Camp'n'

We discovered a great campsite in New Hampshire and thankfully avoided outright rain. It was a little soggy, but not enough to keep us out of the lake. The kids enjoyed their first tenting experience, while mom-n-dad chatted quietly by the fire until late, late at night (around 9:30).

Future star of an MEC catalogue?

Duck harassment is legal in NH. Live free or die, baby.

Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.

Dennis: Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. You can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you. If I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away.

Road trip

As is our wont, we broke up the drive down to the beach by stopping in NH. Nevertheless, there were some long hours, during which the kids amused themselves by looking bored.

Fortunately, Emma saved the day by playing endless games of rock paper scissors (or - as the Frenchies like to play it, roche, papier, ciseaux, allumette.)

Marshmallows

Out for a walk before our vacation and what did we spy? Marshmallows! You can read all about marshmallows on the interwebs, but briefly, the camping essential is derived from an ancient sweet that was originally concocted by boiling flower roots in honey. (The roots are full of mucilaginous goo).

Marshmallows grow wild (escaped) in these parts, and next year they'll be in my garden.

Emma on Jack Layton

Emma watched a bit of the leaders' debate with us as well as some other campaign coverage, so the name "Jack Layton" was familiar to her. This morning as we were driving Oscar to daycare, we heard the bad news on the radio.

Emma and I spent the whole day together, much of it in the car, and each time I switched on the radio and we heard more about Jack she had another question for me.

Needing a way to explain to a 6 year old who Jack was, I told her that he was someone who had worked hard to try to make the world a better place, that he had been able to do a lot of good things, but that it was sad that he wouldn't be able to continue trying to make the world better. I told her that the people on the radio remembering him were people who had worked with him.

With no hesitation she said, "Maybe those people can finish his work for him."

As if that wasn't poignant enough, when I explained that her mom and I had met him a few times, had lunch and chatted with him when we, too, were trying to make the world a better place, she asked if mom and I would finish his work for him.

I guess we'll have to try.