March 31st Firsts

Today Smiley had three memorable "firsts".

For about two months he has asked for stories about going hiking in the woods, because Little Bear goes hiking in the woods.  Most of these stories involve Smiley, his friend Tyris, and the imaginary character Magalene.

Today was the first reasonably sunny and not-too-muddy day in weeks, and he finally got to go hiking.  The Fox Hollow trail head of the Ridgeline Trail is very near our house.  So after our morning errands we stopped home briefly, packed a lunch to eat on the trail, and went hiking.  We had a great time, and found a sunny spot to eat that had some recently cut trunk-cylinders of a fallen tree at the side of the trail that made good seats.  (Do those have a name?  They're not "stumps".)  I should have brought a camera.

Smiley was very impatient druing the drive to the trail head.  His second "first" of the day was bugging me with "Are we there yet?" as we drove.

Then he had a bump while walking to his bunk bed from where he helped "read" a bedtime story  He was walking while holding open the book (Waddle) and saying the letters on the last page.  Bump!  He walks into a wall.  Not hard enough to be bothered by it, but I still got to say "Mr. Rabbit..." to him, which is something my mother used to say to me all the time as a child when I walked into things while reading.

Magalene on a Walk with Ninjas

Time for another Magalene update.  Yesterday I wrote about how, in January, Magalene stories changed from their original purpose of providing reminders about the rules at different places into adventure stories.

In February, Smiley resumed wanting Magalene stories in which she misbehaved.  So in some of her stories she was "behaving today" and in others she was "misbehaving today".

In late February I realized that Smiley could get equal enjoyment to knowing the rules better than Magalene from sharing in Magalene's victories.  Fitting along with our discipline style of "If that toy is causing you to not listen it will have to go in time out," I added temptation to the Magalene stories.  With ninjas.

(Smiley had no prior exposure to ninjas.  They are simply bad, sneaky people from these stories.)

My favorite story about Magalene and ninjas is the one we tell when visiting the mall to ride on the escalators.  But that is simply because the phrase mall ninjas is inherently funny by association.

Here is the story with ninjas I told yesterday when Smiley and I were on a walk.

Magalene on a Walk with Ninjas

One day Magalene and her mommy were on a walk. They were walking on the sidewalk. Magalene was riding in the big stroller.

There were ninjas. The ninjas were mean. "We want to make trouble," said the ninjas. "If Magalene got in trouble and her mommy put the buckle on her that would be funny. Magalene does not like being buckled in the stroller. She would be sad and cry. Then we could laugh at her, 'Ha, ha, ha, ha!'"

One ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should run away from your mommy and say 'Ha, ha, you can't catch me!'"

Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should run away. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right," says Smiley as he hears the story.] "My mommy would say I am not listening and put on the stroller buckle. I would be sad. I will be a good listening girl."

Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should hang on the side of the stroller. That is more fun than sitting nice."

Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should hang funny on the stroller. Is that right?" ["No," says Smiley as he hears the story.] "My mommy would say, 'You are not listening, Magalene.' I will be a good listening girl."

Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should run into the street." ["But that's not right, Daddy," adds Smiley.]

Magalene turned around and said, "Who'se there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I should run into street. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right," says Smiley. "That would be dangerous."] "A car might bump me. I don't want to be hurt. I want to be a good listening girl."

Another ninja snuck up to Magalene, all quiet and sneaky. "Magalene," he whispered. "You should go out of the stroller and pet that big dog right away." ["But that's not right," interrupts Smiley.]

Magalene turned around and said, "Who's there?" But she could not see anyone because the ninja was so good at hiding. Magalene thought to herself, "Someone whispered that I pet a dog, right away. Is that right?" ["No, that's not right, Daddy" says Smiley as he hears the story. "You should ask first and then pet the dog."] "The dog might bite me," thought Magalene. "I should ask first, 'Is this dog good for petting?'"

The ninjas all watched Magalene and her mommy on their walk. "We cannot make Magalene misbehave," said the ninjas. "She is too much a good listening girl today. We will go home. Maybe tomorrow we can make Magalene get in trouble. Then we could laugh at her, "Ha, ha, ha, ha!" So the ninjas all went back home to their nefarious lair and took naps.

