Two crows were acting peculiar on my neighbor's roof the other day. They were scratching and pecking at the cypress needles gathered in her a roof's seam. I had never seen crows do this and began to wonder if they'd found bugs buried in the needles. Then the crows hoped across the roof to peck at the vent pipes. One crow hoped on top of a vent while the other traversed towards one of those twirly-bird attic vents that spins in circles. Then the bird jumped on top and rode it like a merry-go-round. This was beyond peculiar.
I was rather confused until a third crow joined them who was much bigger and whose caw sounded much deeper. Aha! These were juvenile crows! Everything made sense. And just like that I accepted their strange behavior.
I do not find my children's behavior as easy to accept, and I know their ages. I find the field of corn growing on a neighbor's flat roof far less peculiar than some of the things my children choose to do.
A friend the other day pointed out that my son's behavior is what might lead to a cure for cancer. That brought his experimentation into a new light. So I bought him a jug of vinegar and a box of baking soda and have decided to allow him one experiment session, or as he calls it, "experience", a day. I portion out flour, salt, water, and food coloring as well. So far, these experiments end in mixing all the ingredients together in one soupy brown dish.
We have other "experiences" on our radar as well. Today being Wednesday and trash day, the children and I were noticing the quantity of cast-off furniture in the alleys: a set of dining room chairs, a night stand, two pool loungers, cupboards, shelves, a desk chair. The children asked if they might bright some furniture home, take it all apart, and build themselves a house. I didn't see why not, except perhaps the amount of space in my car, so I'm adding that to my list of ways to keep the children occupied.
Rejected ideas, albeit attempted anyways, were attach our slide to the roof, skate inside, hold various items over a candle, play the-floor-is-lava in the living room, grind down the chalk using the bumpy texture coating on the stucco, vacuum up dirt, booby-trap the backyard, and make baby brother a prisoner. Perhaps this is why I found myself buying Lucky Charms, a pound of Belgium chocolate, fruit snacks, spearmint leaves, fancy cheeses, freezer pizzas, slice and bake cookies, cartons of ice cream, and boxes of cookies.
I've needed a little extra sugar after hearing the kids' school will be doing all online classes from August to January this year. I've officially withdrawn them and hope to do some form of home schooling. In the meantime, we're making it through the days, sometimes like a charging army, sometimes like a group of monkeys falling down the stairs.
We've maintained our sanity with play dates and nature outings, wasting lots of water, paper, tape, electricity, and paint, watching more TV than they've watched in the previous 5 years, having a consistent quiet time every day, and breaking some rules.
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Lee's Skyscraper Banner on Scott and Whittier Blvd.
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Their companionable shirt
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The kids salvaged this box from the alley. Rose decorated it. The boys shredded an egg carton in it.
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Sibling wrestling
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The boys on top of a tower of blankets
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