BOSS LADY

Ellery likes to sit at the little coffee table, surrounded by her papers, markers, toys, dishes from snacks, clothes she's changed into and out of and various other bits and pieces. As I was cleaning house, I kept urging her to clean up her little domain. After repeated nagging, Ellery complained, "I don't want to do my job. I don't feel well."

I replied, "I don't feel well either and I still have to do my job."

"Let me guess," she said grumpily, "your job is bossing me."

BEDTIME TALK

Ellery was in bed, not asleep, keeping up a running monologue of play talk. I was in the next room, pretty much tuning it out until my ears picked out the rallying cry, "All right everyone--let's get punching!"

ROAD SAFETY

Ellery is getting to be a good reader. She and I were driving along on a bright spring day and she warned, "Mom! Watch For Ice!"

THE BASIS OF A GOOD RELATIONSHIP

Ellery and Dad went to the park. When they got back, I asked Ellery, "Did you see anyone you knew?"

"No," she replied, "but I did see someone who would be good for me to marry."

"Oh! What made him a good person to marry?" I wondered.

"Well," she said, "he likes to smell flowers and so do I."