Northern Noise

Today I got my first call ever that one of my children was in a physical altercation at school.  The nurse called, and then Jed got on the phone.  He was crying and sounded both worried and scared, although he was just fine physically.  I left work and went to pick him up.  I don't know who was more traumatized, him or me. So his story is that he "accidentally" hit his friend in the back while he was "enthusiastically" wiggling his bendy ruler.  His friend responded with first a belly punch, and then hands around the neck. I called my mom, the expert on boys and principals' offices, and asked for advice.  She calmed me down and gave me words of wisdom.  So I listened and didn't enter into a debate about whether it was an accident or not.  When one invades another's space, trouble happens.  It's a hard lesson to learn. Jed is freaked out a bit, I think.  He's never been a recipient of angry violence and it scared him, especially hands ar

Came home and the husband was watching the original Brian's Song movie about Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers.  Now the same channel is showing the remake.  I remember when I first saw this movie as a teenager.  What spoke to me was the message about racism, and persistence.  One year I had a "special" group of students in American Lit and I did a unit on sports literature.  I showed my boys, many of them football players, the movie in class.  Most of them had never heard of Gale Sayers or Brian Piccolo.  What they took out of it, and what I see now, is the power of friendship and that it's okay for tough guys to feel emotion, to love each other, and that good guys don't always win.  It's a powerful story.

I'm having a pretty perfect Friday night.  My kids are accounted for - wish they were all home, but I'll take what I can get.  Dogs are sleeping.  Woodstove is burning.  Husband is close by. Cocktail is cold.  Life is relaxed and quiet. I like this part of life.  I feel like I can just sit back and enjoy the blessings in my life.  Everyone is content and things are peaceful. So what will I do next?  I'll pick up my James Patterson murder mystery novel and immerse myself in the world of the sick and twisted.  I must admit that after years of being "literary" the indulgence in purely pulp, mind candy is kind of fun.  Other than the paranoia and the nightmares about crazed murderers, that is. Tonight Bob pointed out that we've been officially in love for almost 17 years.  It's funny how I don't seem to remember much before him, nor do I feel like it's been that long.  I just know that I am lucky to get perfect nights like this.  Kids, bourbon, d