Mabfan's Musings

Lunch in NYC 6/1 - Tomorrow!

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:26:32 GMT

I'm going to New York City tomorrow for my high school reunion, and I'm planning to meet friends for lunch in midtown Manhattan. My train arrives on Friday a little before 1 pm at Penn Station, so I'm looking at a late-ish lunch. Anyone interested in joining me, please let me know. (Also, I still haven't picked a restaurant yet; any recommendations for a good kosher place close to Penn Station?)

The Trees of Copley Square

Wed, 30 May 2012 12:57:26 GMT

My daily commute takes me through the Copley Square area of Boston, and I frequently enjoy walking through the plaza, especially in the nice weather.

A few weeks ago, I noticed green signs posted on the London Plane trees in the plaza. The trees hadn't looked too healthy in a while, and according to the signs, they were all infected with a canker stain fungus and scheduled to be removed. The signs explained that the trees were dying and gave information about a public hearing to explain the situation and tell the residents of Boston the plans for tree removal and replacement.

As I walked through the plaza this morning, I noticed that the tree removal and planting of new trees had begun, and I took a few pictures.

This first picture shows the starkness of a tree stump in the foreground. The second and third picture show the dead trees piled upon a Boston Park Department flatbed truck.

	The Stumps of Dying Trees in Copley Square Copyright ©2012 by Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.
	Removed Trees on a Flatbed Truck in Copley Square Copyright ©2012 by Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.
	Boston Park Department Truck in Copley Square Copyright ©2012 by Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.
	As Some Trees Die, Others Are Planted (Copley Square, Boston) Copyright ©2012 by Michael A. Burstein. All rights reserved.

I like that last picture, above. I'm not a professional photographer, but I was trying to capture the image of a newly planted tree in the foreground with the truck piled with the removed trees in the background.

Can anyone identify that new tree? According the Boston Globe, the old trees are being replaced with 12 red maples, four ginkgo biloba trees, and four seedless sweet gums. As a city guy, I'm not up on my ability to identify trees.

More information on the tree removal and replacement, from the Boston Globe's Boston.com website:
20 diseased trees to be removed, replaced in Copley Square (May 10, 2012)
Ailing Copley Square trees to be removed (May 11, 2012)
Boston begins cutting 20 diseased trees at Copley Square (May 16, 2012)

Brookline Patch Column: Occupy Playdates

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:00:09 GMT

One of the hardest things about having two toddlers in the house is that they don't always occupy themselves with activities. Sometimes you have to find things for them to do.

Thank goodness, then, for the concept of a playdate, in which parents of different children can bring them together in hopes that the children will play with each other, learn, and leave us alone. :-)

My The Brookline Parent column for Brookline Patch today, Occupy Playdates, is all about the playdate phenomenon as it applies to Muffin and Squeaker. And it gets philosophical at times. Go read it, and you'll find out:

* How being a middle child led Michael to make a certain decision about his own family;
* How not having a car influences the playdate decision;
* Which YA fantasy writer lives in Brookline, has three children, and is happy to have her kids play with Muffin and Squeaker;
* Which playgroup Muffin and Squeaker rate four thumbs up;
* And why it is that even at this age Muffin and Squeaker may already be spoken for.

Enjoy!

Weird Week

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:02:45 GMT

In truth, this week was not necessarily weirder as any other week. But every week I find that things happen that I know are prominent in my mind only because they're recent, and then next week other things will happen that will become just as prominent, and this week's things will fade.

So, for example, in the middle of this week we found out that Trader Joe's semi-sweet chocolate chips are going from pareve to dairy, prompting a huge response (well, relatively speaking) and a petition to have them fix the issue so the chocolate chips can be considered pareve again. Early in the week, Muffin had a tantrum. Today friends of mine are at the Nebulas, and I have a Bat Mitzvah to attend tomorrow. Wednesday night we had a friend over.

The thing is, all this seems trivial compared to other things. Because thrice this week, I was reminded of our mortality. One of my co-workers passed away on Tuesday morning, and I just found out that one of the members of my congregation passed away of a sudden heart attack that hit her on Monday. And on Tuesday night, a few people in a group I'm in gathered to honor a former colleague who left the group due to her health.

