny devil.