Goodbye House

The continuing dialogue of my 7 year old niece and her random conversations with me,
her favorite uncle.

Her:  So I guess you’re about to move, huh?

Me:   No.  I just like living with one chair, a cooler, a microwave, a plate and a glass.

Her:   Where is all your stuff?

Me:   Most of it in storage.

Her:  I didn’t tell you this but I’m going to miss your house.

Me:   I’m going to miss it a little too but sometimes you have to do things when you have to move for a job and stuff.

Her:  I know.  It’s just that I was thinking about a bunch of stuff.

Me:   Like what?  Like spinning around in circles in my office chair trying to make yourself dizzy . . . uhhh . . . I mean dizzier.

Her:  No, I mean like this is where we had Christmas every year, and Thanksgiving sometimes.  And this is where you made all those marks in the doorway in the kitchen to show how tall I was getting.  And this is where you fell off the roof that time and everyone laughed at you except me.  And this is where you taught me to read and tie my shoes.  Stuff like that.

Me:  You realize that no matter where I am you’re still my niece and we will still do stuff together right?  All of those things we did, we did those because we’re a family.  All a house is, well, it’s a box to keep stuff in.  You can do that anywhere.  But being a family is something that’s inside of you.

Her:  I know.  You already told me that.

Me:   Don’t you think so too?

Her:  Yeah.  Do you still have my elephant chair?

Me:  Of course I do.  It’s in a box with your name on it.  A bunch of your stuff is in there.

Her:  I guess it will be different, and the same at the same time huh?

Me:   Well the most important things will always stay the same.

Her:  Like what?

Me:  Like . . . pull my finger.

Her:  Goodbye Poopie Head.

Dum-Dum

The continuing dialogue of my 7 year old niece and her random conversations with me,
her favorite uncle.

Her:  You’ll never guess what happened at school today.

Me:   Well, I think it probably had something to do with you singing “Pants on the Ground.”

Her:  Haha.  No.  That song is funny though.  But no that’s not it.

Me:   Did it have anything to do with anything I might be remotely interested in?

Her:  Do you want me to tell you?

Me:   No.  I want you to extend this phone call as long as possible because I’m cooking some fish and rice and it won’t be ready for 20 minutes.  You’ll sort of be like my timer.

Her:   Uh, well anyway, I got a 100 on my math test and was the only one to get that good of a mark on my test my teacher said.

Me:   I’ll call NASA.

Her:  Why?  Never mind.  Anyway, if you get 100 on a test you get a reward. 

Me:   Like a gold trophy?  A million dollars?  A new car?

Her:  No, a “Dum-Dum” pop and you get to eat it in class.

Me:   You know, some jokes just write themselves.

Her:  Huh?

Me:   So what you’re telling me is that you got a “Dum Dum” for being smart?

Her:  Yes.  What’s wrong with that?  It was cool to get to do that.

Me:   You really don’t understand why that’s funny?

Her:  I don’t understand why you think it’s funny but that’s probably because you have some weird reason.

Me:   Well, I don’t think if you’re smart they should give you a “Dum Dum.”  I think they should give you some “Smarties.”

Her:  Whatever.

Me:   I’m waiting for a big belly laugh.

Her:  Is your fish and rice done yet?

Me:   I can wait.

Her:  Goodbye Poopie Head.

What’s on my iPod (Jan.)

A new year full of new possibilities for adventure.  My Irish intuition tells me this is going to be a good year overall even though it’s starting off like the last one ended.   I suppose the old saying that things can only get better is alright for some as a perspective, but in all honesty, I’ve always found it better to count the blessing we have now in our lives while working on making ourselves better people.

That’s my plan.

Broken by Lifehouse - not all songs have to be about me!  Sometimes I’m asked why I like a particular song or if it has “special” meaning to me.  The answer is, sometimes I just like it.

Heaven Forbid by Fray - I’m in a “Fray” kind of mood I suppose.  Actually this song is a good “pacing” song when I run which is why it’s on my iPod.

Get Ready by The Temptations - and now, for something completely  different . . .

Baby I Need Your Loving by The Four Tops - why do I get in retro music that’ even before MY time? Why? Why I ask you? Why?  I love this kind of stuff.  Don’t hate me.

Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra.  Okay, since I seem to be on a retro theme I’d have to say you can’t do much better than Frank Sinatra if you’re going to go that route.

Something So Right by Paul Simon - The rumor is that he and Art Garfunkel are reuniting in New Orleans soon for a benefit concert.  This may be why my musical tastes are called lame but I like them.

You’re in My Heart by Rod Stewart - simple songs are the best.

Over and Over by Nelly with Tim McGraw - the only Nelly song I like.

That Thing you Do by The Wonders - I love this song and movie!

Boogie Shoes by KC & The Sunshine Band - only because it doesn’t matter who you are, or where you’re at … when you hear this, you have to dance.  I dare you to try! 

That’s the interchangeable playlist of the month on my iPod.  I’d like to chat more but my niece keeps calling and you know, I haven’t been called “Poopie Head” for two days so I better take the next call or she’ll start calling me something a lot meaner.

Snowball Revenge

The continuing dialogue of my 7 year old niece and her random conversations with me, her favorite uncle.

Her:  I have another good idea.  You don’t need to make something up either because I’m not going to say, “you know what I was thinking?”

Me:  The fact you started out with this call out with attitude while saying you have a “good idea” tells me somehow you have a plan that involves me.

Her:  Okay.  So anyway, it snowed and because of that we don’t have school.  You should come out and go on the sled with me.

Me:   Why do you need me to go on the sled with you?  You’re big enough now.  You just sit on the sled and you go down a hill and try not to fall off.

Her:  No.  Because sissy and Kristen are going and said I’m too little  and I want you to hit them with snowballs like you do.  That’s so funny when you do that.

Me:   What do you think I am?  Your hit man?

Her:  I don’t know what that is but I want you to knock them off their sleds.

 Me:   I’m a little worried about your sense of revenge.  Why again are we going to do this?

Her:  Because I’m bored, because they won’t take me with them, and because it’s funny.

Me:   While I’m knocking people off sleds with snowballs, exactly what is it you’ll be doing?

Her:  Well, on our way to go to the hill that they’re going to we can stop and get some hot chocolate.  I guess that’s another good idea.

Me:   Well, you’ve certainly put some thought into this.  What I’m worried about is that once I start throwing snowballs at nieces, sometimes I lose control of myself.

Her:  Huh?

Me:  I might start and won’t be able to stop. I might start pelting you with snowballs too. 

Her:  But this isn’t the plan.  It doesn’t sound like my plan is going to go like I thought it would.

Me:   Plans seldom do, especially when snowballs and nieces are part of it.  Be sure to wear a helmet.

Her:  Goodbye Poopie Head.