So yeah, chocolate chips pale in comparison.

Brookline Patch Column: The Hows and the Whys

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:17 GMT

Questions, questions, questions! It seems that kids never stop asking questions.

This week, in our The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch, gnomi examines the question of, well, questions. In The Hows and the Whys, she discusses the types of questions asked by Squeaker and Muffin, and how we respond to them.

If you click on the link, you'll find the usual cute pictures of the girls (and if you click on the pictures, you'll find amusing captions.) But you'll also find out how the girls learned the word "incoming," and what happens if you ask someone with a science background (me) why it rains.

Brookline Patch Column: Nothing But the Tooth

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:16 GMT

In my The Brookline Parent column for Brookline Patch today, I look at the question of caring for toddler's teeth. As I note in the article, there's been an epidemic of tooth decay among toddlers. Fortunately, Muffin and Squeaker seem to be okay. If you read the article, you'll find out what we're doing and why I think it's a struggle for all parents to care for their kids' teeth in this day and age.

So go read Nothing But the Tooth, for the video of Elmo singing about the importance of brushing your teeth, if for nothing else.

Brookline Town Election - One Week From Today

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:06:00 GMT

For those of you who live in Brookline, Massachusetts... (And for those of you who don't, but are interested anyway.)

Next Tuesday, May 1, 2012, is Town Election Day in Brookline. As many of you know, I hold two elected offices in Brookline. I'm a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 12 and a Library Trustee for the whole town. My current term as a Town Meeting Member expires this year, and I'm in a contested race as we have 17 candidates running for the 15 seats. (Why so many? Due to redistricting because of the Census, all 15 seats are up this year, instead of the usual 5.)

If you happen to live in Precinct 12, I'd appreciate your vote. If you want to know more about my campaign, you can visit my campaign website at Burstein for Brookline for my letter to the voters. And look for my flyer in your mail this week.

I'd also ask for your support for a few other candidates. As a Precinct 12 Town Meeting Member, I'm part of Neighbors Building Brookline, a coalition that came together in 1994 to support better government in the town. There are 13 of us running for re-election this year, and as a group we endorse all 13 candidates.

Town-wide, we have one contested race for a vacant two-year seat on the Board of Library Trustees. Both of the candidates running would be an asset to the Board, and I hope in the future to serve with both of them. For this year's race, however, I am endorsing Puja Mehta. I think she will be a great advocate for the library at the state level given her work with the Massachusetts Legislative Library Caucus.

Finally, there are two Town Meeting seats in other precincts that have candidates I've endorsed. In Precinct 13, I support Joanna Baker, who has done a lot of work to support our local parks, among other things.

In Precinct 11, there is an open Town Meeting seat, as only 14 candidates filed to run for the 15 seats. I'm delighted to support Shanna Giora-Gorfajn in her write-in campaign for that open seat. Shanna writes the column The Bounty Hunter for Brookline Patch, so you can read the column to get to know a little more about her. If you vote in Precinct 11, look for her outside the Driscoll School on Election Day handing out flyers and stickers with her name on them.

For a Friend Who Asked

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:11:16 GMT

http://popfiend.livejournal.com/4492746.html

Brookline Patch Column: It Was, In Fact, Just About Enough For Us

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:30:41 GMT

Last year, for our The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch around this time, gnomi discussed Passover. In particular, in her column Four Answers for Two Toddlers, she discussed how we made Passover special for Muffin and Squeaker given that their bedtime was well before the seders began.

Well, this year, the girls are one year older, and this time, we decided that they could deal with the later bedtime that comes with attending seder. For a special treat as we end the chol ha'moed, or intermediate days, of Passover, Brookline Patch is publishing Nomi's column one day early. It Was, In Fact, Just About Enough For Us describes how the girls responded to family seder two nights in a row. Hint: Dayenu is the new Ma Nishtana. (As Tom Lehrer might say, the rest of you can look up when you get home.)

Click on the link, to see a cute picture of the girls eating homemade cookie bars if nothing else. (Click on the picture itself to see the amusing caption...)

Brookline Patch Column: Snakes in a Crib

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:12:57 GMT

Squeaker has recently started to tell us that there are snakes in her crib when she wants to be taken out. Her imagination reminded me of my own at her age, as I too remember being afraid of things that weren't really there.

