Random Notes from the Sandwich Life
1. Last night as I was trying to convince Owen it was time to go to sleep, and as I got sleepier and sleepier....I vaguely remember having a hilarious discussion with Owen and thinking I HAVE GOT TO REMEMBER THIS. It was something to do with the Peter Case show and Owen wondering if Peter would like him. Alas I just can't dredge it up. If only I could remember all the amusing things that come out of his mouth.
2. I LOVE John Waters’ comment re: gay marriage, "I think we should just try to make heterosexual divorce illegal."
3. Ernie was helping Owen with some homework about measurements. One of the questions was “what is the average length of a craftstick?” Ernie said, “Craftstick? What’s a craftstick?” Owen shrugged his shoulders and said he didn’t know. They moved on to the next question. Just picture the two of them staring at each other saying, “CRAFTSTICK?” I don’t know why but that just cracked me up. I had to google it myself and found that it is craftspeak for a popsicle stick. Geesh.
4. Owen had to write about a memory at school yesterday so he wrote about making sticker cookies with his grandma. Ernie told me that and of course, predictably, I cried. My mother wasn’t really up to baking from scratch so she and my father would buy these cookies you just sliced and baked and then when they were done you put these little holiday themed stickers made out of sugar and god knows what else. My father would be in charge of baking them and then the boys and my mom would put the stickers on. They LOVED doing this. After Schnuck’s stopped carrying them Ernie would even make the trip out to Walmart to get them. Ernie and the boys did a hunt online yesterday and evidently they do not make them anymore. I’m glad the boys remember it though.
5. We went to an extraordinary party this weekend. Some friends of ours (thanks Val and Bob) co-hosted it with another family and it was wonderful----family and friends playing music. Sometimes in an interview someone will say, ‘oh, we always were playing music in our family’ and I always think “really?” I can’t imagine. I don’t think anyone in my family was particularly talented musically although my sisters and I all played in band and enjoyed it. None of us could sing although my Dad could belt out a Navy song or two when he went on walks. It was a lovely evening and it made me pleasantly envious of their ease and pleasure in performing for one another as well as the comfort and structure, and history, that an extended family provides.
6. Countdown to Peter Case. Five days. My daily list of prayers: I hope it goes well....I hope we get a good crowd....I hope we get enough donations to pay him a little more than we agreed to....I hope he has a good time....I hope the food I'm making turns out well....I hope we get the house clean.....I hope....I hope....I hope.....
7. Oftentimes, when I talk to the boys about something they need to work on, I'll broach it with something like "well, I think we all need to work a little harder to.....blah, blah, blah." The other day, in a fit of uhhhh, pique...yes, we'll go with pique....Owen told me that EVERYthing I say is WRONG! I, of course, acted like the mature adult I am and got really pissed. Later when Ernie pointed out to him that he damn well better be apologizing to me, Owen sat down calmly next to me, laced his fingers together before flexing them, and said calmly, "wellllll Mom, I think we both need to work a little harder to not fight." Then he looked up at me expectantly and all I could think was how much I wanted to kill him and how much I adored him.
8. Leo is entering tweenhood with a vengeance. The other day Ernie did something foolish (he LOVES to annoy Leo) and Leo just stared at him and said, "Don't EVER do that again Dad" and sighed. And as Ernie pointed out he has a way of saying, "that's disgusting" with so much revulsion dripping from his words that it's really quite impressive.
9. And last but not least a picture of one of my favorite signs in town. I love Champaign dearly but there really is dearth of nice old neon. What other old neon is around??? Am I forgetting something?