It's "break time," that magical 45 minutes after lunch when the rule is that the kids can do almost anything as long as they leave me alone, more or less, to mess with the computer in peace.
Tromp tromp tromp BANG tromp tromp tromp. Two boys are at my ear. One has his hand tightly clamped over the mouth of a (recently washed) jelly jar. Little sister is bouncing up and down excitedly behind them.
"Mom! Mom! What do crickets eat?"
"Uh. I don't know. Grass maybe."
Furious whispering. "Mom, are you sure? We don't want to poison him."
"Hey guys, I said I don't know, I'm kind of busy here — " and it's not till then that I realize that I'm sitting in front of a live internet connection with my fingers on the keyboard. Or rather, I knew that, it's just that it's not until then that I catch a clue.
Not only can I use this awesome power to waste time surfing the web, checking my email and vegging out for a quick respite from my day's work… I can also use it to send the children on an errand that will keep them busy for maybe five whole extra minutes!
Click click click. "Ahem. 'Rearing crickets is very easy since they tend to eat anything.' Um…. 'Rolled oats with fresh fruit and vegetables is an ideal food for crickets.'"
"Thanks Mom!" Tromp tromp tromp rustle rustle rustle. "Do you know what we're going to name him? 'Oats!'"
"No, 'Chester C. Cricket!'" muffled arguing
Mental note: Write down an extra line under "Science" on today's page in the record book…
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