Oct 24 - On the drive to school yesterday, Ian and I passed by a truck delivering shingles to the roof of a neighboring house. That led to a discussion of what roof shingles are made of ("they feel like grip tape"), why we need roof shingles at all, and why they overlap the way they do.

Later on the drive, we passed a small sign advertising slate roofing and I explained the difference in those roofs versus modern shingles and why you would need to call a specialized shingle repair place.

I said something about how a lot of the slate came from Wales and how that industry suffered when the technology changed. He interrupted me and said, "I just don't see how you get pieces of slate from a whale. Like we just said it was like a stone you mine and how would you get that from animals in the ocean."

English is funny.

Oct 26 - Ian’s actual birthday was Sunday, but we celebrated it last night by taking him and his friends to a local ECHL hockey game (Norfolk Admirals vs Worcester Railers).

One of the things that makes me so happy to see as Ian grows up is the quality and variety of his friends. These kids all play sports but were interested to learn how hockey works as opposed to baseball, boxing, and soccer. They appreciate each other’s talents and accommodate each other’s wrinkles, like a super hero team or D&D adventuring party. They’re clever and kind and dynamic. They have very different home lives and they talk openly and supportively about it all.

Humans are a community-based species, and it’s rewarding when you can find and maintain a tribe. The kids - these kids in particular - are gonna be alright.