Tuesday Performances

Andrew has been working every day from his spot in the basement. In case you are looking for a new location yourself, I can recommend using an egress window as an excellent standing desk. Good natural light, appropriate height, room for a laptop and a cup of coffee. While I am the manager of most daily activities, Andrew has absolutely been doing his part -- he has a dishwashing day, comes up with dinner ideas, ventures out to the grocery store. He also came up with one of our weekly family activities. He calls it Tuesday Performances.

A piece of paper, posted on the refrigerator titled "Tuesday Performances" appeared not long after the college students arrived home. It said, "3/24 -- Dad will recite Colridge's Kubla Khan from memory."

Mom -- "What is this Tuesday performance thing?"

Dad -- "I think we need something to prepare for each week. No pressure, but I'll put something together."

Mom -- "Okay . . . I guess. Do I have to do something? I have to do something eventually, don't I?"

Dad -- "No pressure. But, yes. You do."

3/24, at a gathering after dinner in the living room:

"What is this thing? Dad's going to recite poetry? From memory? Where's the poem? Get me the book, I'm going to follow along and make sure he doesn't screw it up!"

"You know, at least he is putting himself out there."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Give me the book."

He did very well. Two mistakes. He was cheered and mocked simultaneously, as only one's children can do.

3/31:

"Charades? What are these charades? Dad's doing that? After the Tiger Woods Pictionary debaucle?" (Andrew once could not get the clue of Tiger Woods in pictionary from a lovely drawing of a tiger among trees. He has never lived it down.)

"Caroline and Linnea are doing a song together? This will be great!"

(Apparently, Caroline and Linnea specifically chose a song loathed by their brother, and laughed hysterically throughout. Mom was confused.)

"A surprise performance by Sabine? Oh, boy..."
(A dramatic reading of Yertle the Turtle, well done.)

4/7:

"More charades? By Linnea? What is she doing? Are you driving a car? She's a terrible driver! Driving Miss Daisy! Wait, are you a ballerina now? What happened to the car? Now she's running. Why is she running? And twirling again? Baby Fish Mouth!! What? Chasing a tornado? Where did you get this idea?"

(She Googled "Ideas for Charades." Resourceful, that one)

" Mom is playing the piano? Huh."

(Mom did play the piano. My piano teacher may have rolled over in her grave!)

"Dad's doing another dramatic reading? What is it this time? We have to guess? How are we supposed to do that?"

(It was Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural. Mom got it after the first few lines, the kids didn't get it until it actually mentioned the Civil War. Slackers.)

Nothing on the list yet for 4/14 . . . but maybe a monologue, staring Tim? As a woman from 1934?