IV, or IIII?

A couple of months ago, before we moved, we were sitting in our living room with one of my former youth. He checked the time, and saw what we had failed to see every day for probably the good year that we owned the clock: one of the Roman numerals on the clock's face was different from the way we'd learned Roman numerals as children. (And M, my former youth, was a child many years after I was, so what we'd been taught had been spanned for generations, I think.)

Anyway, we learned the number 4 as IV. Did you?

And on the clock? It read IIII.

I actually discarded the clock since it was wrong when we moved. :) However, I was reminded of it last week when we were in Estes Park. I looked at the big clock behind one storekeeper and it showed IIII. I asked my dad, "What's the Roman numeral for four?" He said, "IV," and I pointed out the clock. Did we miss something?

A few days ago Ro and I were in Wal-Mart looking for clocks for the basement and loft. Every single clock that had Roman numerals showed IIII for 4. I'm perplexed by this, and obviously it's been bugging me or I wouldn't be blogging it right now. :) Did something change in the last few years? Is it a California thing? Wikipedia shows both IV and IIII for 4.

I don't know, but it bugs me. :)

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You know how kids often go through a growth spurt? I think G is going through a vocabulary spurt. Just yesterday she surprised me with two new words - bunny and fish - and with fish she did the ASL sign with it. Sometimes she doesn't say the animal name but she knows the animal sound; the other day she took her sheep out of the toybox and roared "Baaaaa!" (It was the scariest sheep sound I'd ever heard!) She whinnies when she sees horses. And yesterday, trying to get her off my lap so I could crochet, I said, "Go find me a horse!" She was gone for a little while, but came back with two: a pink My Pretty Pony and a fat, round, legless horse from her Weeble set. Smart girl!

G also likes to pat herself on the back. :) She is learning to obey when I say, "Close it!" - whether it's a drawer or cupboard or stairway gate - and afterward she always nods and says, "Good girl!" She says the same when she puts her toys in the toybox, diapers in the Diaper Genie, and trash in the trash can. Maybe this will be the kid I can train to be neat! :)

I've been crocheting an afghan for the living room or loft. I haven't crocheted in years, and seeing C work on her scarf, and with the weather changing - it's put me in the mood. C has a lot of fun ideas and things she'd like to do, but poor thing, it's slow going for her because she's just learning. I wish I could help her but it's just a process I guess she has to go through. Anyway, yesterday I spent a lot of time in front of the TV crocheting and chilling, to the neglect of many of my chores (and my blog!). :(

So, today, I need to get, as they say, on the stick. Deb commented, after seeing pictures of G, that she can still see boxes in the background. hehehe Yes, there are a lot! In my defense, I'm burnt out on spending money, and I need some cabinets and organizational items and such still. But I can at least get caught up on some of my to-do's and such today. The guy is also coming today to blow out the sprinklers (the winterizing thing is all new to us), and Deb's got some papers on the way for me to read. I guess I should go get some things done then.

Right after I crochet one more row...

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Prayer Needs:

• Healing for my friend C; blood test today.
• K's pregnancy and legal issues.
• G's upcoming job interview (Thursday).