Today is my Dad's 60th birthday!!!!

Happy Birthday Daddy/Grandpa Hoo Hoo!

Miscommunication

Apparently I am getting deaf in my old age and I can't hear or understand people on the phone anymore. Today, I was at Target buying a booster seat for Rori. I wasn't sure if it would be ok if I bought a backless one since it was for Bill's car and I didn't want to spend the extra money for one with a back. However, if it meant that I was an irresponsible parent by getting the backless one, I would shell out the additional $30. So, I called my friend, April, since she was on my mind because I had been discussing our church outreach with her earlier, and she has 4 kids--one of which is Rori's bestie, or BFF, or bosom friend, or kindred spirit, as it may be. Anyway, April didn't answer the phone, but called me back as I was checking out, so I was a little distracted--at least that's what I blame it on. This is how the conversation went:

Me:  "Is it okay if I get a backless booster?"

April: "Yes, Rachel and Maya have backless ones. It's totally fine. Oh shoot I forgot Rachel's socks! They won't let her go to school without them next Monday!"

Me: "Um. Okay. That stinks. Bye."

Actually, we chatted a bit more, but I thought, "how odd. Rachel's school has some serious restrictions on hygiene. I guess they don't allow sandals or something." Then I thought, well, I'm at Target, I'll call her back and offer to pick up socks and give them to her at church on Wednesday. I wonder if she needs a special kind. So, I called April.

Me: "Since I'm at Target, do you want me to pick up socks for Rachel and give them to you Wednesday?"

April: "Socks? Huh?"

Me: "I thought she needed socks in order to go to school on Monday."

April: "No....she needs shots."

Me: "Oh. That makes more sense."

The end.

Mating of the vegetables

This year my zucchini, while having giant plants, have not produced the size and quantity of vegetables that they did last year. Several of them got to be just larger than baby carrots and then they start to rot. I was getting really frustrated until I googled it. It appears that the problem is that earlier in the summer we set up a bee trap to keep the bees away from the swing set. My garden is near the swing set, so we set the trap on the other side of the yard. I haven't noticed too many bees in the last month or two. Apparently the bees take the pollen from the male zucchini flowers and put them inside the female ones. If this doesn't happen, the zucchini stop growing and are small and rot. So, the sites I looked at suggested that I pick the male flowers and pull the petals off and tickle the inside of the female flower with the stamen. It sounds kind of naughty, but I may try it. If the neighbors hear giggling from me in the backyard, it's probably because I am mating my zucchini.

Ballerinas

Growing up I always wanted to be a ballerina. I absolutely loved everything about ballet. I read books about it, practiced at home, and when I was finally old enough to be on toe, it was like all my dreams had come true. Alas, eventually I stopped taking lessons, but I occasionally still put on my toe shoes and danced around my room--even in college. I even took lessons one summer after Rori was born. Unfortunately all that did was make me realize I was old and out of shape!

I have always hoped that Rori would become interested in ballet. Today she was watching Barbie as the Nutcracker and Waltz of the Flowers came on. I told her that I had danced to that song a long time ago and asked if she wanted to see my ballet shoes. I pulled out my toe shoes and we both tried them on and I think she felt the magic too! We hobbled around in them and then put on my regular ballet slippers and danced around the living room. I was in heaven. She told me she wants to take ballet and it just made my heart melt into goo!