Weekend Conversing

For once, I was quiet. For once, I did a little more listening than talking. These are the conversations I caught this weekend:

At the gym:
Girl: Mom, you have to take your bra off.
Mom: I know.
Girl: You don't care if people see your boobies?
Mom: No.
Girl: Hey! Boobies starts with B!

At Peter's Parents:
Mother-in-law: Joe has been exposed to whooping cough. Whooping cough! That's not even around anymore.
Father-in-law: Do you think it is from immigration?
Me: What?
Peter: It is because they have stopped immunizing for whooping cough.
Father-in-law: Since when?
Mother-in-law: You know, I just hate it when they do that.

In the car:
Julian: I want binky!
Me: There are no more binkies.
Julian: I want binky! Bink! Bink! I want binky! Where is binky!
Peter: Sorry, bud.
Julian: Binky! Binky! My binky, mama!
Me: Blink. Blink.
Julian: I want binky! Binky! Binky! Mama! Mama! My binky, momma!

Changing Julian's diaper:
Peter: Julian, do you have testicles?
Julian: (Silence)
Peter: Yes! You have testicles!

At a party:
Some guy: Eden Prairie Lady, this is Peter, Peter teaches at Benilde.
EP Lady: The thing I hate about Benilde is . . .
Me: Blink. Blink.
EP Lady: The other thing I hate about Benilde is . . .
Me: And your connection to Benilde is what?
EP Lady: Five years ago a really smart girl, I can't think of her name, went to school there. Peter, you taught her. I know you taught her. She wasn't really pretty.
Peter: I don't know who you are talking about.
EP Lady: Yeah, you taught her. Kind of quiet.
Peter: I teach lots of kids that are quiet.
EP Lady: I hate to say it, but she was a bigger girl. Really into girl scouts. Do you know who I am talking about?
Peter: No.
Me: I need more wine.
EP Lady: I will find you later when I think of her name.
Peter: Let's go home.

In the car again:
Peter: Do I have a belly like my Dad?
Me: (making weird face)
Peter: Be honest. Do I have a belly like my dad?
Me: No.
Peter: Then how does that jacket fit him? It is too small for me.
Me: It is not too small for you. It is supposed to fit that way. It is a biker's jacket. A rock star jacket.
Peter: It is? I'm a rock star, right?
Me: Silence.
Julian: I want binky!

Check This!

Last night, Peter introduced me to this little guy - Line Rider. Have you met him? He is the greatest way to waste time. Check out this one made by someone much more talented than I.




** Google "line rider" and you can get to the web site where you can make your own. Try it and you will understand how truly amzing this is. Good luck to you!

Shit!

Those 10 days of beautiful fall are gone. Most people think I dislike fall. Hate it. That's what I tell them. The truth is, deep down - I love it. Now you know. I love the colors. Love the smell in the air. Love bundling up in sweaters and hats for a fall walk. Sitting in front of the fireplace or a bonfire. Love listening to the crunching and rustling of the leaves as the squirrels play chase in the backyard. Peter laughs at me as I stock up on apples, pumpkins, squash and pears. It's time to celebrate "The Harvest" - a much better holiday to celebrate than the traditional holiday that comes later in the month. (I am not so big on celebrating theft, rape and slaughter).

I love fall. It's just that I can't stand what creeps behind it. What has already crept. Shit! Last week, it snowed. Snow pelted me in the side of my face. The wind made a mess of my hair. Then I wore a hat. My hair was even messier then as it stood straight up from static. From the hall closet, which remains unopened all summer, I took out the winter coat that I have not worn in months. And forgot to check the pockets. I set of the security buzzer-thing in the federal courthouse. A lighter. No, something more than that. A reminder of something I haven't done in awhile. I hold it in my hand for awhile - contemplating. Then step into the warm room covered in mahogany.

It's winter. I told Peter we need to move. Why do we stay? Because our family is here? Because we both have pretty decent jobs here? Because we just put Julian through the crisis of changing schools? Because we have a house just outside of the city with ducks and deer living in our backyard? Because we just redecorated and created a train room for our little boy? Those reasons are not good enough! I am cold!

But, enough with all the complaining just for a little while. In those beautiful 10 days of fall, we managed to have a lot of fun.



The Little Libra turned 2 and had a fabulous party scoring Thomas the Tank Engine and His Friends . . .

We rode some horses . . .

We climbed a hay mountain . . .

Picked some apples for The Harvest . . .




Roamed the pumpkin patch . . .

And floated down the St.Croix on one last boat trip . . .






These pictures will be a great to look at someday after we relocate. A reminder that we DO NOT miss the changing seasons.

A Day in the Life

Listen! I hear a rumble. Someone needs help.


I can take the tractor. But the tractor is slow . . .


I better run. But I am not fast enough . . .


A snowmobile!


There you go little cow. Eat up!


But listen! What's that noise?


Gotta run!