Unfortunately, as the parent now and not the child, I find that there are some real fears out there, not as benign as imaginary snakes in a crib.

In my The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch this week, I discuss some of these things that happened last week and last month, and how they've affected me.

If that's too heavy for you, there's a cute picture of Squeaker and Muffin with a funny caption.

So, go read Snakes in a Crib for the picture and the great quote from osewalrus, if nothing else.

The Man Who Ate Lunch: Ken Liu

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:02:28 GMT

Folks reading here may recall that last month I recommended a novella that had been recommended to me: The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary by Ken Liu. The novella had been recommended to me by Jamie Todd Rubin on his blog, and I found it just as compelling as Jamie did.

I wasn't surprised when it and another Ken Liu story (The Paper Menagerie) showed up on the Nebula ballot this year. (It makes for a tough ballot, as there a lot of stories I would want to vote for this year, and I only get to vote for one in each category.)

The day I read Ken's story, I emailed him, and he emailed me back. We discovered that we were local, and I suggested lunch. He suggested we get together when it got warmer, which it did last week, so naturally we went out for lunch today in the cold.

gnomi actually got to the Milk Street Cafe before I did, so she got to meet Ken first. We talked about science fiction, of course: writing, editing, the community, and all sorts of things. I found Ken to be much more gregarious in person than he appears on line, but perhaps that's typical of many of us.

If haven't had a chance to read his stories yet, go click on the links provided. I think you'll like them.

Brookline Patch Column: Book 'Em, Muffin and Squeaker!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:00:21 GMT

Sometimes a column just presents itself naturally.

Nomi and I spend many weekends trying to figure out how to occupy or entertain Muffin and Squeaker. This past Sunday, with the clock change, we got started a little later than usual, and we weren't sure what to do with the kids. All we knew was that we wanted to go out.

And then it hit us. The kids love books, but they have never actually been to a bookstore. So we decided to take them on their very first trip to an actual bookstore, in this case Brookline Booksmith.

The girls had a great time browsing for books, but you don't have to take my word for it. Nomi wrote about the visit in our The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch this week.

However, I will take credit for the column's title: Book 'Em, Muffin and Squeaker!

Go read the column, and find out exactly what criteria Muffin uses to select her books for purchase. The answer may surprise you.

Presidential Primary Day in Massachusetts 2012

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 14:06:35 GMT

Four years ago, when Nomi and I still lived in Precinct 9, we made a point of getting to the polls as early as possible to vote in the presidential primaries. (Actually, we make a point of voting as early as possible in every election we can.) I still recall how crowded the polls were even before 7 am. By the time we had finished voting, the line was down the block.

This morning, things were a little different. With the permission of the elections warden, I took a few photographs for public posting.

As you can see, the polls were practically empty this morning. There was no one waiting to vote, no long line of people.

There was very little campaigning going on either. A lone gentleman was holding a sign up for one of the few non-presidential contested races, that for the Republican State Committee.

There was also a dearth of people collecting signatures for nominating papers. Two ladies were collecting for Joe Kennedy III, but they asked me not to take their picture. We also ran into Harry Margolis, who is collecting signatures for Governor's Council, and Nomi and I also gathered some signatures for my own campaign.

It's possible things will pick up later on today, but I doubt it'll be nearly as crowded as it was four years ago. On the Democratic side, the only candidate is Barack Obama, and on the Republican side it's pretty clear that Mitt Romney will win Massachusetts.

As you can see, Nomi and I ended up being voters #18 and #19 as we left the polls. Last year around this time, those numbers were much larger.

Ruminations on Life and Loss

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:57:17 GMT

Two days before my birthday, a close friend of mine and her community suffered a loss of a man, a writer, who was only 50 years old and died of what appeared to be a sudden heart attack. The very next day, an acquaintance of mine, a teacher, who had been two years ahead of me in high school and was only in his 40s, also died of a sudden heart attack.

And then last night, we heard that another good friend had lost his wife just hours before. She was also in her 40s and suffered an apparent sudden heart attack.

Needless to say, this combination of deaths has affected me.

