Do the Yak

Today is Becky's last day of preschool. We're picking her up in an hour or so, and I don't know what to expect. Gales of tears wouldn't surprise me, but on the other hand she understands this is her last day and seems genuinely excited about kindergarten, so we'll see. Except for Monday, this is also the last week I'll be driving to work every day. I'm going in for a commuter rail pass even though it will probably take a few more minutes and saves little if any money, because it will certainly mean less wear and tear on the car, and less aggravation from fighting traffic, when instead I'll be sitting in a beautifully appointed railway car, listening to mind-improving podcasts or meditation tapes or Spanish lessons. Or maybe just sitting next to a fat business guy hollering on his cell phone and dripping melted snow all over me as I try unsuccessfully not to slump against the greasy window while my eyes keep drooping shut because I forgot the travel mug o

#1: An informed, cogent explanation about why invading Iraq would be a bad idea ... by Dick Cheney in 1998. Seriously. #2: The brood sow is still at it. Welcome, Duggar child #17 -- another soldier for Christ. But see, there's a problem -- they have ten boys but only seven girls. "We would certainly be open to having more children," said proud papa Jim Bob. "The girls want to catch up with the boys now." Fortunately everything runs smooth as silk thanks to a household schedule and remembering the JOY rule (Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last). No comment. but I really can't wait until the complete biography by Kitty Kelly comes out in a few years after she finishes interviewing the grown kids . I can't even imagine how they will look back on their childhoods. #3: It never ceases to amaze me that some of the most analytical and best-educated people in the world also carry around a broken set of mental machinery when it comes to thinking about

Sarah just turned seven years old. She's grown so fast -- seems like just yesterday she was saying her first sentence ("Bye-bye, da bird!") and now she's a beautiful girl who loves playing Sudoku and Set , swimming, reading Junie B. Jones books, wearing headbands, and anything princess-related. She and I are looking forward with excitement and some nervousness to starting second grade in our new town, riding a school bus and making new friends. We recently heard that a widow down the road sold her house to a family with several girls, so hopefully there will be nearby playmates for both Sarah and Becky. But I am NOT projecting my social anxiety onto them, no sirree. Becky is also looking forward to kindergarten, though I fear it will be more of a wrench for her because she will be in preschool right up until a week or so before school starts. So the transition from her old school and friends to an entirely new experience will be more sudden. I just hope she has less s

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS The bad news: we had two sets of tickets to two different Red Sox games this summer. The bad news: we (I) lost them in the move. The good news: my friend D. gave me her other standing-room ticket to a recent game. The bad news: it rained all afternoon and was still raining when we got to Fenway , but we wanted to see where we would have been watching from, so we went in anyway. The good news: the tickets were for the third-base pavilion, way up high and under a light structure -- a fabulous view plus a nearby new and clean restroom and concession stand that wasn't mobbed by 33,000 fellow fans. Plus during the rain delay, they showed Red Sox compilation clips (I would not call them "music videos") on the big screen accompanied by each song from the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper," as this summer is the 40 th anniversary of the album's release. Unexpectedly excellent sound quality, and the orchestral crescendo at the end of "A Day in th