Labor Day

Are you ready for some football?!?!?!

This Labor Day I tackled my labor du jour -- mowing the grass -- before the fun. And I do mean F-U-N!

You may have seen it on ESPN (or maybe not) but Maryland played Navy today for the first time in five years. It was quite a spectacle! So as not to give either team an unfair field advantage, the game was played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Normally, it is home to the Ravens so there was a multitude of purple present. Heck, even the soap in the bathrooms was purple! Purple carpets. Purple seats. Purple printed menus. Purple banners. Purple signs. Did I mention purple soap? Purple, purple, purple!

Oops. I got sidetracked by the purple. Where was I? Oh, yeah...

It was an utterly gorgeous day in Baltimore. 80 degrees with very low humidity -- almost unheard of in these here parts!

 Terps warming up and the stands starting to fill.

The 30 companies that make up the Brigade of Midshipmen take the field for the National Anthem. They spanned the ENTIRE field. It was quite a spectacle. 

The Navy band was the last to arrive -- you can see them coming on to the field in the far right -- and they filled-in the end zone.

Terp fans decked in red in the purple seats, with the Brigade still on the field. See them on the jumbo-tron?

Bet you were starting to think we were just there for the pomp and circumstance and not really the game, huh? The game was actually really good. The basketball players were .... what? ... they weren't playing basketball? ... Hee hee! Got you! I totally knew they were playing rugby. :-)

Seriously. The FOOTBALL game was good. Lots of action, some good fumbles and not-so-good plays, and the right amount of Maryland scoring for us to leave as very happy campers. I took the picture above from our seats which were awesome -- first row of the second level, and right on the 45 yard line. Scha-weet!

 The Mighty Sound of Maryland takes the field at half-time for their usual pre-game show. Although the timing was a little backwards -- pre-game at halftime -- the band sounded and looked good for their first appearance of the season. The mega huge Maryland flag is always my favorite part of the show so I just HAD to get a picture. Heck, I get a picture of the flag EVERY time so don't be shocked if it makes an encore appearance some time this season. Hee hee!

Final score: 14-17 Maryland! Yay!

Up next: back to school and work. Boo! 

Sweet! Sixteen!

It was 1994 and the Friday before Labor Day that I began a journey called parenthood.  This year, on the Thursday before Labor Day I began another journey -- teaching a teenager to drive. EEK! 

Rewinding just a smidge, let me say that Thursday was the Turkey's 16th birthday. For weeks, and even months, I had been fostering the notion that I was dead set against letting him drive any time soon. Heck, I would have been delighted if the Turkey moved to a bustling metropolis and neglected to get a driver's license until, oh, some time around the responsible age of 29. Just sayin'.

So I am not sure what possessed me to let him get his learner's permit on the anniversary of his birth, but I did. Not only that, but I planned it as a big, huge, mongo birthday surprise for the Turkey.

I picked him up from school on Thursday with an iced caramel latte in hand (his fave) and as we were leaving the school nonchalantly said, "our first stop is home where you'll need to change your shirt and shave, because you don't want to look like Shaggy in your driver's license photo." The Turkey nearly fell out of the car he was so surprised! Heck, so was I! It took him a moment to recover, to be able to speak, to be able to breathe, much less smile and acknowledge his glee. And glee it was!

Here he is taking the test. The final score was ... drum roll, please ... 20/20! Hooray!

He had passed the test, signed the forms, and we were waiting for the license to print. This is one seriously happy Turkey!

Success!

As we left the MVA the Turkey said his face hurt from smiling so much. Aw! He was super surprised. JUST the birthday I had hoped for! But the surprises were far from done ...

This was his first time behind the wheel. We found an empty parking lot and I coached him through the first 20 minutes of parking lot driving. It was simple stuff -- getting the feel for the car, how to put it in gear, operating the pedals, wipers, lights, turn signals, etc. He did well. I did well. We all did well.

Next up: dinner with the fam. The Turkey regaled everyone with the tale of getting his license. We laughed. We talked. We laughed some more. We ate. Then the Turkey opened his presents which included a check for Driver's Ed. Yowser! He was super surprised at this because I had told him the Driver's Ed schedules weren't compatible with his school schedule. Liar, liar, pants on fire! Again, more broad smiles from the Turkey and more comments about his face hurting.

