New Who Review for "The Empty Child"

The title reminds me of the first episode "The Unearthly Child" but that is really beside the point. This is one of the episodes that Caroline has not seen nor shall she for a while since it is about children in danger during the blitz in London not only from the bombs but this mysterious figure that is a child in a gas mask asking people if they are his Mommy. This is also the introduction of Captain Jack who will be around in the Doctor Who mythos for a while. This episode to me throws back to the spooky episodes of Doctor in which you really don't have the truth until close to the end of the 4th act which in this case is this coming Friday. The dialogue is snappy for the most part and there is some good "Why can't a companion just stay put" moments. It was also fun seeing the Doctor slip into his Sherlock Holmes mode to find out what is going on.

Spoilers behind the cut.

I am grateful that Caroline has not seen this episode. It really creeps me out.

( The_Empty_Child )

Takes after her Mother

This weekend I assembled a tri-cycle for Caroline. It is a lot like the one I had as a kid. I like it because it is metal not plastic and the wheels are real rubber. She watched me very carefully while I was putting it together and which tools I was using. She would pick them up and pretend to help with the tri-cycle. After I finish, Ariel and I took it and Caroline outside and she started to figure out how to peddle and move forward. She doesn't have it quite down yet but she keeps trying. Ariel showed her how to peddle by riding her bike. Yes, I do have pictures.

Afterwards Caroline keep picking up my tools and "fixing" her bike. I wasn't happy with her using some of the screwdrivers because they were so long and I could see an accident waiting to happen. But she was having so much fun with the tools. So I went and got her a very little kid set of tools which she has been happily "fixing" things around the house much to our amusement. She has a purple basket that the tools go in which is her toolbox like Mommy's toolbox. Ariel and Caroline put together the birdhouse that came with the tools last night.

I remember coveting my father's toolbox and the tools within from a very early age. My father taught me about tool safety and how to handle them which I am now teaching Caroline. I remember for a birthday I asked for a Dewalt cordless drill having chewed through a number of Makitas over the years of building scenery. My father bought it and the clerk asked if this was a gift and my father said yes. Then the clerk asked him "For your son?" "No," my father said proudly, "For my daughter." I still use that drill for projects and it has held up better than my Makita did.

I am grateful for Caroline's interest in how the world works.