(no subject)

1. My father has been reading Proust as part of his "now that I am retired I can Read All The Great Books" project. However, it turns out that Proust is the perfect example for my father of why hewing closely to the canon is not always so rewarding. He reports that he finds Proust a great stylist, but he is repelled by the author's nostalgia for a petit bourgeois upbringing that shows no awareness of the suffering of others such a life is predicated upon. I am laughing up my sleeve, dear readers.

Also, we now know why David Gilmour luuuuvs Proust even though he's a big homo. Just as an aside.


2.

April: "Can I do [x]?"
Me: "No, you can't."
April: "Aww."
Me: "I know, I'm a big meanie."
April: [laughing] "No you're not."

Thank you, April.


3. Simone would really, really, really like to stay for SAC (School After Care) on a regular basis. If I were a less resilient parent my feelings would probably be hurt by this, but they're not. But SAC costs money and I can't afford it this semester.* Usually this explanation is enough for Simone but today she just wasn't having it. And then, for SAC snack, they served quesadillas, her favorite snack, which came to the room just as I was packing the kids up to leave. Simone melted down hard. She melted down so hard that I had a quick whispered negotiation with a passing administrator, who managed to finagle a single triangle of quesadilla for Simone to eat as she sat in my lap on a bench in the courtyard. She was still sniffling when she bit into it.

"Wow," she said, with genuine surprise. "This is the best cheese ever." And that was that. We made the thank-you rounds before we departed.


4. It's odd being a cat-free household. First time in nearly 20 years.



* Unless I find a job. I'd take a p/t job that fit within the scope of the school day, I would. Or more regular freelance gigs. Just a heads up.