Southold Day 1

Joe and Ted are on their big trip to NY to visit the family home in Southold one last time before it is sold.  Their adventure started with a full day of travel on Thursday. Joe was a trooper through the long lines and long layover and car ride. We amused ourselves with books and playing with Monkey.

While the Boys Are Away. . .

The Birds will play. Joe and Ted left for Long Island this morning, and Julie and Clara already miss them.  In an effort to cheer themselves up, after Clara's swimming lesson tonight, they went to a Mexican restaurant in the same strip mall called El Patron.  It's been there maybe ever since we moved here, and Julie figured now was as good a time as any to give it a whirl.  Brigade, they were playing the equivalent of Mexican MTV.  Imagine the way videos looked in the 70s--before MTV--but in Spanish, and you've got it.  Birdie loved it.  She was dancing in the booth.  And, there was a waitress who was singing softly as she worked.  We have mentioned that Clara moves through life to a soundtrack of song? Kindred spirit in the waitress it would seem.

Now the birds are home and Julie has said that Clara can sleep in the big bed while Joe and Daddy are in Long Island.  When Julie announced this to her, Clara said, "For the whole night?!" The Birds agreed that three animals could accompany Clara to the big bed.  She selected Elsa, Anna, and a baby from the basket of babies in the green onsie.  (This last is a bit of a dark horse.)

Sweet dreams, Long Island.

Missing you in Minnesota.

Chess Class

Monday was, of course, Joe's last Monday of kindergarten.  For most Mondays of the year, he had chess after school, but that ended a couple weeks ago.  So this past Monday, Ted ducked out of work early to get Joe at "parent pick up."  Joe emerged from the school in a sea of kids but quickly caught Ted's eye and spied the bike with tagalong, which Joe loves to ride home.  Upon arriving home two minutes later, Ted asked what Joe wanted to do, but Joe had no ideas, so Ted suggested a bike ride to get ice cream, to which Joe was quick to agree.

So off they went along the trails for about 20 minutes until reaching the Galaxy Drive In (formerly Wagner's which was old school cool, but is now a burger drive in by the creator of Rainforest Cafe so it's overly kitchy). The boys each got a shake (strawberry for Joe, oreo for Ted) and ate in silence until the last slurp.  Joe wasn't even done with the last bite when he got off his stool and ran to go see the giant chess board.  So they set up a game and played.  Ted managed a victory, but maybe because he wasn't skipping around the tables between turns. So Joe got his chess lesson after all. 

Then they saddled back up and road back home, stopping briefly to collect Clara.

Both boys wish every Monday went like this.

They're Pink!

Lots of petals.

When we moved into White House, we found gardens overrun with weeds which, when we cleared them out, revealed, among other things, peonies that had come and gone.  So we waited in anticipation this spring to see what color they would be.  They began blooming and then it promptly began raining, so it wasn't until a few days later, this past Sunday, when we were outside trimming the lilacs with the bambini darting about doing this and that, that Clara stopped short in front of them and exclaimed, "Mommy!  They're pink!"  When you are a four-year-old girlie girl, there's no better color.

With lilac branches.

On a puddle walk, Saturday.

Joe's Last Day of Kindergarten

FANS!  We know: the posts--they're flowin' like mud.  It ends here and now.  So, too, today, did kindergarten for Our Hero.  A week ago Friday, he brought home his homework notebook for the last time, and thereafter, each day, more and more papers and items came home.  Kindergarten teachers are very, very good at chronicling things on laminated pieces of construction paper, perhaps spiral bound.  The dining room table is filled with a happy mess of academic detritus from Our Hero's kindergarten year.

We think he liked it.  We are basing this assessment in part on the fact that he has stated that "of course" he would like to invite Mrs. Dvorak to his birthday party in July.  (Here we pause to share that it will be at The Big Thrill Factory which is, frankly, not such a big thrill if you are over the age of, say, 10.  It is like your Chuck E Cheese, on steroids.  We suspect Mrs. Dvoark may have other plans?  Here is what she wrote to us in her final "communication folder" communique: "It has been a pleasure being Joe's kindergarten teacher this year.  It has been fun to watch him grow as a reader, writer, and mathematician!  I will remember him for his great hugs and smiling face.")

It seems like just yesterday we were walking Our Hero off for his first day with his tag on the bright aqua blue string hanging round his neck. . .The next threshold we will cross will be summer camp drop offs, pick ups, and everything in between.  We have arranged a veritable jenga of them that, of course, double as child care.  Their start is delayed by a weekend trip to Long Island where Our Hero will hold Ted's hand while Ted says goodbye to Little Red which will be a hard thing.  Good thing Our Hero is a first grader now and knows all about making your way through hard things.