Jake's green thumb

Our son is turning into quite the little gardener. He loves it and he's actually really good at it. Awhile back Grandpa Snow gave Jake some string bean seeds and Jake dug a hole in the gravel/sand/dirt on the side of their driveway and the little buggers actually grew so big they transplanted them over to Grandpa's main garden. The other day when I stopped by to pick up the kids Jake was planting more of them along the driveway. I told him that maybe next year he could do his own veggie garden over at our house. Immediately he had plans for beans, corn, watermelon, and tomatoes. I hope he knows what he's doing because I've got a thumb so black that I can kill a plant just by owning it.

Where everybody knows your name

This afternoon I called down to the local bar to see if the upstairs restaurant was open this evening.  The restaurant is only open on Thursday and Friday nights but is subject to close at the owner's whim so I just wanted to call down and double check before we headed down with the entire family.

Me: Hey there.  Is the restaurant upstairs open tonight?

Bartender: Yep.  Is this Diane?

His reasoning skills always entertain me

There is a small town bar here in Upton called the Rose Garden. It's a great local bar that serves fantastic food. There is a restaurant upstairs that is open on Thursday and Friday nights. The rest of the week you have to eat down in the bar. The kids love going there and we try to go there on either a Thursday or Friday night so that we can eat upstairs. Occasionally we'll take them for lunch because it's not terribly busy downstairs during the day and it's not a problem for the kids to eat at the booths in the bar.

Tonight Hannah had a birthday party from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. so we decided we go out and run some errands with Jake. I told him if he was really good we'd go out to eat and he could choose the restaurant. Of course he chose the Rose Garden.

Jake: Can we go to the Rose Garden?

Me: No sweetie....not tonight. It's Saturday.

Jake: So?

Me: Well the restaurant isn't open and the downstairs will be full of drunken adults.

(long, long pause while he thinks about this)

Jake: You know what I like more than anything Mommy?

Me: What?

Jake: Drunken parents.

(uncontrollable laughter on my part)

I guess he figured if Mommy and Daddy were part of the "drunken adults" downstairs that he could tag along.

So, so tired....

Last night was the PTO General Meeting, which of course means we went out to the Rose Garden for drinks afterwards (gotta love the PTO). It was also the season finale of America's Next Top Model. I got home late from the RG, had to do a few things on email, and then sat down to watch ANTM. I didn't get to bed until midnight and then woke up with Lincoln's alarm at 5:15 or thereabouts. I fell back asleep but then Jake woke up around 6:15 a.m. I just stayed in bed praying he'd get up by himself. He usually just lays in bed calling for Daddy until one of us goes in there. If it's me, and not Daddy, then he throws himself down on the bed like he's dying and starts crying. I really didn't have the energy for that this morning so I was very lucky that he actually got out of bed on his own and came looking for me. I convinced him that he didn't really want to go down and have breakfast right away (chocolate milk is like coffee for him - he can't start his day without it). Instead I convinced him it would be fun to watch tv from Mommy's bed. I can't believe he fell for it! Not that he doesn't like watching tv but I actually got him to ditch the chocolate milk for 45 minutes! Even after falling back asleep until 7 a.m. I was still exhausted. And that is why I love my job. Where else could I come to work on a drizzly, miserable, sleepy day and wear my sock monkey slippers? Yes, I brought real shoes for when I have to go into someone else's office but I have to say...I'm communicating by email, IM, and phone as much as possible today.

By the way, when I thanked Jake for letting Mommy get some extra sleep he stopped, looked at me, gave me a very regal nod of his head, and said "you're welcome". He's obviously building up some good karma for the next time he beats up his sister.

Paradise Found!

Leinie's HoneyWeiss and BerryWeiss can now be found in Massachusetts! Years of smuggling it out here in a suitcase, loading up the back of our car on the road trip from Iowa, and attempting to drive over the border into New York to buy Leinie's has finally come to an end. The world's greatest beer can now be purchased here in Massachusetts.

Now, if I can just get Mike to start selling it down at the Rose Garden on draft I'll be one happy (and very drunk) camper!