sir, there's a penguin in my fridge.

for the past month we've been reading mr. popper's penguins with one of our book/craft groups. i don't know if it was written for younger kids, or if it's just that kids were kids longer in the early 20th century. the writing is simple, perhaps too simple to interest a 10yo of today, but the story is sweet. thehobbit has enjoyed listening to it, & that makes me glad. i know i've said it before, but i really think it's important to read to kids well past their being able to read alone.

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i was searching around for penguin-crafting inspiration, when i found this site. & look!...

chocolate penguin poop! assuming this is pure chocolate, & not in fact actual penguin poop, dipped in chocolate -- i think i may have to order a jar.

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in the story mr. popper is given a penguin, & he decides it can live in their fridge. that ended up being the inspiration for our craft. i made a penguin out of an acorn, clay, & paint, & thehobbit made the fridge out of those horrid, nasty teeny legos. i took many photos of the process, but still am unable to load photos onto elvie. you have an amazing imagination; i've seen some of your blogs; so you'll have to call upon that until elvie is photouploadable (real word.)

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a pet peeve of mine is having kids make crap-crafts that do nothing but take up space, & collect dust; until you eventually have to sneak them away, & throw them out. a few years ago i snapped, & decreed there would be no more crap-crafts at the belfry. occasionally i've had to give in, but for the most part we've managed to be crap-craftless.

because of this, the penguin was made small enough to live in the borrowers' house. i'm told they should like having a pet very much - do not forget that toys come to life during the night. there was no way he was going to allow his precious legos to stay forever as a fridge, (the poor, deprived boy has very few of them) so i made a back-up fridge from clay, in which the penguin can sleep. i have no intention of telling you how long i played with clay after he was through with his fridge, & had left the room.

it's officially tomorrow, so i am off to bed. i hope you have pleasant dreams - may none of yours feature penguins, & all of mine feature orlando bloom.

~peace.