there comes the point when they will believe no one understands them, and truly, I may forget also, that there was such a time as this, when only I and one other understood them.  (draft from 6/30/18)

2012! Wow! It's a day into 2016 and they haven't murdered me in my sleep yet!

Ender wrote a story on an-old school typewriter.  Here it is:


Ender And The Pelican

by Ender J. Teco

When Ender was six years old, he had his tonsils taken out.  It hurt a lot.  Ender had a hard time eating, but at least he got to stay home from school.

He didn't miss his friends but they missed him.  He stayed at his grandmother's house.

On Friday, Ender went back to school.  His teacher, Miss Harden, said "I missed you!"

"I missed you, too."

At the end of school, Ender met up with his twin brother, Remy.  As they started to go meet their uncle Memo, a big grey pelican swooped down and landed in front of them.  The pelican opened his huge mouth and said, "Why did the pelican get kicked out of the restaurant?"

"I don't care!" said Ender.

The pelican said "Because he had a very big bill!"

"Ha ha ha!" laughed Ender and Remy.  "Very funny!"

The End

According to Carola:

"He looked me and gave me a purple enveloped, he did it with a paper sheet and type, his eyes don't care how he could be sick, they continue shining; happy birthday Caro, it's for you!! 
I opened my present and my breath stop. He looked me i

n silence then I told him, Ender but your nana bought it for you!! And he answer me, I choose it for you, is me. I pretended to wanted it because I want to give you something for your B-Day!!! After that I started to cry

My little man, Ender."

Ender had been home for the past week after having his tonsils and adenoids removed.  He lost a few pounds and was in a great deal of pain.  His voice was weak but high and clear like birdsong; sounded not quite like his old voice.

My mother had been caring for him and as he felt better she would take him on errands with her.  When they stopped at an office supply store, Ender asked my mother for a Captain America thumb drive.  My beloved mother is not terribly savvy about information tech so she didn't really question what a six-year-old needs with a flash drive.  

Ender has shown remarkable proficiency with mechanical doo-hickies.  He has long since mastered my digital camera.  Most recently, I taught him to use Brian Y's old 1930's typewriter.  A unique feature is the lack of exclamation point.  To make one, I have to type an apostrophe, backspace, and then type a period beneath.  

Not terribly complex, really, but Ender remembered it with ease.  Better than me, anyway.

I try to be careful about assessing the twins' abilities since it is so easy to try to gauge them by my half-formed notions of what intelligence is.  

Ender would probably be described as "sensitive," but with that comes his ability to empathize and predict intentions of others.  It's a vital skill, though it certainly can be overwhelming at his age, and any age.

Took the boys to see "The Avengers" on Sunday.  Ender dressed up as Captain America and Remy dressed up as Thor.  They thought it was pretty awesome.

The only part that was too intense was the trailer for "Prometheus" before the film.  Some kinda scary music in that one.

The boys are growing ever more intelligent.  They are reading fairly well.  I told them that books will tell them most of the things that other people won't take the time to explain.  At the moment, they are quite taken with my copy of "Human Body" (Doring Kindersley Limited, London) with its many illustrations.

I was sitting in bed reading my 4th book in "The Horus Heresy", pulpy science fantasy based on the Warhammer 40K table top game, and they would periodically ask questions.

"Look at those!" Remy said as he pointed at an illustration of a woman's body.

I glanced over.  "Yes, those are breasts."

"I want to see breasts!"

"Well, yeah."

The boys and I are moved in to the Tempe house. Daily rocking and assorted snack treats requirements are meeting expectations and even exceeding in many cases.

While I have been working less, the twins have been able to sleep in, eat a full breakfast, watch Qubo (Canada's finest cartoons) and generally chill. I seldom rush to get them in earlier than 9 am. When Barbara has to take them, the boys could be there as early as 7:30 and my mother might not pick them up until five.

Long day for anyone, let alone those two.

My schedule for next week is unknown to me. There are certainly elements of lazing around all day that I enjoy. I'd hoped I would discover some grand industrious self but alas, only a dabbler.

When I pull into the gravel parking area in front of their school a little play ensues. I step out of the car and before I close the door Remy says "You lost us!" Remy was the first to say it; now they both do. I crunch along to open the passenger door. When I do they smile and say "You found us!" They jump out of the car and then we head on into school.

The first time Remy said I lost him and I had not yet learned to play the game, I paused before I shut my door. "No, I haven't lost you. But I suppose I will, eventually."

Not in the dramatic life-loss sense. My relationship with my nephews is growing and changing, just as they are. In our time together I expect to lose them and find them many, many times.

Fortunately for them, I am an excellent finder of lost things.