Thank you Jagamaga (& Trine) AND Rudyard.
I had read last week on a friend's blog (thank you Amber) about bagging the movies on a car trip and going for audio books instead. Then another friend told me about free/classics on audio book. I took a stab and looked for an app for my phone and found it...and I was in heaven. I made a quick trip down to Yuma with the kids and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. I told Indy what we were doing and he wasn't thrilled. So I decided to let him pick the books. His first one was a Brother's Grimm story...it was good. His second was Edgar Allen Poe - The Black Cat. I knew it was going to be weird/freaky, but it has been a long long time since I've had anything to do with Edgar we went for it. I had visions of the Simpson's episode with Bart as the Raven floating around my head. I told Indy that Edgar was a bit wacko and the story was going to be a bit crazy...ummm understatement of the century. I kept thinking of my two brothers - with cats. Needless to say we had to fast forward a bit. After we finished he picked another horrible Brother's Grimm story. Luckily we made it to Yuma and I could turn the stinkin' thing off.
I needed to rethink my strategy.
On our trip home - I PICKED THE STORIES. And all I can say is "Thank you Rudyard. Your collection of Just So Short Stories was wonderful!" I actually clapped and cheered after the end of "How the Camel Got His Hump(fh)". The stories brought us swiftly and safely home.
All the stories end with a poem. We will be memorizing this one at the dinner table this month:
THE Camel's hump is an ugly lump
Which well you may see at the Zoo;
But uglier yet is the hump we get
From having too little to do.
Kiddies and grown-ups too,
If we haven't enough to do-
We get the hump--
Cameelious hump--
The hump that is black and blue!
We climb out of bed with a frouzly head
And a snarly-yarly voice.
We shiver and scowl and we grunt and we growl
At our bath and our boots and our toys;
And there ought to be a corner for me
(And I know there is one for you)
When we get the hump--
Cameelious hump--
The hump that is black and blue!
The cure for this ill is not to sit still,
Or frowst with a book by the fire;
But to take a large hoe and a shovel also,
And dig till you gently perspire;
And then you will find that the sun and the wind,
And the Djinn of the Garden too,
Have lifted the hump--
The horrible hump--
The hump that is black and blue!
I get it as well as you-
If I haven't enough to do-
We all get hump--
Cameelious hump--
Kiddies and grown-ups too!