Y'all must read about this incredible kindness. The back story: You might recall that a few days ago, yet another neighbor found Percy and returned him to us. This guy, a young man, maybe early 20s, mentioned that he takes care of two dogs in the neighborhood and if ever I needed help with Percy I should let him know because he and his brother have just started a dog-walking business to make some extra money.

Today, home with a sick Ol and trying to get the house clean and ready for my sister, brother-in-law and nephew -LAMBY!- to arrive tomorrow, I felt like I'd treat myself and call on this guy. As a stay-at-home mom, I've never considered hiring a dog-walker because it seems wildly extravagant. I have my two legs and bought Percy, for the love. But, as I did two years ago when Tom was out of town, it snowed to beat sixty, the kids were home and I was sick, I considered that treating myself, helping myself, is sometimes the best thing to do. On that day, I said "Yes!" to the guys who came around offering to shovel my steps (though I did negotiate a better deal!). Today, I called Jose.

His brother came, walked Percy for twenty minutes and then refused even a dime. This guy doesn't know me from Adam, walked over in the middle of his day to take a small job, and then simply said, "It really was my pleasure to help you. Your son is sick and I just ate at Chipotle. It works for all of us."

I tried to pay him again, he refused again, and I then decided to simply accept the very sincere kindness he was offering. Really, that's the best return sometimes, to just accept grace with equal grace. I mean, how good do you sometimes feel doing something for someone else just because?

My dear friend, M, brought J home from school and walked him to the door just to check on us all. My heart is full right now. Thank you!

Nutmeg returned home this afternoon with a "gift;" a dead bird. Oliver opened the back door and was like "WTF?!" in a child-appropriate way. "There is a dead bird here, Mom, and it's WHOLE." "Oliver, are you serious?" Obviously I thought he was pulling my chain.

He was not. There was a darling, seemingly woundless, dead little bird on my doormat, and my heart broke a little. The kids wailed, "PUNISH, NUT, Mom." Like I can punish a cat. So instead I tried to explain instinct and evolution.

"Boys, cats hunt. It's what they do. I mean, how would Nutmeg eat if we didn't feed him? He would go find food and kill it if need be."

"But WHY? We FEED Nutmeg."

"I know, honeys, but it's what he's evolved to do. It's like, when you were born, how did you know how to nurse? No one taught you, you just knew."

Oliver: "I don't know."

Jack: "Mom, duh, it's NOT like we put our mouths on your boob!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I'm thinking, "Well, actually, that's exactly how it works. How does he think it works?" And then I realized anew why it pays to stay silent sometimes because...

Jack continued: "I mean, Mom, you put on the machine with the straw and stick that into the baby's mouth."

I love the knowitall'ness of kids. I mean, this description of nursing is ludicrous, and yet it makes perfect sense to Jack. Enough so that he "DUHs" me repeatedly with his eyes and tone whilst relaying his knowitall'ness of nursing. Which is not even something he'll ever do. It was great.

I cleared things up lest Oliver's single take-away of this conversation be, "Mom once fed me with a straw attached to her boob." And I feel even more strongly than ever that kids be taught all about their bodies and babies and reproduction and so forth because otherwise they think babies nurse from boob straws (Jack) or that you can get pregnant by touching butts with someone else (I actually believed that to be true, many moons ago). ~~~ Tonight for dinner, I attempted my own version of the potatoes with piquillo sauce that I had last Saturday at The Black Sheep. I smoked a sweet red pepper and then cooked it down with a Spanish onion, some parboiled russet potatoes, garlic, olive oil, a bay leaf and some pimentón. Before serving I stirred in some crème fraîche and to go alongside made coffee-rubbed steak. Not bad, not bad at all.

Em-i-lis

Cheers to moi

Incredible kindness

Why sex ed is important, and other stuff

Em-i-lis

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