Ooops

Julia likes to walk up to the corner and get little individual cereal packets for breakfast. In theory, I let her do it once a week, but it might work out to a little more often than that, especially when there's a friend over.

This morning, as she and her friend from down the street (Robin is at her cousin's house) were setting off for the corner they paused, looked at each other, and started running. I thought they were just having a race or something until, with a sinking feeling, I realized: Oh, crap. It's raining.

Now, if you're not from here you may not realize, but rain is very, very dangerous. You must not let it touch you! Lest you become ill! I can only imagine how the swine business might compound the hazards.

If it were just my own child, I wouldn't particularly worry. My neighbors seem okay with my foreign quirks; they cheerfully send their kids over to play and accept mine.

But I had sent one of their own! Out! In the rain! Without so much as a sweater!

I hustled back upstairs and grabbed two denim shirts for them to put over their heads, and met them halfway up the block on their way back. I only hope the symbolism of the gesture is enough to counteract the deadly effects of a light drizzle on a poor, innocent child.