First date

Yesterday, 25 June 2006, my oldest son had his first date. He likes a girl in his karate class, someone just a few days older than he is. For weeks he has been talking about her; then last Saturday she gave him her cell phone number (she has a cell phone at 11 years old). He had the number on a pink sticky, which he said he would keep forever. This past Saturday at karate, he asked her if she wanted to come to his house for a while; she said to call her Sunday morning. When the day came, he was so nervous to call, he kept rehearsing what he would say. Later in the day he went to her house for a few hours. The funny thing is, his sister also went - she is 8 years old and gets along well with my son's friend. So the three of them played and had a great time, I heard. I think of my daughter going along as a chaperone, perhaps, or to help break the ice.

Girls and women are very nice, but he doesn't know what he is getting himself into.

Funny joke from a beautiful woman

Each month Esquire runs a feature called 'Funny joke from a beautiful women'. I liked last month's; it was told by the actress Ana De La Reguera (currently playing a nun in the movie 'Nacho Libre'). Here is the joke:

A wife asks her husband, "Honey, if I died, would you remarry?"
"After a considerable period of grieving," he says, "I guess I would. We all need companionship."
"If I died and you remarried,", the wife asks, "would she live in this house?"
"We've spent a lot of money getting this house just the way we want it. I guess so."
"If I died and you remarried and she lived in this house," the wife asks, "would she sleep in our bed?"
"Well, the bed is brand-new. It's going to last a long time. I guess she would."
"If I died and you remarried and she lived in this house and slept in our bed, would she use my golf clubs?"
"Oh, no," the husband replies. "She's left-handed."

Recess

Tomorrow is the last day of school for my children. Yesterday evening my older son announced to me, 'Today was the last day of recess for the rest of my life'. I asked him to explain. Through fifth grade, children have some time outside each day, just after lunch. Weather permitting, they go to the playground where they can expend some energy. Since Aidan is completing fifth grade this year, he won't have any more recess. Forever, because you never get any recess later in life.

I hadn't ever thought about that. I suppose kids like their routines, and especially like running around outside. He didn't seem particularly upset, but the fact that he mentioned it means he was thinking about it. The things that go around in kids' heads!

Leg hair

This morning, I put shorts on my daughter. A bit later I saw her go back to her room, take them off, and look in the drawer. So I asked her what was wrong. She began wailing, "I don't like the hair on my legs". From an eight year old! I said, 'but I have hair all over', and she said, 'but you are a man'. Then I said, 'but all girls in your class probably have hair on their legs', but she didn't care. She said she would pass the summer without wearing shorts or skirts.

Later in the car, on the way to school, I asked her where that came from. She could not tell me. But when I asked her if she wanted to wax her legs, she nodded an enthusiastic yes. Wait till she feels the pain! I'm amazed at this concern at this early age. But what do I know about girls?