After the surprise check for Driver's Ed, his next present was a new touch screen phone. It just so happened that the phone is manufactured by Virgin Mobile and, naturally, their logo appears prominently on the packaging. See:

This elicited many comments from the assembled, resulting in my sister becoming embarrassed and turning the same shade as the Turkey's shirt. It was priceless! Needless to say, the phone is now referred to as "The Virgin." Hee hee! :o)

But wait ... there's still more! After dinner the Turkey had the choice of flying or driving. This was a rough choice for him, but he finally settled on driving. We headed to a somewhat empty parking lot, put him behind the wheel again, and talked him through some moves for about 30 minutes. He also got a new book and a video game that he had been "needing." (Really, he had been begging me for it most of the summer.)

After a late night, a happy sleep, and seven hours of school the next day, it was the Turkey's chance to celebrate his birthday with his friends. And where would 16-year-old boys want to go?

Hooters! As the Turkey said, "Two of my favorite things: chicken and breasts!" I just shook my head and paid the tab.

So that was it. A 2-day feast of surprises marking the 16th anniversary of the Turkey's birth. He still says his cheeks are sore, which I take as a great success. Yay!

Good bye, dear camp

The closing ceremony for the Turkey's summer camp. It's also a lesson in how 16 people retire the colors. Speaking of color, the Turkey is the one in the red t-shirt. (Just in case you couldn't tell.) He also cried when he left. And then he snuggled into his own bed in air conditioned splendor and was home.

En Why Cee

I had me some acelatheraphy last week. That's right: one trip to NYC via Acela. Wheee! It was a business trip mixed with some Nephew Lovin' and a brief visit with my brother and his bride. Here's a quick run-down of my 28 hours in the big city: 

This is acelatherapy in action. Nice seats, extra leg room, foot rests, curtains, and overhead compartments just like on a plane. It even smells good. Oh, and not crowded on this particular Wednesday morning, either. Score!

More bonus points awaited when I checked in to the hotel:

Ohmyluckystarsabove! This was my room. MINE! I felt so grown up and didn't want to leave. Oh my. Super comfy furniture, exquisite details, superior service, and an oh-so-mumfy bed. If you are ever in NYC and need to stay near Times Square, check this place out. You won't want to leave this slice of heaven on earth.

I couldn't resist just one more hotel picture. This leaded glass window was the backdrop for cocktail hour before dinner. Oh, and dinner...YUM!...Branzino "Saltimbocca" and heirloom tomato salad with a bit of chocolate tart and homemade vanilla gelato for dessert. (As I reach for the napkin to wipe away the drool...)

Yes, yes. The business part of the trip included a dinner at the hotel with 20 or so folks. Why not stay there as well? Natch.

My meetings the following morning were canceled so I found myself meandering down 5th Avenue for a while. Well, if you can call a walk from 53rd to 38th in summer heat a "meander."

And then over to the financial district:

I quickly discovered why it's called the financial district. One needs to have SeRiOuS finances to park there! 

Some lovin' and snuggles with this little dude were all free, though:

Argh! I was so busy providing some Crazy Aunt Jess love that I forgot to pick up the camera until the end. After a couple hours of hanging with me he was tie-erred! Aw.

Honestly, I was plum tuckered out, too. It had been a long 28 hours and I was anxious to get on the train and head home. Within minutes though I was scheming about how to get back to that hotel. Maybe TWO nights next time!

Fire trucks and Fins

Author's Note: the conversation below is an actual conversation between Pink and the Turkey that took place this evening. No names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. Drat.  

Turkey: Do you want to know why firetrucks are always red?


Me: Um. Sure? Wait. Haven't you told me this before? I can't remember. You KNOW I'm not good with jokes,

The Turkey cuts eyes towards his mom, tilts his head a smidge, and is silent. I hate the silent treatment.  

Me: But go ahead.

Turkey: So, 1 plus 1 is two, right?  

Hearing an affirmative mumble he went on...

Turkey: And 2 plus 2 is four, right? And since this is the third step, three times four is.... ?


Me: 12!  

Whew! I never know when the trick questions are coming my way so I was deliriously happy to know I got a serious math answer correct. Score! If I had only known how fast the bubble would burst... 


Turkey: And there are 12 inches in a ruler, right?

Me: Depends on what kind of ruler you're using. But, yes, the school rulers have 12 inches. Plus a tad.


Turkey: Smirking  And another ruler is a queen, right?

Me: Most of the time.

Turkey: Another ruler is Queen Elizabeth, right?


Me: Wellllllll, there have been two Queen Elizabeths. One was a ruler, yes, the other is just a monarch.  

