dual personalities

Yesterday, two little boys — sons of friends from church — visited me at my office to see its treasures and learn about ancient languages. When their parents and little brother picked them up someone took a picture.

Don’t you love the little guy’s expression?

We had so much fun! I showed them some cuneiform tablets, some potsherds, Greek arrowheads, chain mail gauntlets (made by a student) and other wonders. We investigated different writing systems and learned a few words of Latin. Then we shot marbles across my office with a model trebuchet kind of like this:

We broke no windows

But the best part of the day was the Lego battle royal. Naturally my minifigs were a huge hit and when the boys divided them up and started playing I was more than content to sit back and listen to their wonderful, wonderful commentary — “curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal” would not have been out of place. Phrases  like “dastardly Knave” and “fiendish villain” filled the air.

George Washington had a violent and prolonged duel with a Samurai driving a jeep, while the bagpiper got whacked by Julius Caesar and the Cyclops wrangled an Aztec warrior. I could have watched all day! In fact, the only time I got a little nervous was when the whole family crammed into my small, Lego/marble strewn office to investigate the reproduction Roman gladius and the youngest got a hold of it. But no worries, the parents, who are very chill,  had everything under control.  I can’t remember the last time I had such fun at the office .

In other news, son #3 had a live gig on the radio. I didn’t get to hear it, but someone with a camera recorded the event which made it onto facebook, and thus, eventually to me. Here’s the pic.

a budding blues man

All in all, it was a nice week, though still cold and snowy. Although there’s plenty of work to do this weekend, I’m going to save some time to play. Remember what George Bernard Shaw said: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”

Have fun!