Two quick thoughts on parenting. One: be prepared for random items in unexpected places. Last night I found on the couch a mesh bag filled with two miniature pumpkins, a glittery smiley face sticker, and several small ficus berries. Knowing…
Blog Archives
Music for Children
Even before Toddler Harbat was born we began to get music for children. Some had familiar nursery rhymes yelled out over a background of synthesized strings. One was original compositions by a woman with an average voice, a guitar, and…
Taco Tuesday
New tradition begun this week: Taco Tuesday. A weekday food ritual reminds me of Pizza Friday in elementary school, when our white rectangular sytrofoam trays got a white rectangular Styrofoam pizza plopped on it. Each pizza looked exactly the same,…
Shop Class as Soulcraft
When I was twelve I made a pair of mirrored wood sconces in shop class. My teacher was a massive figure who looked like Mr. T’s older brother and had only one speed: deliberate. I imagine if you cut your…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: baking, blue collar, gardening, industrial arts, parenting, power tools, shop class, white collar
Urgent Hair Update!
Toddler Harbat’s hair over the last three years has been a definite conversation starter among strangers. Recently it’s undergone an amazing growth spurt, but just out the top. Teens these days with a surplus of haute contempt, black fingernail polish,…
Greatest Achievement
Before I was a parent I’d hear people say that their greatest achievement was raising a child. This always struck me as pathetic, that you would define yourself through someone else. Vicarious achievement has never been my goal as a…
‘Splosions!
I’ve grown up with a love of planes and hope to pass on some of that to my daughter, which is why Toddler Harbat and I went to the Miramar air show on Sunday. It was foggy, which meant the…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: airplanes, armed forces, explosions, Marines, miramar air show, noisy, parenting
On Children and Animals
If you ever doubt that humans have an inborn sense of compassion, watch a toddler with an animal. Little kids are inherently curious about animals and I argue that any fear of critters comes from adults and those around them. …
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: animals, bugs, insects, kids, parenting, ponies, saddle blankets
Dressing Up
I have many, let’s call them, “eccentricities”. One is that I like to dress up. As Fernando Lamas says, “It is better to look good than to feel good,” and I take that a step further. When you look good…
Monday Miscellany
My ciabatta is off, and no, that’s not a medical euphemism. I realize my recipe for no-knead undead ciabatta on the bread page was coming out too dry. Think, Uncle F$#k-Up! The hydration is supposed to be 100%. This means…
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: autumn, baking, bread, ciabatta, fire truck, neighborhood, parenting
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