As many of you know, I lost my father when I was in college, and my mother passed away a little over five years ago. Just last fall, I lost my aunt, meaning another member of that generation was now gone. I've had a lot of experience dealing with the fact that death is out there, that it exists, and that it can't be fought off in the end. Like all of us, I try not to let it overwhelm me, but it never strays too far from my thoughts. For example, just yesterday, as I was video recording my daughters singing and reading aloud, it occurred to me that one day they would value these videos not for their own appearances in them but for the sound of my voice behind the camera. (I hate how morbid those thoughts are, but I cannot deny their existence.)

When I see all this tragedy around me, I want to offer words of comfort, and I tend to feel that my own experiences should be able to help. I should be able to ease the minds of those friends of mine who just started losing their first parent in the past few years; after all, I was a pioneer, exploring the territory well ahead of many of them. But my own experience has taught me the truth behind one truism: there are no words.

I remember that when my father died, my mother tried to explain to me that she had lost a husband, and it was hard for me to understand what that meant. All I knew was that I had lost a father. But now, having spent so much of my life with one person, I have a better grasp of what it was my mom had, even as I still have no idea what it means to lose it. I hear that a friend has lost his wife, and I want to say something, but I have no idea what I can possibly say. My own losses are in no way congruent to his.

What I can say is this: the first hours, days, and weeks after the death of a loved one are surreal. It's like stepping off a curb into a street that you didn't realize was there. For that time, the universe just doesn't seem to make sense. Then, slowly, you start to pick up the pieces of the world around you, and you manage to fit it together like a jigsaw puzzle that was scattered to the four winds.

At my mother's funeral, Rabbi Shmuel Feld talked about eventually adjusting to the "new normal." To all of my friends who are suffering these recent losses, I can't tell you that it gets better, because, well, it doesn't. But it does get "normal," if that makes any sense.

May we all be comforted.

Brookline Patch Column: Telling Off Television

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 14:00:45 GMT

In my last The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch, the one before Nomi's column two weeks ago, I discussed "Bad Parenting." One of my concerns was whether or not I'm letting the girls watch too much television, even if we do keep some control over it.

How much television our kids should watch – indeed, whether or not we should let them watch television in the first place – is a question that has plagued me almost from their birth. In my column, I discuss a little bit of my previous experience with the idea of toddlers watching television. But I only briefly touch on the possible hypocrisy I feel I'm indulging in by curtailing their own television viewing when I enjoy TV shows myself. Intellectually, I know that I shouldn't feel this way, as their brains are still developing and it's far better for them to engage in active play and reading. I also am concerned when they fight me at the end of a program, and have a tantrum if I refuse to show them another episode of Dora or another Sesame Street video on YouTube. So part of me thinks I should keep them away from TV completely. But, you know, I want them to enjoy many of the same things I enjoyed as a kid, shows like Star Trek and M*A*S*H, although I do wonder if they will come to like them the same way I did.

At the very least, with our lifestyle they've learned that we don't watch "videos" or "pictures" on the Jewish sabbath, and I think they've come to accept that.

I know that as a kid I watched a lot of TV, and I wonder – did it really do me any harm? How could I possibly quantify it? The answer is, I can't. I'd have to go back in time and repeat the experiment by having an earlier me not watch TV and see how I turn out. I guess at any moment in life we simply play the hand we're dealt.

I will note one final thing with amusement. Since all of Muffin and Squeaker's TV watching is via tablet computer, they really have no idea what that old CRT box in the corner of the living room actually does. When they were playing the iPad app My PlayHome, a virtual doll house, they discovered they could turn on the TV set in the doll house's living room, and the little screen would start to show images of a program for the doll house family to watch. Muffin and Squeaker, who are quite familiar with many of the other virtual appliances presented in the doll house, had no idea what that box was. If they don't know that the TV box can be such a big distraction to them, I feel like I may have succeeded in some small way.

Go read Telling Off Television to see what else I have to say. Also, there are cute pictures with funny captions. And take the poll!

