A Day for Exploration

Clara Jane was the only one in the family with Columbus Day off, and her handlers thought she could use some supervision. In honor of Columbus, Clara and Ted headed to the zoo for the morning to discover new lands (artificially recreated for us in Apple Valley, MN). We saw otters munching on ice cubes, a tiger asleep next to a gnawed-at pumpkin, a bear asleep on a rock as well as one awake and snorting, wrestling monkey babies, a herd of camels piled up like a litter of puppies, a pair of moose kissing, and a very stoic leopard.

It's always something new at the zoo!

Pumpin' and Cookin'

Julie spent the summer after her first year of law school working at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services where her colleague in the cube next door once said to her, "Now you're cookin' with gas."  She'd never heard that before, thought it was hilarious, immediately adopted it, and has been saying it ever since.  The other week, she was reading in the front room while Joe was working on something at the dining room table, when he said--apropos of nothing it would seem--"Now you're pumping with gas!"  The gas at the gas station being the only gas he knows, his verb choice made perfect sense.  A very loud laugh burst out of Julie who said, "Cookin' with gas!"  Without missing a beat, Our Hero, delighted to have made his mother laugh, immediately followed up with, "Now you're cookin' stew!"

Yar-ing Up the Joint

Keen-eyed observers of certain pictures in the last post--especially those who have been at White House recently--will have noticed that we have finally hung something permanent-looking over the mantel.  For well over a year, what had been hanging there was an enormous sign reading, "We love you Mommy!" that the bambini had made on butcher block paper with Ted's help when Julie was away on a day trip last spring.  We'd hung a good number of pictures not long after we moved in and painted all the walls, but had been struggling with the big space over the mantle, the first wall you see upon entering through the front door.  But recently, some art that had been hanging in Southold arrived, and a cocktail party was in the offing, so we decided to revisit the artwork--old and new--that remained unhung.  A eureka moment resulted in the four black frames going over the mantel with boating pictures in them after we'd hung a metal sailboat sculpture across the way.  (Longtime readers will no doubt recall Julie's affection for all language nautical and the idea, at least, of sailing.  And of course, Ted can sail and she adores him.) Our Fans who knew Southold might also be interested to see the harbor scene painted by one of Grandpa Tom's patients, now reframed and cleaned, and hanging in the pass between the kitchen and dining room here at White House.

Pile It On

Not everyone can rock this look.

Our Birdie is, of course, as our longtime Fans know, a fashion fan.  These days, some days, she sports an on-trend, minimalist, plum moto jacket (that she picked out herself thank you very much).  She also has a pair of pink cowboys boots which Julie thought were pretty kicky.  But on days when Biride is left to her own devices, there is nothing minimalist about her look.

Moto Birdie.

She really likes those pearls. 

They really compliment Joe's soccer and Little Gym medals.

At least three tutus are on Birdie here.

Which is better for swirling. 

And pretending to be a ballerina.

Obviously.

Tumbling Birdie

As late summer has given way to fall, Birdie has begun going to a gymnastic class called Funny Bugs at the Little Gym late in the afternoon on Sundays.  Fashion opportunity alert!  Gymnastics fashions are more garish than your ballet fashions, but the Birds have embraced them, the younger of the two with unabashed zeal.  Although it is true that Birdie would have loved the soft pink of a ballet leotard and the attendant floaty skirt, her affection for the bright and sparkly drama of the gymnastic leotard is undiminished.  She loves her hot pink, purple, and aqua shimmery leotard and matching aqua tap pants.  (Those tap pants often ride up a bit over the course of the class, revealing a bit too much cheek, and making them, we regret to say, less tap pants than hot pants.)  You should see her though, Brigade.  She's always been sure-footed and confident of how her body moves and it really shows.  She is all ears when she is in the gym, and tries--and does--it all.