These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Baboo, who is 10-going-on-35, has fencing class (or escrime, as they call it in French) on Tuesdays after school.

When everyone is there, the class has about eight kids in it, all roughly the same age, give or take two years. These are not beginners, but all kids who have had at least one year of fencing. This is Baboo's second year.

There are some kids Baboo always beats.

There are some kids she sometimes beats.

There is one she never beats.

A girl who is in 7th grade. Not only is she a kick-ass fencer, she's tall and beautiful and classy and totally cool. She is a great role model. I want to hang out with her.

Lately, it has happened that Baboo can regularly score one point against the Cool Girl. The matches go to three or four points, depending on what the instructor wants them to do (and I think she decides based on the ability of the kids paired in each match).

CG always wins all her matches, but, as I said, lately Baboo gets at least one point in on her. I also believe that competing against CG is a learning experience. Anyhow, Baboo is philosophical about her losses. Recently I told her, "The day you finally beat her, that will be really something."

Yesterday, Baboo beat CG, 4 to 3!

Yes, I know I am being a total Obnoxious Parent, but it was just so cool to watch this match. I am no expert in what I am looking at when the kids compete, but I could see that suddenly the skills moved up a huge step to a completely new level.

For one, I have never seen my kid move so fast. She also seemed to crack CG's defenses over and over again. Like a cobra.

But the two of them . . . it was pure poetry. I told Baboo afterwards, "Don't expect her to make the same mistakes next week. This girl is too smart. It may be a long time before you beat her again."

This photo is old . . . from last June. But it's such a lovely photo of Baboo in her fencing gear. And I'm so proud of her today.


On a completely unrelated topic, below are some Easter egg decorations I bought in the grocery store yesterday. Each strip has five colored bands the consistency of cling-wrap. As I understand it, you put the band on the egg, and then drop the whole thing into hot or boiling water. The heat shrinks the plastic onto the egg.

I have never tried it, not being a big fan of hard-boiled eggs. But they were too lovely to pass up. I just had to share.

The last one is my favorite, I think. If you click on the images, you can see them larger and in more detail.