Burstein for Congress Platform

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:36:32 GMT

For those of you who keep up with my life via this blog and not through any other source, you may not have heard yet that I have formed an exploratory committee to look into running for Congress from the Massachusetts Fourth District. As this LiveJournal tends to be more about me and my writing, I haven't really thought of it as a place to discuss this particular campaign. (Although yes, I have discussed many of my local races here from time to time.)

However, I wanted to let everyone know that my exploratory committee has posted a platform on our website. As we work to collect signatures to get my name onto the Democratic ballot, I thought it was only right to let people know what I hope to accomplish if elected to congress. So visit the Michael on the Issues page and see where I stand on the issues of jobs, education, health care, marriage rights, women's rights, copyright and the Internet, and space exploration.

Apex Blog: Time Travel? There's an App for That

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:30:34 GMT

It's been a while since I had a post up on the Apex Blog, so for those of you who have been waiting patiently, I'm pleased to tell you that there's a new post up.

In honor of Leap Day, I decided to review three of my favorite time travel apps for the iPhone. These three apps won't actually allow you to travel in time, but they'll prepare you for the possibility.

So go read Time Travel? There's an App for That and if you have an iPhone, definitely download the third app I review. You never know when you might need it...

My Birthday: Free Fiction!

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:40:05 GMT

Today is my birthday, as noted by the fine folks over at This Day in Jewish History.

In honor of my birthday, the fine folks at Hadley Rille Books have published a new piece of flash fiction by yours truly, Gravity's Dance. I hope folks will enjoy it.

Here's a few highlights of what else happened on this day throughout history:

1801: The District of Columbia is placed under Congressional jurisdiction
1860: Abraham Lincoln gives a speech condemning slavery at Cooper Union in New YorkCity
1897: Britain recognizes US authority over the western hemisphere
1922: The Supreme Court unanimously declares the 19th amendment constitutional, defending women's right to vote
1933: The German Parliamentary building, the Reichstag, catches fire, giving the Nazis an excuse to suspend civil liberties
1973: The American Indian Movement begins its occupation of Wounded Knee
1991: The first Gulf War is declared officially over
1993: The World Trade Center is shut down indefinitely, as investigators begin looking into the February 26 bombing

There's probably other events I've missed.

I share my birthday with John Steinbeck, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Nader, Elizabeth Taylor (who died last year), and Chelsea Clinton, among others.

SF Signal's Mind Meld: Who Are Your Favorite Villains In Fantasy And Science Fiction?

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:10:25 GMT

Once again, I'm pleased to note that I was invited to participate in a Mind Meld discussion by the fine folks over at SF Signal. This time, the question they asked was, "Who are the most memorable villains and antagonists you’ve encountered in fantasy and science fiction? What make them stand out?"

There's a lot of possible answers for this one, as you'll see when you take a look at the responses many people have given. But for me, there was one villain who stood out above the rest, a mutant from Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, one of my first encounters with the concept of mind control...

Go check it out:

Mind Meld: Who Are Your Favorite Villains In Fantasy And Science Fiction?

Note that my contribution includes something of a spoiler for the Foundation series, in case you haven't read it yet. But it's kind of an obvious spoiler.

Brookline Patch Column: The Escape Artists

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:02:28 GMT

Last week, gnomi noted in a LiveJournal entry called Adventures in Parenting that Squeaker had climbed out of her crib, the first time she had ever done so.

Naturally, this is good fodder for our The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch. In The Escape Artists, Nomi discusses what happened last Thursday night in much greater detail, as we discover that we're raising two little Houdinis in Muffin and Squeaker:

I was in the kitchen when I heard Muffin and Squeaker's bedroom door open. I knew I hadn't opened it, and I doubted Michael had, given that he was in a different part of the apartment. So I was very surprised to see Squeaker walking down the hallway, crying for Daddy....

Go read and enjoy.

Brookline Patch Column: Bad Parenting

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:01:24 GMT

For some time now, I've been a little bit worried about a few of the decisions Nomi and I make when it comes to raising Muffin and Squeaker. For example, given their age they can be very stubborn at times and throw tantrums if they don't get their way. This can lead to us "giving in" when it just seems easier and minor. If Squeaker wants to sit on my lap during dinner, is that a battle I really need to fight? It's far more important to make sure that the kids brush their teeth before going to bed, isn't it? Shouldn't I focus my energy there, rather than on requiring them to wear pajamas in bed instead of the day's clothing if they really want to?

