Debate night!

Torn between racing home to watch the debate or letting Rachel play in the park because it was gorgeous today, I decided to try a little of both: after I picked her up from preschool, we went to Grant Park with the debate on the radio the whole time (and me shushing Rachel at appropriate moments) and then I had her play until it started drizzling and I insisted we head home.

I invited Rachel to come upstairs with me while I watched the rest of it, and she whispered once in my ear, "Can I play quietly?" and I said YES of COURSE, and I got to hear the whole thing in peace. That is, until she smooshed kisses all over my face as both men were answered the closing question. Made the whole thing much more palatable.

***

"Who's the strongest Greek god?" Rachel asked tonight.
"I don't know," I answered. "Probably Hercules."
"If Hercules came to our house and saw me, he'd say, 'that looks like a nymph!'" she said. "A nymph is a kid god," she explained.

***

"I always wanna stay on the high road," Rachel said after dinner.
"What's that?" I said.
"The high road is when you make good choices," she said.
"Who taught you that?" I asked.
"Joe," she said. (Joe is one of her teachers at school). "He said the low road is when you make bad choices. I want everyone in Portland to be in the high road. Everyone in outer space!"

***

"School is a place for learning and playing happily, right?" Rachel said. "I don't think I'm learning very much."
Then she added: "Too bad you can't come into school and do all the fun things. You just have to go to work and then do boring things. Not like us!"
She didn't much like my suggestion that we switch places for a day.

***

Getting closer and closer to Sweet Adeline International competition in Denver next month. Rachel had this to say to this tonight: "Is Ryan worried that you don't have much time to practice before the big show?

Think I'll ask the Maestro himself at rehearsal tomorrow night....