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Saturday, May 27, 2017

Ex-storm-inate

My walking mileage has significantly decreased this week (while my biking mileage has significantly increased). I'm not going to blame that on Tuesday's little toe incident, but....oh, wait. Yes, I am.

Still, the kids like going for walks and so we've gone on a few painfully slow walks (literally painfully slow). I think it was Wednesday afternoon when Benjamin begged to go on a walk between cloud bursts (we've had a rather rainy week). I told him that we could, but only a "one speed bump walk" (because that's how we measure walking distances (except we ignore the speed bump closest to our house)).

As I was hobbling along pushing the stroller, Benjamin skipped and bounced beside me.

"Looks like there's another storm coming," I said.

"Well, when this storm ex-storm-inates can we play outside some more?" Benjamin asked, quite seriously.

I looked at him sideways, not sure if he was making a joke or not. He was definitely serious.

"What does ex-storm-inate mean?" I asked.

"It means that the storm gets calmer and calmer and calmer until it uses up all its storminess and then it's gone!" he explained.


Not a bad definition, really. I didn't tip him off on the real definition (or pronunciation) of the word so when the word exterminate came up at dinner I got to relish in the look of outright confusion on his face.

"Do you know what I think is funny?" Rachel asked. "My friend Savanna's mom is a nurse—so she essentially spends her day keeping things alive—and her dad is an exterminator—so he essentially spends his day killing things."

"Except, her mom works with people and her dad works with bugs, right?" Miriam wanted to clarify.

"That's why I said things," Rachel said. "It's just funny to think about, that's all."

Benjamin, who'd been gasping like a fish, finally he found his words.

"Her dad is an ex-storm-inator!?" he squeaked out.

I'm still not sure he's caught the full meaning of the word. And, frankly, I'm not telling him because I rather like this whole ex-storm-inate thing.

2 comments:

  1. I think they should both be words! I like exstorminate!

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    Replies
    1. Also I love Rachel's droll sense of humor. She is so nerdy-smart-funny.

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