Muffin management . . .

I was feeling uninspired as I sat at the computer last night trying to update the blog. Writer's block was preventing anything funny or exciting to come to mind. I had thought about what to write again today, but was at a complete loss as to how to begin. I would write one line then delete it, then do the same thing again. When one has been doing nothing but book keeping at work during the week, it is hard to write on life events. The daily routine of waking, working, and sleeping start blending together in a never ending stretch. Monotonous; boringly static in its repetition, there was nothing to write about. . . until R- made a great statement at dinner, inspiring inspiration. A brilliant jewel in an over typically boring week.

For dinner Lulu helped me make cinnamon strudel muffins. Hot out of the oven we smeared butter on them and poured ourselves tall glasses of cold milk. Lulu spread her muffin a little thick with butter, and as the butter began to melt and slide she caught it with her finger. Prodding, she pushed it back into place. She quickly licked the excess butter off her finger. R- feeling the way she does, watched Lulu lick the butter off her finger tip, and queasily spit out, "Stop using your hands. Just pick up your muffin and eat it." As a father, I'm not sure if I agree with this parenting strategy. It is hard for a child to choose between being damned if you do, or damned if you don't. So I looked at her quizzically, and mockingly chimed, "Do you want Lulu to use her hands or not?". I started laughing, hard. Then R- started laughing too. Soon we were both crying, and the kids laughed as they caught the joke.

So I gratefully received my inspiration for writing and a feeling that life is a little less mundane in that beautiful brilliant logic. -CRW

**Picture at Mt. Saint Helens in 2006