Kicking Cans and Capturing Flags

Now that I am far from Australian shores I confess that with few exceptions I prefer American literature to ours. Not such a great surprise if you browse my shelves. I'd always thought, though, that it didn't particularly matter as there were other things I liked more about home, like children's games.

Kick the Can and Capture the Flag were two of my favourites, taught by my cousin to my siblings and I when holidaying at the farm, which I then taught all my friends in hope that among my peers I would have a greater chance at victory.

But now I have reason to doubt the origins of these games; I have reason to suspect that they aren't in fact true blue Australians but immigrants, come to our home from far of places. I'm reading Annie Dillard's An American Childhood and have discovered that Annie also engaged in such activities as a kid. Which got me Googling (off topic but seeing as no one was inclined to feed my laziness: a mountain must be higher than a hill, which according to one (possibly unreliable) source must be smaller than 305 metres and anything considerably smaller than a hill is a hillock - our hostel rests on a hillock) and all I discovered was that neither one was Australian, both could be American and possibly European, depending on whom you choose to believe, and that there are other Googlers out there wanting answers.

Yes, I realise I'm in New York, a most exciting city where the origins of children's games shouldn't be taking up blog space, but I couldn't help but notice, in this most exciting city, that there isn't any room for such games, unless of course you're a Mary Norton character.

I also like American TV shows and Gilmore Girls is a favourite with the women of our household. So I was tickled by the idea of visiting Rory's haunts at Yale. Margs and I took a tour, which was very entertaining - did you know the Frisbee was invented at Yale (so also not Australian) and that New Haven is home to the first hamburger? - but our tour guide did not care for GG so was not forthcoming with any 'and this is where Rory ate or sat and read or walked to class' moments; was slightly disappointed. But not with Yale itself, the college is gorgeous. This is a university where I would have bothered to attend all my lectures; it has an underground library, an underground rock-climbing wall, an underground tea room. Uhuh, you heard me right, this place has everything.

It's bedtime so I'll sign off abruptly - next time I'll provide a more comprehensive guide to our daily activities but probably not till after I complain at length about the weighty doors that annoy me so. Obviously exciting stuff to come. Much love to everyone; you've survived a month without us. x

p.s. if there's time after tomorrow night's broadway show (we're thinking Mary Poppins) a game of Kick the Can might take place on our street.