It started with trying to go outside. Oh, how Ulysses wanted to get out that screen door to the yard. I decided to distract with him the package that had just arrived via UPS from LaserMonks. I made a big show of opening the cardboard box, and I succeeded in attracting his interest. Whew.

Then I saw what was in the box. Dozens of styrofoam peanuts were stuffed around the ink cartridges. Looking exactly like snack treats. Uh-oh. I quickly brushed the peanuts into an empty Amazon.com box that was nearby on the floor and brought back the LaserMonks box. ...   more »

I took Ulysses to the playground at nearby Warner Park on Madison's Northside today. I pushed him in the kiddie bucket swing while all around us moms and dads with various shades of brown skin spoke in Spanish to their little ones as they played.

A little blond boy of about 8 or 9 rode up on his bicycle and stood behind us.

"Beba voli ljuljati!" I cried in Serbian to Ulysses as he thrilled to the movement -- Baby likes to swing. "Lepo ljulamo!" -- We're swinging nicely! And such like.

After a minute or two, the blond boy ...   more »