My daughter Julia came to live with me two years ago for school. It isn't easy for me to raise someone who is practically my nine-year-old clone, but that is exactly what I find I am doing with Julia. Through our judo and soccer practices, reading, writing and arithmetic, Girl Scouts, and Japanese language classes, we occasionally have a conversation that connects us both in a sometimes deep and usually humorous way. Hopefully, you will be as entertained as we are.

Inventions

Julia begged Daddy to take her to an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, where they have her favourite sugar-coated pastry…

Julia:  Daddy, is there anything on my face?

Daddy:  Yes, you have a bunch of glaze and sugar on your face from those pastries.

(pause)

Daddy:  You know, there’s this invention called a “napkin.” 

(pause)

Julia:  You know, there’s this invention called a “tongue.”

Daddy:  Sigh.