timothyweber.org

“Manos found guilty
Jury convicts Ithaca woman of murder, abuse of niece, 2”

Life recovers.
But not completely.
Wounds heal into scars, sometimes beautiful scars.
But not always.

[Clara has gone to school in a nice new outfit. Mom picks her up.]

Mom: How’d that new outfit work out?

Clara: I like it.

Mom: How do those new pants feel?

Clara: Mom: they’re not pants.

Mom: Uh… what are they?

Clara: They’re leggings.

K: “I’m making eggs. Clara, do you want some?”

C: “Yes.”

T: “Could I put my name in for some too?”

K: “Sure. Do you want cheese on yours?”

T: “Yeah. What cheese do we have?”

K: “I’m having mild cheddar.”

T: “Sounds good.”

C: “I want your old cheddar too!”

Clara has always enjoyed playing with electronic components and breadboards. But putting them together to make an actual circuit is still a bit tough for her at 3, even with lots of coaching - getting the leads into exactly the right hole takes a bit more fine motor coordination than she’s got. So, I was inspired by an article in MAKE magazine* to make her some chunky blocks with screw-eye terminals that she can wire together using alligator clip leads. We’ll see how it goes!

One day a few months ago, my three-year-old daughter Clara and I were sitting in the living room watching a movie. We needed to pause it for some reason. I was working on teaching her to use the remote, so she tried it. But there were so many buttons on our two remotes, she always had a hard time finding the right one. And when she did find it, there were some books on the table in the way, so the infrared signal didn’t get through. After I explained that, she picked it up and pointed it at the TV, from inches away. But the DVD player is near the floor, and the TV’s higher up, so the receiver still couldn’t see. On the next try, the door to the TV hutch, which we have to prop open, got closed, so the signal STILL couldn’t get through. Who knows whether she was still pressing the right button at this point.

So I said, “Hey… Would you like me to make you your own special remote control, that would have just the buttons you need, and that you wouldn’t have to point anywhere?” She said yes.

[Clara is sick. Timothy wakes her up at night to give her medicine. She never fully awakens. But she says one last thing before closing her eyes.]

Clara: Dad?

Timothy: Yeah.

C: I put that… purple ribbon… on the… doorknob… so it’d be… little fancy.

T: Ah! I see.

C: [snore]

[Timothy and Katherine are discussing the next Star Trek movie, which is entering preproduction.]

Clara: Dad?

T: Yes?

C: I’m puzzled.

The three-year-old logical process:

1. According to Thomas The Tank Engine, trains have “drivers.”

2. According to Busytown, trains have “engineers.”

The local paper doesn’t keep their archives available very long, but here it is.

Second time in three years! Small town, I guess.

Clara begins her useful career as additional memory space for Dad’s brain.

(Clara is setting a play table.)

Clara: Heeeere’s your lunch, Dad.

Dad: Thanks! What is it?

C: It’s soup!

D: Mmm. What’s in this soup?

C: Noodles, and cheese, and… beans and…

D: Carrots?

C: Yes.

D: And split peas? I like split peas.

C: Yes!

D: And, uh… um… what are those white things that look like carrots… you know, they’re so good in soup… what’s the word, I can never remember it…

C: Parsnips?

D: Yes! Parsnips!

C: Yes!