Cups and Jars

It's been 3 weeks since I started to change our car habits. Our camping trip kicked us off. While I was grabbing toothpaste and sleeping bags Friday morning my sister was pulling sippy cups of sour milk out my car. When Evelyn got in she said, "Wow, the floor is visible all over!"

So, in other words, our car when we set off for a weekend of camping was less jammed with junk than it normally is. I really enjoyed the drive down without pressing my lips together to avoid inhaling fruit flies.

We got back and Mike and I immediately unloaded the car. Yeah us!

After that, things didn't go exactly to plan. The plan was, pull in the driveway, clean out the car. I'd remember the next day and clean out the car before we left. But yesterday we pulled in and I said, "Clem, you get 3 of the cocoa cups, Ev, your drink cup and two cups. I'll get the plate with cookies." And it felt natural, like a habit.

And it has been great not having things fall out the door every time I open it.

I also cleaned out the garage and there found treasures we had not unpacked from our move including many Boomerang tapes. My friend Monica describes it as a mix of Prairie Home Companion and All Things Considered for kids.

Clem has been enjoying the jokes. Here is her favorite:

THE BEST WAY TO CATCH A LEOPARD
First, go to your local library and check out the most boring book that you can find. Next, get a fishing net, a telescope, and an empty peanut-butter jar.

Find yourself a shady and comfortable spot in the jungle and lie down to read your book. Obviously, since your book is so boring, you will soon fall asleep. When the leopard sees you sleeping, he or she will sneak up behind you and steal your book.

Once the leopard starts reading the boring book, he or she will also fall asleep.
When you wake up, pick up your telescope and look at the leopard through the wrong end so that the leopard becomes very, very small. Throw your net over the leopard and then carefully deposit him or her into your peanut-butter jar.
And that’s the best way to catch a leopard!

Greta found this Gary Larsen book lying around.

She scrutinized the picture for a while and said, "I guess they did that trick with the telescope and peanut butter jars."