The dinner conversations are just getting better and better.
Little Brother, a deep cogitator from way back particularly likes this forum to air some of his more, random ideas. Its fascinating to see what inspires these discussions, everything from Skulduggery Pleasant, their latest reading material, to house insurance and mortgages. And their amazing school. I am constantly impressed by the random information they come home armed with. So much for just going to school to eat your lunch, like in the good old days.
"I can't wait until the world explodes!' he announced one night over carbonara.
'Really?; I asked, "Why is the world going to explode?" (Thinking - Did I miss something big in the news and mentally running through the state of the emergency kit.)
"The earth is actually moving one centimetre closer to the sun every year and one day its just going to get so close that BOOM!"
"Its going to be awesome!" he continued.
"Awesome" Big Brother corroborated. "BOOM!"
I figured we have enough time to restock the baked beans and muesli bars before that day, so I relaxed.
Pause. Then -
"Why aren't men allowed to be nuns?"
Another night he got onto the hot topic of our new mortgage. Its obviously given him cause for thought. He's been coming up with plans to pay it off but first he needs to understand how it works.
"When we've paid off the mortgage will we then be just saving money?"
I explained about just paying the interest at this stage. He knows we have 30 years to pay it off, and we might not have another holiday or any pocket money during that time.
"So we're not even paying the house off, we're just kind of renting it from ourselves?" he continues.
Pause.
"Can I give up blogging for lent?"
One night over corned beef he heard us talking about the insurance. That led to Insurance 101, and discussed home and contents, house and car insurance. The knowledge that if the house burns down we would claim the money back to build a new house was strangely inspiring to their tardis brains.
"Lets burn it down and then claim the money to pay off the mortgage!" was Big Brother's plan.
"I think you'll find thats illegal, the insurance company will find out and then you'll be a criminal"I advised.
Pause - while Little Brother looks for the loop hole.
"Can I get someone else to burn down our house, then they'll go to jail and I'll get all the insurance money?'
"Well, I think you'll find thats criminal activity too and you're going to need a good lawyer"
"Well," he continues, "I actually want to keep fit. I want to keep fit so I can keep skinny, so I can fit through the bars. Then I can solve all the crimes. And do the crimes."
"Whats a lawyer anyway?" he asked
I babbled something along the lines of "A lawyer is a person who argues one side of a case, say there would be a lawyer arguing in court that you didn't commit the crime of burning down the house, and there would be another lawyer arguing for the police that you did burn down the house. Then a judge and jury would decide if you were guilty or not guilty. "
I have a feeling arguing for a living would appeal to him.
Another pause.
"Mum, what body part would you have two of, if you could have two of something? Two heads? Or maybe four arms?"