September 20, 2006

World News

In news across the pond, Michael's popularity rating,
while remaining high with the younger generation, has
plummeted with the older, those-who-are-raising-him
age group. He has been shrouded in a cloud of
allegations including constantly losing his school
supplies, not doing what he's been told, keeping
unsatisfactory living conditions on his side of the
room and, what could be seen as his greatest offense,
putting clean clothes into the dirty laundry in order
to avoid putting them away. His initial spin was
twofold: plead the 5th and cry conspiracy theory.
Both were met with harsh criticism. His supporters
are calling for patience assuring the masses that
this, too, shall pass, while his opponents are all but
certain he'll never secure a job and leave home.
After a short retreat, Michael's camp has reemerged
and has made damage control a top priority. With the
eminent threat of the loss of after school sports,
Michael has become dutifully remorseful, but has
stopped short of actually promising to never have it
happen again. This latest spin, while widely agreed
is a first step towards healing, has also been seen by
some as a thinly veiled plan to lay in bed at night
and pray that one of his siblings messes up and takes
the pressure off him. This move, while deserving of
some merit, may prove too bold and risky so close to
his birthday, but, if he intends to make a full
comeback, he'll have to take chances.


Ahhh. That said, the rest of us are doing well.
Aidan continues to not want to go to school and has
asked to return his uniform. Ryan is really cranking
out the Latin and French and is loving rugby. Siobhan
has finally settled in with a really nice bunch of
girls. She is enjoying the challenging academics and
the guts and glory of field hockey.

My dear friend from high school, Colleen left, after
seeing more of Great Britain than we have, but not
before encouraging the kids (this is her claim to fame
and has won her a top spot in the children's hearts)
to practice irreverence for their parents whenever
possible. This is charming. Trust me. Only she can
get away with it.

We are off to the airport tonight to catch a plane to
Sweden in the wee hours of the morning. My cousin,
Cheryl Prindiville, is getting married there on
Saturday. We are so thrilled to be able to attend!

Love,

T

September 9, 2006

Greetings, America!

So tell me. How is Katie Couric doing? Our honorable
former governor George Ryan is off to prison. Tom
Cruise not only showed off his new baby, but made up
with Brooke Shields. Have I missed anything?

Aidan and I enjoyed a quintessential day in the
Cotwolds on Friday. We drove through "chocolate box"
villages, down one lane winding roads to Aidan's
babysitter's new house in the country. It is a
converted farm building. Darling. We took a long
walk collecting wild black berries. It was a perfect
autumn day with a warm sun and crisp temperatures. We
walked through the woods and over a stream, stopping
to play Pooh Sticks (stick races) on the water under
the cutest foot bridge ever. Just like The Hundred
Acre Woods. It left me looking around for Piglet,
Tigger, Owl and friends. Aidan's squealing scared
away all the sheep in a neighboring pasture (I didn't
know sheep could run). We collected berries on
hedges, that, I swear, looked like a post card. The
branches of the berry bushes grew wild and framed the
village down in the valley below. By the time we got
back to Clare's house, Aidan's lips were black with
berry juice and he was exhausted. We came home and
made blackberry and apple (from Clare's tree) crumble.
If that didn't bring on an English accent, I don't
know what will!


The kids started school this week. Aidan is off to a
wobbly start, I'd say. He loves the uniform and being
big, but isn't interested in going to school (two days
a week to start-next year he is required to go five
full days, so we may increase Aidan's days to three
later in the year). Wednesday night he was up from
11:30pm-2:00am with a tummy ache. Shades of Ryan who
had Sunday night tummy aches for two years when he had
a difficult teacher! Aidan begged me not to take him
but, alas, he went the second day (he actually
convinced Siobhan to carry him the entire way to
school). His first day he came home blotchy, with red
puffy eyes from crying. Broke my heart. He did
mention a girl he described as "My special friend. I
love her. I miss her. I want her to come to our
house and we could buy juice and I could share it with
her..." Quite smitten, I'd say. I asked his teachers
about her Thursday, hoping that she could come over to
play one day, but it turns out she was an older sister
of a classmate. She was Siobhan's age. Figures. All
in all, I think he'll make it. I was quite broken up
after I dropped him off. I got my hair cut (Again.
It is officially short.) and bought myself a watch.
Retail therapy. I phoned Jim, who was in Paris, and
told him I thought that he had actually gotten off
pretty cheap. When Ryan went to kindergarten, my
therapy came at a much higher price tag: Aidan.

The big kids adapted seamlessly to their new classes
and routine. Siobhan and Ryan will be taking Latin
and French this year. Michael will stick to the
non-Latin tract spending his extra time fortifying
English and French. I love the autumn and winter
uniforms: Michael in grey trousers, blue and white
pinstriped shirt, tie and navy sweater. Siobhan in a
black watch plaid kilt, light blue shirt, tie and navy
sweater. Ryan in the same grey corduroy shorts, brown
shirt, itchy wool knee socks (he ditched the dreaded
sock garters and takes his chances with black entries
and a note home) and blue sweater. Aidan is in the
identical uniform (but his wool allergy is paying off:
cotton socks). Adorable.


Life is typical at Cheltenham College Junior School.
All three go until 6:00pm each night. Lots of rules.
Michael and Siobhan had an assembly the first day.
The headmaster passionately explained that the
children must be well groomed. He left and the Head
of Upper School, Mrs. Holt, went up and down the rows
of kids pointing out which boys needed haircuts
(notices would be sent home), which children were in
defiance of the critically important No Sleeves Pushed
Up policy, and whose shoes were untied. Mrs. Holt
then proceeded to lecture the children about what a
privilege it is to attend this school. Our kids
should be thinking about all the children in Sri
Lanka, who are very poor but proud of their school
uniforms. Seeing as I had to pay $40 for an art smock
alone for Aidan this term (and what is so wrong with
one of dad's old dress shirts on backwards?) I don't
think Mrs. Holt spent much time thinking about the
fact that those poor Sri Lanken children probably made
our kids' uniforms in sweat shops for a penny a day...

The kids enjoyed a field hockey camp the week before
school started. Siobhan will play field hockey as her
fall sport (finally a REAL sport complete with
bruising) and the boys will play rugby (More curiously
short shorts. What is with the English?) in the fall
followed by field hockey in the winter. Ryan will
play field hockey for fun on Friday afternoons this
term. Jim and the kids played in a pick up game on
Tuesday nights at school towards the end of the
summer. Jim really enjoyed it. He is at his best,
athletically speaking, when competing against 12 year
old girls.

Jim returned from Paris on Thursday. Travel since
this latest terrorist plot has become barbaric. On
his last trip to the U.S., there was a mechanical
failure and they all had to spend the night in an
airport hotel without luggage! United wouldn't
release the luggage, so everyone arrived the following
day wearing dirty clothes. All toiletries must be
checked, so no toiletries either. Yuck. In Paris, on
his return flight, security took away Jim's half eaten
chocolate bar, but allowed him to carry on 6 bottles
of wine. Go figure.


We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of my friend,
Colleen, this weekend. She is another favorite with
our kids. Colleen must be brave. Last summer she
vacationed with us on Cape Cod. Our time there
included rainy days, piercing wind/sandstorms,
oppressive heat, naked native Americans and one case
of projectile vomiting. She proclaimed Jim to be the
most patient man alive after that vacation. Colleen
attributes her desire to remain single and childless
to us. We couldn't be more proud.


Lastly, for those of you early Christmas shoppers, The
Stilton Cheese Makers Association is launching a new
perfume, Eau de Stilton. The PERFECT stocking
stuffer.


Love,

T