Terminology

Spring walk season has begun. We have left the house every day for two weeks! Despite the anomaly of snow on the last day of April, it appears that we will thaw and I have survived another winter. Since our neighborhood is the epicenter of walking for the entire city, we are again in contact with humanity in general and I am grateful for that. But, it does mean that more people are seeing me out and about with the triple wide. Which means more comments for my comment-hating soul to judge harshly. I already have a new least favorite.

First, let's review the previous prizewinners:

"Are there really three in there?" (Nope, still just pushing the biggest stroller in the universe for kicks.)

"That's quite a load." (What tipped you off, was it that you could hear me panting for breath before you could see me?)

"Are they all yours?" (Shocking, I know.)

And, my all time favorite, actually heard twice in the same day. "That's quite a gaggle of children you have there." (A gaggle! Of children!)

The term d'art of this season seems to be 'rig.' As in, that's quite a rig. Nice rig. Fancy rig. I thought I had scraped the bottom of the eat crow, humility barrell when I not only accepted a used mini-van from my parents, but did so with gratitude and promptly filled it with car seats. Now I find that I have sunk lower. Strangers are comparing my stroller to a mac truck. Really, can I blame them? Judge for yourselves.

The rig. Fully loaded. Yes, thank you, it's for my gaggle of children. Heap of children, even. Flock? School? What is a large grouping of children called? A scream of children? A noise of children? A smell of children? A giggle of children? A love of children (awwwwwhhh!!)? Jump in and give me your vote (another friendly competition). Here's a pile of my children for inspiration.