So now Smiley has three very different genres of Magalene story.  Currently he enjoys them all.

The oldest type, where he and Magalene both visit a store, park, library etc. and I contrast his behaving with her misbehaving, is his favorite at bedtimes.  The adventure type is usually his preference when in the car.  Stories with ninjas are his favorite when he is out of the house and wants to review the rules.

Magalene and the Pirates

Remember Magalene?  Smiley had decided in early December that in most Magalene stories she would behave, and be a pretend friend visiting his house.

In January she began having adventures.  Here is a typical Magalene story from January.

Smiley had been introduced to pirates by the book Pirate School.  Also, Smiley understands the concept of a time-out, so I use it to avoid any description of violence between pirates.  Even though Smiley is almost never put in a time-out, his toys are when he misbehaves, and some of his friends get time-outs.

Notice that Magalane does not actually do much in the story.  She usually needs help, from either Smiley or a fictitious hero character.

Magalene and the Yummy Fish

One day, Magalene was in her little boat fishing.  She had a fishing pole and fishing line.  She caught a fish.  It was not a pretty fish.  It was silver.  But it was a very good kind of fish for eating.  Magalene was happy.  "I will take this yummy fish home and cook it on the grill with spices.  I will have a nice dinner."

Then a pirate ship came near.  It was the pirate ship of Perarm Paul.  "Oh, no!" said Magalene.  "It is Pegarm Paul.  He is a bad pirate.  He takes things."

Pegarm Paul steered his ship next to Magalene's little boat.  He leaned over the edge of the pirate ship.  He looked at Magalene.  Pegarm Paul laughed: "Ha, ha, ha ha!"

"Yes," he said, "I am a bad pirate.  I take things.  Now I am going to take... that yummy fish!"  And Pegarm Paul reached down and took the fish.  Then he sailed away.

Magalene was said.  Magalene cried.

Then another pirate shipe came near.  It belonged to Pegleg Pete, who was a good pirate.  He helped people.

Pegleg Pete saw that Magalene was crying.  He asked, "Why are you crying, Magalene, my friend?"

Magalene said, "I had caught a very yummy fish.  It was the kind that is good to cook on the grill with spices.  But the bad pirate, Pegarm Paul, took it from me."

Pegleg Pete said, "He is a bad pirate.  I will chase him and bring back your fish.  But I need to hurry or he will eat your fish for lunch.  Wait here, Magalene."

Pegleg Pete sailed to the west.  He did not find Pegarm Paul.  It was closer to lunch time.

Pegleg Pete sailed to the east.  He did not find Pegarm Paul.  It was getting later.  It was closer to lunch time.

Pegleg Pete sailed to the south.  He did not find Pegarm Paul.  It was almost lunch time.

Pegleg Pete sailed to the north.  He saw the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul.  It was lunch time.  Pegleg Pete sailed his pirate ship next to the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul.  Then Pegleg Pete jumped onto the pirate ship of Pegarm Paul.  He ran to find Pegarm Paul.

Pegarm Paul inside his pirate ship.  He was in the kitchen.  The yummy fish was ready for cooking.  Pegarm Paul was about to put it in a pan.

Pegleg Pete opened the kitchen door.  "Stop!" he said.  "That fish belongs to Magalene.  You should not take things!"  Then Pegleg Pete took Pegarm Paul.  He put him in time out.  Then Pegleg Pete took the fish.  He sailed quickly back to Magalene and her little boat.

"Here, Magalene.  Here is your yummy fish.  Pegarm Paul took it.  He put spices on it.  But he did not cook it.  You can put it on a grill and cook it."  Magalene did that.  She cooked the yummy fish and shared it with Pegleg Pete.

"Thank you, Pegleg Pete," said Magalene. They had a very nice lunch.

Cocoa Mass

My family uses two kinds of chocolate for baking.

We use the Ambrosia chocolate chips sold at Costco.  These cost $16.99, weigh 160 ounces, and contain 43% cocoa.  That works out to 25 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.

For dark chocolate we use Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus bars.  These cost $4.99, weight 17.6 ounces, and contain 72% cocoa.  That works out to 39 cents per ounce of cocoa mass.

Chocolate prices are on the rise.  I wonder how these numbers will change in a year or two?