The College Tortilla

I like going to Mommy's college. Once a week they have a nice dinner called 'Formal Hall' and sometimes children get to go, too. We had one this past Friday.

Mommy picked me up from nursery that day and changed me into my nice clothes. Then we went to another college for a party. It was something called a 'book launch', but I didn't see any rockets or books being thrown. A friend of Mommy's had written a book. I liked the party. They had crisps [potato chips] there on low tables that I could reach easily!

Then we went to Mommy's college, which was just around the corner. Daddy met us there with my booster seat and bib. Everyone was dressed up; Mommy and her friends had on funny black gowns. The tables had white cloths on them. Daddy put some apple juice and water in my glass--I call that 'white wine'! Cheers!

After dinner I went in the quad, which I call 'the garden.' The quad was looking particularly beautiful. A tree was full of flowers. When I had come into college with Mommy and saw the garden, before dinner, I said to Mommy, 'Mommy sang in the garden and a man played the piano and he played it LOUD!' Mommy was shocked, because I was remembering when she sang with the college choir last spring.

[JoMo's mommy here. He's talking about when about when we sang Vivaldi's 'Gloria'--one part of which can be heard here on YouTube--to an audience enjoying some Pimm's. JoMo didn't pay attention for long, but went off exploring the far side of the garden with some of the other toddlers and dads, so I was surprised he remembered anything, let alone nearly a year later! Especially as we have no photos of it and haven't talked about it really since it happened....!] Mom, you should be used to how good my memory is by now!

We went hunting for Emmanuelle with some other little boys and their parents. Emmanuelle is the college mascot. She's nearly 100 years old, Mommy said. She has won some intercollegiate tortoise races, competing against the tortoises from other Oxford colleges, but she's been slowing down lately. We found her under a bush, near her food and water trays. Daddy pulled her out so we could get a better look. 'I like the tortilla!' I said. Mommy and Daddy laughed, so I said it several times. I do like tortillas. And tortoises.

Then it was time to go, as it was getting late. I said bye-bye to Emmanuelle. See you next time!