If we learn all we need to know about life in kindergarten, then first grade must be when we learn how to be professional writers. At least that’s what my daughter’s first grade class is learning. Her public elementary school in Seattle recently invited parents to come and watch an hour of a normal day in class to see how our kiddos spend the day. The scheduled hour was the time of day labeled “literacy” on the schedule in my daughter’s classroom. I went, I watched, and I learned how to write. Read More
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Story Blocks
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When Bumbershoot Was For Families
When Bumbershoot was for families, before they started charging full price for children over five, I introduced my kids to a lot of good music.
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Cell Phones in Iceland
When I travel internationally, I always buy a local SIM card (unless it’s a very short trip). Even when I’ve had cell phones with international calling plans, the roaming or international data charges were much more expensive than just getting a local card. I wrote a little bit about this when I went to China last year, but of course most of my international travel in recent years has been to Iceland. So of course I was very happy when I Heart Reykjavik saved me the trouble of writing up a post about buying Icelandic SIM cards. She’s pretty much covered everything.
The only thing I would add is that while Siminn is usually the best company, I had a terrible connection when I went to the Eistnaflug festival in the Eastfjords. I ended up switching to Nova, which for some reason seemed to work better in that region.
So, if you’re traveling to Iceland and trying to decide what to do about your phone, read this:
Why You Should Consider Buying An Icelandic SIM Card For Your Trip To Iceland
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Corner Office
Me, I work at my kitchen table and look out at my neighbor’s deck. But I suppose this would work for some people.
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A Martial Arts Tea Party
My daughter turned seven in December, and of course, she wanted a party. She didn’t want too many people; she’s a fairly quiet, shy girl of the fairy princess variety and the thought of inviting the whole class was as overwhelming to her as to us. So a tea party seemed just the thing. We called a local tea house famed for offering its guests tiaras and discovered our imaginations stretched further than our budget. My requirement that the whole house be clean before we host a party at home was met with a declaration to call the whole thing off. Then we thought of the dojo. My husband teaches at a martial arts school mere blocks from the tea house; the birthday girl was taking her yellow belt test days before the party, and The Princess in Black is her favorite book. Thus was born the Princess in Black Martial Arts Tea Party. Read More