bug and the sweet banana

A Grammar Lesson, All Thanks to a Toad

Today is National Grammar Day, and anyone who knows me knows the grammarian within me. Lend a hand to the persnickety among us who try to make the world safe for grammar: Don't misplace your "onlys," don't go all passive on us, and, for goodness sake, don't dangle any participles.
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Natalie stormed inside from the backyard. "Guess what? Me and Connor found a dead toad and have to go to its funeral."

"What?" How did the toad wind up dead? Have they touched it? I think back to a summer day when toddler Connor picked up a dead frog that he'd found in the pool. He squeezed it, and its vocal sac bulged. Blech.

"Oh, right," Natalie said, looking up from her search for a suitable box for the toad's burial, shaking me loose from my thoughts about dead poolside frogs. "Connor and I found a dead toad."

That's my good little grammarian.

© Jennifer Linney

        The Talk
        He Toots! She Scores!

The Good Life

Natalie, taking a bite of a Nutella sandwich: "Mama, this is the life."

adventures in multitasking

Connor: "Mommy, what's my blood type?"

Me: "Let me look. I have it in my phone somewhere."

Natalie: "Mommy, Liza's got her nose in that bag. What's in it?"

Me: "Paint."

Connor: "Paint?"

Me: "Paint."

Connor: "Spell it, please?"

Me: "P-A— Oh, wait. Paint isn't your blood type. I was answering Natalie's question. Your blood type is A+."

© Jennifer Linney | bug and the sweet banana

        Messy Colorful Stuff

Of snowflakes and popcorn

Natalie sat quietly, eating popcorn and watching snow fall. "Mommy, just like snowflakes, every piece of popcorn is unique."

Huh. She's right. I'd never thought of popcorn that way.

(A while ago, I read a news story about popcorn. Kernels pop into one of two shapes: "butterfly" or "snowflake" popcorn looks like cumulus clouds. "Mushroom" popcorn is  more compact and round. Now you know.)
© Jennifer Linney | bug and the sweet banana

        Risky Business
        Snow Texas Morning