Movies, House Numbers, and other Random Quick Takes

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Does anyone know  the logic behind the numbering of houses in suburban neighborhoods? I’ve puzzled over this for years. I assume some numbers get skipped because in an urban setting, with no yards between, they would use every number, but the presence of a yard between makes a difference. And yet it doesn’t make any sense that along my street there are three houses in a row, with equal distance between them, numbered 3911, 4001 and 4003. Why did they skip 3913 through 3999?

One of those mysteries I would really like cleared up.

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We brought Enchanted in on Netflix as a family movie last week. It’s so much fun to see Julianna finally, finally start making connections with girly movies. Enchanted was a universal hit. Nicholas came up to me the next day and said with a total little-boy lovesick sigh, “Mommy, I llllooooove Giselle.”

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I had forgotten how stinking funny Enchanted is. I adore that scene in Central Park: “How Do You Know?” I love that Amy Adams and James Marsden sing, too. And Patrick Dempsey, for that matter. I wish movies gave actors more opportunities to sing. People have this idea these days that singing is an activity reserved to a very few people who are “good enough.” Until mass entertainment came along, everybody sang. It’s a rare person who truly can’t sing at all.

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Julianna wrote a letter to Mary Poppins this week. i.e. to Julie Andrews, only I didn’t try to explain the difference. It said, “Dear Mary Poppins, I want to ride the pink carousel with you. My favorite song is Spoonful of Sugar. I hope you have a Jolly Holiday.”

Okay, I guided her through the first two sentences. But that last little pun? That was all Julianna. I asked her what else she wanted to write, and that’s what came out. Wow.

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Nicholas is feeling pretty exhausted after three weeks of summer school. He and Alex had a typical 9-year-old-vs.-5-year-old argument about it.

Nicholas: “I loooooove school but I hate being there all day!”

Alex: “You can’t love school and hate being there at the same time!”

Nicholas: “I love school so much! But I hate being all day!”

“Alex: “You can’t love it and hate it!”

Me: “Alex! Stop being such a know-it-all! He’s saying he loves school but he’s tired because it’s so long!”

One more week, and summer break starts for real. I am both looking forward to it–field trip season!–and not.

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I finally went to the neighborhood pool at 6 a.m. to lap swim today. I am not a big pool person because I think sunbathing is both unwise and uncomfortable, and I hate cold water. And I really hate sunscreen. But a pool before sunrise, after two weeks of hot weather–that is a pleasant form of exercise indeed.

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Baseball is almost over. One more night, and we’re blessedly free. The boys have enjoyed it, but it’s been a brutal three months. I feel like we lost the entire spring for bike riding and playing outside and taking walks after dinner. More of those adjustments that come as the kids get older.

Have a great weekend!