I was feeling smart. Almost ready to appear on Are You Smarter Than A Third Grader. (Yeah. I know it's supposed to be fifth grade, but I'm so not ready for prime time yet.)

The Turkey is chuckling now. I think there was some head shaking here, but it was dark and I can't be sure. Heck, he could have been recording this whole thing with his iPod, in which case I'm YouTube toast.

Turkey:  The Queen Elizabeth was also a ship, and ships sail the seven seas.  

Then looking at his mother and clearly stating...

Turkey: MOST of the time.

Me: Well, yes, but there are some ships that sail in the bathtub and some in the Chesapeake Bay, not to mention the Gulf of Mexico which is not technically part of the Seven Seas, so let's get real and say ships just sail in the sea. Generic SEA. Mmm-kay?

Turkey: And there are fish in the seven seas, right? And fish have fins?  

Dang, he's persistent!

Me: Sometimes. Sometimes fish have fins.

Quick! Are there any fish that don't have fins? Sea creatures, yes; but what about fish? Argh!

Laughing Turkey: And the Fins fought the Russians, right?


Me: I dunno.

Hysterical Turkey: YES! World War Two! The Fins totally fought the Russians!  

More laughter. Why didn't he have a stomach ache by now?

Hysterical Turkey: And the Russians wore red, didn't they?


Me: I dunno.

Hysterical Turkey: Moooommmmmm! The RED army! They wore RED! And that's why fire trucks are red. They are always RUSHIN'!  

There was way too much triumph in the tone of his voice. I shook my head in the negative directions and quickly changed the subject. SKOR candy bars seemed like a safe topic. Grocery store. Tomorrow's list of things to do. Whew! Until he circled back to the Russians....

Turkey: So why were you confused at the end of the fire truck joke?

Me: It just didn't make sense. Why did you have to bring the Russians into this? I mean, what happened to the Confederates? They wore red.

This stopped him in his tracks. 

Turkey: No. No, they didn't. 


Me: Confederates! Yessss.... Oh, wait. No. I mean the Red Coats! Confederates were blues and grays. I was thinking about the British Red Coats. Those guys. With the red jackets. They wore red and their uniforms were a lot more fashionable than the Red Army. Duh!

At this point the Turkey lost it. If he was laughing before, he was cackling now. Then he was doubled over at the waist and slapping his knee. Did he really have to add those?  I mean, jokes about my age and something about being blonder than my highlights AND knee slaps? *Heavy sigh.* Wait! Maybe I could blame this on my new pink sparkly highlights? Now there's an idea!

He's baaaaaack!

Shake, rattle and roll

I was awake at 5am. I could hear a louder-than-usual train in the distance. Then then train whistle. Unusual. Hmmm? Changed positions, fluffed a pillow, hunkered down and pointed the internal compass toward Dreamland again. Somewhere in the mid-sleep mumble -- you know the one: it's the might-or-might-not-be-asleep-but-feel-oddly-somewhat-conscious phase -- I heard the cat jump up on the dresser. I knew it was the dresser because the jewelry and assorted perfume bottles and meds started rattling. Then a thud and a rumble as the cat jumped down.

Wait. We don't have a cat.

Huh? 

I was awake now. AWAKE!

I blinked a couple times and listened to see if the floorboards would creak but didn't want to move too much in case there was someone/something unexpected in the house. All was quiet. Very quiet. Hearing nothing more, I figured it wasn't a burglar, refluffed the pillow, rolled over, and happily went back to Dreamland. After all, maybe it was a squirrel playing a rough game of tag on the roof. Maybe? Or maybe my dreams were just super vivid and I imagined it. Maybe?

An hour or two later when I was awake for real (that second pillow fluffing worked great!) I learned it was not a cat. Not a squirrel. Not a burglar. Not even some part of a crazy dream, but a ... hold on to your hat ... it was an earthquake! Seriously! How cool is that?!

But if there ever IS an unexpected some one/thing in the house in the middle of the night ... sigh ... at this rate I would probably offer him or her a cold beverage and cucumber sandwiches, some cookies, and strike up a conversation. "Ever been to Niagara Falls?" "Where did you go to high school?" "Really? Police Women of Broward County is your fave TV show?" "Oh, and go ahead and take the tray out from under the sandwiches. Honest. It's only silver." "Here's a goody back of extra sandwiches and snacks, too. No sense in being hungry while you're playing burglar." "Love the early Halloween costume, by the way."

My head is already shaking in shame.