Parental leave

These weeks of staying at home with Karin and Samuel have been among the happiest of my life. I’ve been able to watch plenty of TV – quality TV, like Midsomer Murders. And on my birthday, we viewed Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan, which delighted Karin.

We’ve also been eating handsomely. Our church created a “meal train” for us. The congregants have been taking turns bringing dinner.

Samuel has been eating better, too. His tongue tether was clipped by a doctor of the ear, nose, and throat. Now it’s easier for Samuel to latch on to the breast.

(On a wall in the doctor’s office was a satellite photo of San Francisco, California. “That’s how San Francisco looks?” asked Karin. That night, I showed her Dirty Harry.)

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We visited the public library in Mishawaka so that Karin’s former colleagues could admire our son. Browsing the stacks, I found a book that, many weeks ago, I’d asked South Bend’s librarians to procure via InterLibrary Loan (they never did). I was miffed to learn that the book hadn’t been far away – the two libraries are just minutes from one another. Perhaps the blood between them is poor.

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Having narrowly lost to Italy, Ecuador is out of the World Cup. It was interesting to watch the sixteen-year-olds: so talented, so boneheaded.

Earlier today, Karin & I viewed the first half of Mary Poppins. We turned Samuel toward the TV. It’d be nice if he would remember Mary Poppins as his first movie.

I hadn’t seen Mary Poppins for many years. It was startling how young, how fresh-faced, Julie Andrews looked. Karin did some research and learned that Julie Andrews was twenty-nine when the movie was released. I’m nine years older than Mary Poppins.

I’d always been impressed by her sternness. Now, she looks not long out of university.

(Give Bert a chance, Mary Poppins. Give Bert a chance.)

Another World Cup

Ecuador has been playing in its second World Cup of this year: the U-17 World Cup. We made it through the group stage with one defeat, against Nigeria, and two victories, against Australia and Hungary. On Thursday, we’ll play our first knockout game, against the Italians; should we progress, our next opponents will be either the Chileans or the Brazilians (the hosts).

This tournament is hardly the most prestigious or the most predictive of long-term success. Still, it matters. It generates some lovely “human interest” stories, such as this one about a man who walked many miles, over mountains, so his son could play.

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Karin will continue staying at home with Samuel all through November. I’ve been learning to care for the boy. Often, when I hold him, he doesn’t cry. He listens when I talk – and sometimes smiles.

Karin has been leaving him with me for short periods. Today she went shopping and then to the zoo to see South Bend’s new rhinoceros. The rhino stayed out of view. At home, I watched Lina Wertmüller’s World War II movie, Seven Beauties; Samuel slept.

Tomorrow, I’ll turn thirty-eight.