It's quarter to two in Saskatoon

I spent a fine day at the L'Arche Day Program today while some of the team did their first aid training update. We had musical morning prayer with shakers and drums, and Mariette* prayed for all her wonderful friends as usual. Then we had a seated circle game, passing a ball around with hands and feet, and our own special version of the Bird Dance. We played Dominoes (and made lines of them for Leanne to knock down), Connect Four (who can get their pieces into the stand the fastest?), and Kerplunk! with Thomas and Leanne, counting all the marbles. It was all great fun as I hadn't played some of the games since my kids were young, and to heck with the rules!

But the most enjoyable moments of the day came from Mariette and her cell phone. While we were having lunch together, she turned it on and announced quite authoritatively, "It's twelve-seventeen in Edmonton, and one-seventeen in Saskatoon." That made us laugh out loud, no one louder than Mariette. Then we got into a conversation about what time it was in Vancouver, and Brantford Ontario, where Mariette's brother lives, and whether we know people in all of Canada's time zones.

About a half hour later, Mariette was finishing a game of Ludo, Trouble, or Aggravation (one of those games that has different names in different cultures) and she suddenly blurted out, " What do you know? It's quarter to two in Saskatoon!" to more delighted laughter from those of us present. I guess it's the running joke at L'Arche Edmonton these days, asking Mariette what time it is in Saskatoon, because she loves to give the answer. She knows she's right.

Certainty can be a wonderful thing. And aren't we all happy to show off what we know? What's delightful about Mariette's announcements of the time in Saskatoon is that it's like a big joke with a punchline that's hers to deliver -- and she delivers it with gusto and a big laugh to boot. We can't prevent ourselves from grinning and laughing with her. Jokes don't really have to be funny if you deliver them with enough joy!

It reminds me of my kids' riddles when they were small and didn't really understand conventional humour. Lines like, "What did the table cloth say to the table? Oh, you need to be washed. Hahahahaha!"

I think everyone needs a Mariette, or a child in their life, just to remind them that punchlines can be whatever you want when delivered with enough enthusiasm and a belly laugh!

*I use pseudonyms for the names of all my L'Arche friends.

Friday foolishness from Christina (and me)

It's been another busy day, and I'm a bit fried from running errands and doing laundry. Christina suggests that I moodle some silly jokey riddles, and that seems about right for today. So here goes:

Q: When ducks fly in a V, why is one side of the V longer than the other?
A: Because it has more ducks.

Q: What has four legs, is big, green, fuzzy, and if it fell out of a tree it would kill you?
A: A pool table.

Q: What do you call a fish with no eyes?
A: A fsh.

Q: What do you call a video of pedestrians?
A: Footage.

Q: Why did the cupcake crash his car?
A: Because he was baked.

Q: What did one cupcake say to to the other cupcake?
A: Nothing, silly. Cupcakes can't talk.

Q: Why do ducks have flat feet?
A: To stamp out forest fires.

Q: Why do elephants have flat feet?
A: To stamp out flaming ducks.

Q: What's black and white and goes round and round?
A: A dizzy panda caught in a revolving door.

Q: How many elephants can you fit in a Volkswagen?
A: Four. Two in the front and two in the back.

Q: How many dizzy pandas can you fit in a Volkswagen?
A: None. It's full of elephants.

Q: How can you tell there's an elephant in your refrigerator?
A: By the footprints in the butter.

Q: How can you tell there are two elephants in your refrigerator?
A: You can hear them giggle when the light goes out.

Q: How can you tell there are three elephants in your refrigerator?
A: It's hard to close its door.

Q: How can you tell there are four elephants in your refrigerator?
A: There's a Volkswagen full of dizzy pandas parked outside.

Okay, so they're not all Christina's jokes, but the majority are. It wasn't so long ago that our girls would sit at the kitchen table, swinging feet not reaching the floor, and tell little people riddles with punchlines that pleased them, but didn't actually work. For example:

Q: What did the cucumber say to the tomato?
A: Hello, how are you?

Q: What did the picture say to the wall?
A: You have nice wall paper.

I miss those days. Everybody grew up too fast, and I rarely hear riddles any more, so this moodling is in appreciation of that childlike sense of humour, even (or perhaps especially) when it doesn't make sense.

Ask a little person for his or her favourite riddle, and have a good weekend!