In our latest The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch, I explore a few of the decisions we've made (or are in the process of making), and ask if our Bad Parenting really is so bad.

If you go read the column, you'll find out at least one secret that's liable to get us in trouble in the future.

Or you could click the link to Bad Parenting to see a picture of Muffin and Squeaker on my iPad...and eating cookies for dinner.

The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary by Ken Liu

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:14:01 GMT

Over on his blog, Jamie Todd Rubin noted that he had read a novella yesterday that he subsequently added to his Nebula ballot. He said, "I'd easily put it in the top ten novellas that I ever read."

That novella: "The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary" by Ken Liu.

Since I take Jamie's recommendations strongly, I followed his link to Ken Liu's stories and read the story. Jamie had said nothing more about the story, and so I went in with no expectations save the one that this was going to be a good story.

I'm with Jamie. It's one of the most powerful stories I've ever read. I don't think it would give too much away to say that as I read it, I found myself comparing it to my own "Kaddish for the Last Survivor" and feeling that it was so much better. If "Kaddish" was a story of mine you found of interest because of its themes and overall subject matter, you should read Liu's story.

Brian F. Walker: "Black Boy White School"

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:49:32 GMT

I spent six years teaching at the Cambridge School of Weston, and I made many friends among my colleagues and students. One of those friends was Brian F. Walker, who was in the English department and also worked in admissions in the time I was there.

Brian and I bonded over the fact that we were both writers. While I was writing science-fiction short stories, Brian was working on a YA novel based partly on his own experiences growing up in East Cleveland and attending a private school in New England.

That novel, Black Boy White School, has finally been published by HarperTeen, and last night Brian had a signing at The Elephant Walk in Cambridge. I wasn't sure if I would be able to get to it, as it meant making sure that the girls went to bed early or on time. As it is, thanks to Nomi, I managed to make it out the door in time to get to the signing late. I missed Brian's reading, but I had a chance to see him, talk for a few minutes, and get my copy of his novel autographed.

Black Boy White School by Brian F. Walker

I'm only halfway through the book, but I'm enjoying it immensely. The novel is about Anthony "Ant" Jones, an African-American teenager from East Cleveland who earns a scholarship to Belton Academy, a prep school in Maine. It's fascinating to read about Ant's experiences in these two different worlds, both of which are very different from the world I experienced as a teenager. Ant is dealing with the usual issues of adolescence, of course, but layered on top of that are the problems specific to a black teenager from a rough neighborhood trying to make it in an elite white world. I can't wait to find out what happens to him.

Five Years Ago...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:06:35 GMT

Five years ago today, I posted this entry.

Five years ago this morning, my mother, Eleanor Mae Cohen Burstein, died. She was 70 years old when she died, and I had just had a message from her the day before in which she sounded fine.

I don't really have much to say about her passing today. I've thought about discussing her life a little bit; as many of my friends know, Mom attended Mount Holyoke, Barnard, and Columbia Law School, and in her later years worked as an Administrative Law Judge. She died before she got to meet my children, but she did get to enjoy some of her other grandchildren before she passed on. Although today is the anniversary of her passing on the Gregorian calendar, her yahrzeit is next Sunday night and Monday, so that's when I'll be saying kaddish for her.

At the time she died, Nomi and I had just joined Kadimah-Toras Moshe, and I remember how everyone came together for us, although many in the community barely knew who we were.

Anyway. I just felt compelled to note her passing, and that I miss her still.

Brookline Patch Column: Now is the Winter of Our Discontent

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:01:43 GMT

Now is the Winter of Our Discontent, made glorious summer by...the unseasonable weather?

In our latest The Brookline Parent column at Brookline Patch, Nomi discusses what it has been like for Muffin and Squeaker (and us) in a winter that up to now has been rather mild. Ironically, the column comes out just in time for us to find snow on the ground...

Among the many things you'll find out if you read the column is how a friend's stuffed bear helped us convince Squeaker that yes, she really does want to wear her coat when the temperature is below freezing.

Anyway, go read Now is the Winter of Our Discontent, for the cute pictures if nothing else.